Most aspiring screenwriters are introduced to the world of writing for celluloid through the "Gold Rush" dream of selling a spec screenplay. While this has certainly been a long-time outlet for big deals and big breaks into the business, it just isn't what it used to be. With the studios presenting fewer opportunities for big spec sales, writers have noticed a significant decrease in the market for original literary properties.

After a glut of original material rushing into the studio stock-piles during the eighties and nineties, most screenwriters today find themselves scratching their heads, attempting to figure out what the studios are buying. In fact, with expanding budgets and more independent divisions, recent market trends point to the key Buyers' desire to establish film projects from well-known properties - from remakes to adaptations to branding-based content. Unfortunately, this affinity for pre-created content appears to stem from an ever-growing stack of risk-averse business decisions. And, the truth is that there is more content than ever to help alleviate this fear. In turn, the amount of original screenplays introduced into the market is growing smaller, but the need for screenwriter isn't, necessarily.

Part of the art of screenwriting is generating an original story. And while the studios have long-embraced this notion, their current needs are shifting more toward assignment-based hiring. Luckily, however, a new market of smaller, independently financed production sources have been rising from both the domestic and international markets. Companies like Intermedia, Working Title, and Revolution Studios have been providing homes for original screenplays, even when the larger entities haven't been able to. Additionally, over the past five-ten years, each of the main studios have developed more independent-based production arms that focus on filmmaker-driven material. Divisions like Fox Searchlight, Universal Focus, and Paramount Classics not only acquire finished films, but also develop solid, original material.

With this in mind, it's important to remember that the shift lies less in the notion that there aren't as many buyers, and more in the realization that the purchasing entities are segmenting into companies focused on different needs. As a result, the studios may, in general, be more risk-averse on larger-budgeted projects, but are expanding their shelf space for original material in the lower-mid budget ranges.