I received a call one morning from an unknown number, someone who got my contact from another unknown individual. Apparently, my phone number is circulating among people searching for a writer. After a very brief and confusing introduction, the caller starts rambling about a story he wants to turn into a film. “Can I get a treatment by Friday?” he asks boldly, without any reservations. Mind you, this is Tuesday. He expects me to memorize everything he just mumbled on the phone, supposedly a mark of a good writer, as I was once told.

Years ago, fresh out of film school and desperate to prove myself, I would have dived headfirst into it without asking questions. I’d stay up all night, racking my brains to produce a solid treatment. Sometimes, I’d even go as far as writing the first draft of a screenplay. Yes, you heard me right—the first draft of a screenplay. Then, I’d email it back and wait patiently for feedback that rarely came. I’d follow up with calls to check if they received it, sometimes multiple times, only for them to eventually pick up and apologetically say they would get back to me. Needless to say, they never did.

There were times when I’d run into them at industry  events and inquire about the script I sent, only to find out they had completely forgotten about our encounter. I began to believe they were doing it on purpose to avoid paying for my work. My interactions with other colleagues revealed similar experiences. Today, when I receive those calls, I don’t even bother. I just listen quietly, and when the call ends, I forget all about it.

If they are somewhat serious, they might call back to check if I’ve started writing, still conveniently avoiding any discussions about a contract or payment. At this point, I continue to ignore the calls. Less than one percent of the time, they’d actually ask how much I would charge for the work, but, of course, I wouldn’t get paid until the entire project was completed. Even then, there’s no written contract, and everything is purely word-of-mouth.

This, in summary, is the hustle of an African screenwriter—in this specific case, a Ghanaian screenwriter. It’s a very hazardous environment, leaving you at the mercy of  producers who pretend to understand what it takes to write a screenplay. I say “pretend” because, before calling you, they would have attempted it themselves and given up after a few sentences. A common saying is, “I have everything in my head but don’t have time to write it down.” As far as they’re concerned, they’re contacting you to do something they could do themselves if not for time constraints. That’s how they approach discussions about payment for your work.

Unfortunately, not much has changed since I left film school. There’s still a lack of appreciation and understanding for what screenwriters do, and it shows on our screens. What keeps most writers going is sheer passion, and that’s why over here, every writer ends up becoming a producer.

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