Writers Unite! BA #2

www.wga.org is a well-established, extensive, and USEFUL website that every budding screenwriter should know about. There are so many links on the site that it will take you hours to peruse everything there. As well as being a site for screenwriters to register their work, find agents and other resources, it also acts as an up-to-date source on the latest news in the world of Hollywood screenwriting. With the recent strikes, it has especially proved useful to members and non-members of the guild who were, and are still, in need of in-depth coverage of the results of the deal-making during the strike. It has a professional look to it, and just enough html computer gadget stuff to keep it engaging, but not seem like it's trying too hard. It has a rotating presentation of pictures and colorful tabs which are very appealing to the net-surfer.

More importantly, the website has logical sections and subsections for the writer. The sheer volume of content is the highlight of the site, but it is neatly arranged with helpful drop-down menus all the way from information about what the Writer's Guild of the West is, to resources for employers. Many people must find the link titled "writer's resources" useful, as it is rich in useful links like agency listings and working rules, and each drop-down menu is in alphabetical order! The main menu never goes away (until you navigate to the Writer's Guild Library webpage which is a whole new adventure in itself).

The site also includes nice little touches that make it appealing to non-members. On the Writer's Guild Library webpage, there is a nice flash animation (at least I think it's flash) with writer's quotes such as one from Sidney Sheldon saying, "A blank piece of paper is God's way of telling us how hard it is to be God." My favorite link is to a game you can play called "Find the Macguffin". There is a list of macguffins, or objects in the movie that seem to be the main want of the character, but really could be anything because the deeper want lies in the needs of the characters (for instance, Rosebud in Citizen Kane), and you have to figure out what the movie is. It's fun, and all of the movies they refer to are on the list of the 101 Greatest Screenplays, under the "News and Events" tab. I plan on seeing all 101 movies before I'm well into the industry. Also under that tab is a great place to go if looking for information on seminars to attend for the chance to hear from real screenwriters.

Most useful to students such as myself, is the extensive "research links" subsection under the "writer's tools" tab with all the tools to do research. It lists helpful search engines, directories, government websites, arts websites, even weather and travel. I'm most excited about the tiny button at the bottom of each page titled "Jobs", because it's always on my mind, though there are no current listings for jobs. The address to Human Resources is always available, however. Think I should drop my resume in an e-mail? I've already signed up for their newsletter.

This website is basically the mecca for all things Hollywood writing related, and I'm excited to hear about new events happening at their library on 3rd Street. Seminars are expensive to attend, but discounted for students, and there are some really great people to hear from, such as the writers for Greys Anatomy, and Lars and the Real Girl. The site is really good about referencing books and publications that the aspiring screenwriter can read to get more industry-savvy. I'm already making my own book list!

I wish that the main website included some of the useful links that the Library's website includes such as: the BBC writer’s room, screenwriting contests, and a list of helpful FAQs. That's my only criticism, however. Well, that and the fact that there isn't a database for writing internships and jobs for students such as myself. But we all know how Hollywood works: know people, because the internet can only get you so far.