Frequently Asked Questions
A first-time screenwriter can get paid $250,000 for a feature film script for Netflix, plus residuals. However, actual compensation is determined by several factors , including whether the script is for a feature or TV, who you are selling to (a major studio vs. an independent), and the production budget.
Here’s a general ballpark for feature film screenplays
- Micro-budget (under $250k): $5,000 - $10,000
- Low-budget ($250k - $1M): $10,000 - $40,000
- Mid-budget indie ($1M - $5M): $45,000 - $100,000
- Major studio (WGA): Minimum of $250,000 plus residuals
The more credits you get, the easier it becomes to sell scripts for higher rates. WGA members can also earn significant money for rewrites, backend compensation, and more.
Screenwriting can be a great investment in your future, but it is not a "sure thing" and does not offer instant gratification. It's not for someone who needs to make rent by the end of the week. It takes time to write your first screenplay, but some of our graduates have sold their first one.
Unlike many side hustles that may disappear, screenwriting is "future-proof" because AI is incapable of original, creative thinking.
Key benefits include:
- It can be done on your own schedule.
- It can be done at any age and from anyplace.
- It depends on original thinking.
- It requires a commitment, which means much of your "competition" will fall by the wayside.
- At its highest level, it has powerful union representation (WGA) which will impede AI's progress.
If you sell a feature to a major studio, you can also get a stream of residual payments.
Absolutely. TV has become so rich and so varied. The writer in television is far more important than the writer in features. Features are developed over the course of a year, two years, twenty years. The film I did with George Lucas, was first written in 1974, we came on in 1988, the final version was finally filmed in 1994. In that process, writers come and go. In television, when you have showrunners coming up through the ranks of writing, there’s nothing more exhilarating than to write the show, get it on the air, and on a weekly basis – as opposed to having to wait years – turn out content. It becomes a family, sometimes dysfunctional, the writers and actors and vibe of a crew that all fall into a rhythm.
While you normally don't want to be on a "blacklist," this is one you do. The Blacklist is a list compiled annually by Hollywood development executives who vote on the best unsold scripts they have read that year.
If your script makes this list, you can be assured that agents and managers will be calling you. These scripts (usually 30-40 per year) are seen as unique, special, compelling, or doing something new within an established genre.
This relates to our course guarantee: we get your screenplay in front of a bona fide Hollywood producer. Even if they don't buy your script, they might be impressed enough to remember it when it’s time to compile their votes for the Blacklist.
The Ultimate Screenwriter Course is a comprehensive 12-lesson video course taught by Emmy-nominated Hollywood veteran Ron Osborn. It covers the art, craft, and business of screenwriting, from fundamentals like structure and character to the realities of the industry.
It's for everyone interested in story. This includes:
- **Beginners** who want to learn the fundamentals from a working professional.
- **Intermediate writers** who are stuck and need to understand deep structural patterns.
- **Advanced writers** looking to deepen their skill and get access.
- **Producers & Directors** who want to diagnose story problems at a structural level.
- **Actors** who want to understand character as archetype.
- **Content Creators** who want to master storytelling for their channels.
- **Film Lovers** who want to transform their movie-going experience.
The "Guarantee of Access" We are the first screenwriting course to guarantee that if you complete the course and send us your completed script (within one year of enrollment), at least the first ten pages of your script will be read by a real, legit Hollywood producer. We guarantee you will get detailed notes within 45 days. This isn't a contest; it's direct access.
Ron Osborn is an 8-time Emmy-nominated screenwriter and producer with over 40 years of industry experience. His credits include legendary shows like 'Moonlighting,' 'Mork & Mindy,' 'The West Wing,' and 'Duckman.' He has worked with studios like Paramount and Netflix and has taught screenwriting for 35 years.
The course is available for a one-time payment of $249 (for a limited time, marked down from $899).
You get the complete 12-lesson video course (240 total hours of learning), 30 days FREE in our Ultimate Screenwriter Community, and the "Guarantee of Access" to a Hollywood producer.
This is our core promise. If you complete every lesson (we track this) and complete your best script, and submit it to us within one year of enrollment, we guarantee a real Hollywood producer will read at least the first ten pages of your scriptit and provide you with detailed notes within 45 days.
There are 12 main video lectures, each approximately 45 minutes long.
