INT. HOME OFFICE -- DAY

Screenwriters are an interesting group.  And for those who write for movies, they call themselves screenwriters-- not scriptwriters.  The screenwriters I know personally all have these babies... born out of a passion to tell a story.  And like real children, these "parents" try to nurture and grow the child, hoping that it goes to child and finds a nice paying job.

To see your child become a fully grown movie, the screenwriter/parent has two primary paths.  They can send the child off to boarding school where the studio will try and take care of him, or they can try and raise the child themselves.

Okay enough with the analogy.

You screenwriters-- you have a script or two (or five) and you want to see them up on the big screen.  Most people work hard on trying to get a studio, or producer to option the script and hopefully see it go into production.  This path is the most common, and as difficult as it is, it's easier than the alternative, which we'll go into in a moment.

For this route, it's as easy as one, two, three... seven.

1. Write Totally Awesome Script
2. Find Agent
3. Agent Shops to Studios and Producers
4. Agent Fields All The Offers
5. You Pick the Best
6. You Cash the Big Check
7. You Sit At Premiere, Much Richer, and Watch the Big Screen as they Butcher Your Child

Most people can't get to step 2 let alone any of the others.  And actually, most don't get to step one except in their own mind.

So what's the harder, less common second path?  DIY.  Do It Yourself.  Green light your own movie.  (Shameless plug-- get the "Greenlight Yourself" training DVD on how to make your movie by clicking here.)  When a writer just can't wait on agents, producers and directors, she studies about how to make the thing herself.  It's how many indie filmmakers come into existence.  Now instead of waiting on producers, she'll be waiting on investors, but at least she can control the upbringing of her baby.  (Oops, sorry, slipped back into allegory).

So you screenwriters out there, you got two paths in front of you.  Which are you going to take?