The course is designed to be an immersive 240-hour experience, which includes:
15 Class Hours (15 hours of on demand video lessons presented by Ron Osborn, 30 Reading Assignment Hours, 60 Viewing Assignment Hours, 15 Homework Hours, and 120 Screenplay Writing Hours. While the course can easily be completed within these 240 allocated hours, we strongly suggest you spend as much additional time as you can writing and rewriting your screenplay. You are getting a huge opportunity with us arranging for an active Hollywood producer to read at least the first ten minutes of your script--not even veteran screenwriters with industry credits get to bypass the gatekeepers and coverage readers like this--so, if you're smart you will take advantage of this opportunity. As Ron put it, you want your script to be so good that if they are reading it in traffic they run into the car in front of them. And don't forget, you don't have to do this all by yourself. We do offer private mentor consulting from established screenwriters and producers who can advise you on your script before you submit it to the Hollywood producer (who does have the ability to green light your screenplay if it's good enough.) Yes, there is a reasonable fee for this mentoring, but ask yourself how much do you want to be a screenwriter and how much is that worth to you?
No. This course teaches the deep, foundational principles of myth and archetype, not just plot mechanics. Ron teaches the "deep grammar" of narrative that makes stories resonate. It's about understanding *why* stories work and connecting that to the commercial realities of Hollywood. What really separates the Ultimate Screenwriter from every other film school institution and course that's out there is the business focus of the course and the access to a legit, active and established Hollywood producer to not only give you a chance for your screenplay to become a movie, but following that up with his or her notes on the first ten minutes of your script.
This course is designed for you. We *provide* the connections. The "Guarantee of Access" is your key to walking right past the gatekeepers and getting your work read by someone who can make a difference in your career.
AI can't write YOUR story. It can't feel, draw from your unique experiences, or understand the deep human truths that make stories matter. AI is a tool, but Hollywood needs storytellers. This course teaches you the irreplaceable human element of story that AI will never understand.
The core of the course is 12 high-quality video lectures taught by Ron Osborn, plus reading, viewing, and writing assignments.
Yes. The "Guarantee of Access" includes detailed notes on your first ten pages from a Hollywood producer. The Ultimate Screenwriter Community also offers script feedback from professionals.
It's our private community for students. It includes a library of professional tips, weekly live sessions with working writers, script feedback, and industry insider updates. You get 30 days free when you purchase the course.
You just need an internet connection to watch the videos.. For the writing assignments, you will eventually need screenwriting software (like Final Draft, Scrivener, or free options like Celtx), but Lesson 12 covers formatting, so you can start with any word processor.
This course is perfect for you. It will help you understand *why* your script may not be working and give you the tools to diagnose and fix it at a deep structural level. You can then rewrite your first ten pages and submit them for the guarantee.
You have lifetime access to the course materials. To use the "Guarantee of Access" submission, you must complete the course and submit your ten pages within one year of your purchase date.
Yes, we offer separate professional mentoring packages. All of our mentors require you to take this course first, as it provides the foundational language and understanding they build upon.
Lesson 4 covers this in detail. It's the fundamental structure of most Western storytelling, involving a Setup (Act One), Confrontation (Act Two), and Resolution (Act Three). Ron teaches it as a guide, not a rigid formula, focusing on the key emotional beats like the First Act Break and the "All is lost moment."
Lesson 7, "On Character," is dedicated to this. You'll learn how to give your protagonist a defining entrance and how to build a character from the ground up using Lajos Egri's "Character Breakdown" (Physiology, Psychology, Sociology).
As Lesson 10 explains, the narrative needs are exactly the same. Ron teaches that the more serious the subject matter, the greater the comedic potential ("Comedy is Tragedy plus Time"). The lesson focuses on how character, grounding in reality, and structure are the keys to both.
As Lesson 12 states: "No one wants to read your script." Poor formatting, typos, and errors instantly signal "amateur" to a coverage reader (the gatekeeper) and give them an easy reason to say "no." Proper format is the first sign of professionalism.
Lesson 11 covers this. A high-concept premise can be summed up in a single sentence and has an automatic "hook." The concept itself is the star, which makes it highly promotable and not dependent on big-name actors.
This course isn't just about writing--it's about *thinking* like a screenwriter and understanding *story*. It gives you the deep structure, the tools, and the professional discipline. As Lesson 12 says, "writing is not easy... It gets easier over time, the more you practice it." This course gives you the foundation and the process to practice effectively.