If I were you, I would try sending it to some agents after I made sure it was perfect. Have a teacher look at it. Mom and Dad will just say it is wonderful so you need someone more impartial. The Hollywood agents don't need to know how old you are until they buy it, right?
Highly unlikely. Just in theory. The youngest I know of was 19. But 16? That never happened and probably never will, for many reasons.
For one thing, breaking into this industry is getting harder and harder. Secondly, no one will take you seriously to begin with.
But most importantly, it takes YEARS of very hard work, SEVERAL screenplays to write, dozens to hundreds to read, and PLENTY of feedback and rewrites. Not one screenplay in a few months or so. It takes anywhere from 4 years (if you work every single day) and 20 years. Or longer. You don't just write a screenplay and you're ready to go. You basically need to get to a professional level as your first step. Since this is a tough craft, the vast majority don't ever get there, not even after 20 years. That's the harsh truth.
You just started out, and unfortunately first screenplays suck, almost always. I would never recommend you to show it to any professionals unless you're looking for feedback. I know you must be proud of it, and you should - most people can't finish writing a screenplay. But you need to get realistic.
Once you get to a professional level, and with at least 3-4 strong and professional screenplays under your belt (that'd be a safe number), you'd need to pursue representation, in LA (a manager). Because serious places do not accept unsolicited submissions. Reps open doors for you. And that usually takes a few additional years (or, again, it might never happen). Landing representation is just another difficult step. It takes knowing what you're doing and luck. Besides, today even writing a few professional-level screenplays is not enough. Reps want to see more, like produced indies, for example. Or stage plays. Or a published book. Or writing for a magazine. Things along those lines that prove you're worth taking on a as a client. Having the talent is just not enough. I'm assuming you haven't done any of that either.
You'd also need to be savvy when it comes to this business. The two go hand-in-hand. Otherwise it will reflect in your writing. As a screenwriter, you need to be part businessperson. Don't forget, at the end of the day this is a business like any other business. You would need to go to meetings and to network and make connections. That's what the industry is based on after all - connections. Connections get you read. They open doors. They get you work. They get you on lists. You simply can't move around town without some of those. Can you make enough connections in the industry at your age? I doubt it.
Speaking of which, as a professional screenwriter you will be required to do assignments. For example: rewriting someone else's work for a producer, punching up lines, or even writing a script from scratch based on a producer's vision. You do that to get experience under your belt. And also to make more connections to help you move ahead. Experience means gaining people's trust (with their money). And therefore, better chances of actually pitching and even selling your own work at some point. That's another harsh truth - screenwriters mostly do assignments, if they're lucky, while continuing to write their own projects (you're not done writing if and after you break in, you never stop writing). If they get super lucky they pitch. But selling is pretty rare these days, unless you're experienced or even established. Your problems here are, you need to take a lot of meetings and those assignments are done under deadlines. Do you have the time? Will you wake up really early in the morning to sit down and write or stay up late when you have school? Will you write like crazy instead of going out with friends? Will you give up on your weekends when needed?
There's also the issue of traveling. The majority of reps will not take you on and producers won't work with you if you don't live in LA or if you can't at least hop in for a few days, weeks, or months.
There's also the matter of life experience, which you don't have and it's probably noticeable.
I'm just touching on the subject here, there's actually a lot more to cover. But I'm just explaining WHY it can never happen. So if you're interested in pursuing a screenwriting career, that is if you're not too discouraged, continue working. Work harder. You started early, so you have a head start. I started out when I was 13. But give up the idea that you will start working professionally anytime soon. Good luck!
Your best move would be to write a novel - or several novels, hope to get published and then you might be lucky enough to have your book referred to a movie production company.
No professionals would even look at a screenplay written by a complete unknown.
And other thing that would help would be to write some plays - short ones at first - and see if there are any local community theatres which might look at your work. There might even be competitions which you could enter.
Answers & Comments
If I were you, I would try sending it to some agents after I made sure it was perfect. Have a teacher look at it. Mom and Dad will just say it is wonderful so you need someone more impartial. The Hollywood agents don't need to know how old you are until they buy it, right?
Highly unlikely. Just in theory. The youngest I know of was 19. But 16? That never happened and probably never will, for many reasons.
For one thing, breaking into this industry is getting harder and harder. Secondly, no one will take you seriously to begin with.
But most importantly, it takes YEARS of very hard work, SEVERAL screenplays to write, dozens to hundreds to read, and PLENTY of feedback and rewrites. Not one screenplay in a few months or so. It takes anywhere from 4 years (if you work every single day) and 20 years. Or longer. You don't just write a screenplay and you're ready to go. You basically need to get to a professional level as your first step. Since this is a tough craft, the vast majority don't ever get there, not even after 20 years. That's the harsh truth.
You just started out, and unfortunately first screenplays suck, almost always. I would never recommend you to show it to any professionals unless you're looking for feedback. I know you must be proud of it, and you should - most people can't finish writing a screenplay. But you need to get realistic.
Once you get to a professional level, and with at least 3-4 strong and professional screenplays under your belt (that'd be a safe number), you'd need to pursue representation, in LA (a manager). Because serious places do not accept unsolicited submissions. Reps open doors for you. And that usually takes a few additional years (or, again, it might never happen). Landing representation is just another difficult step. It takes knowing what you're doing and luck. Besides, today even writing a few professional-level screenplays is not enough. Reps want to see more, like produced indies, for example. Or stage plays. Or a published book. Or writing for a magazine. Things along those lines that prove you're worth taking on a as a client. Having the talent is just not enough. I'm assuming you haven't done any of that either.
You'd also need to be savvy when it comes to this business. The two go hand-in-hand. Otherwise it will reflect in your writing. As a screenwriter, you need to be part businessperson. Don't forget, at the end of the day this is a business like any other business. You would need to go to meetings and to network and make connections. That's what the industry is based on after all - connections. Connections get you read. They open doors. They get you work. They get you on lists. You simply can't move around town without some of those. Can you make enough connections in the industry at your age? I doubt it.
Speaking of which, as a professional screenwriter you will be required to do assignments. For example: rewriting someone else's work for a producer, punching up lines, or even writing a script from scratch based on a producer's vision. You do that to get experience under your belt. And also to make more connections to help you move ahead. Experience means gaining people's trust (with their money). And therefore, better chances of actually pitching and even selling your own work at some point. That's another harsh truth - screenwriters mostly do assignments, if they're lucky, while continuing to write their own projects (you're not done writing if and after you break in, you never stop writing). If they get super lucky they pitch. But selling is pretty rare these days, unless you're experienced or even established. Your problems here are, you need to take a lot of meetings and those assignments are done under deadlines. Do you have the time? Will you wake up really early in the morning to sit down and write or stay up late when you have school? Will you write like crazy instead of going out with friends? Will you give up on your weekends when needed?
There's also the issue of traveling. The majority of reps will not take you on and producers won't work with you if you don't live in LA or if you can't at least hop in for a few days, weeks, or months.
There's also the matter of life experience, which you don't have and it's probably noticeable.
I'm just touching on the subject here, there's actually a lot more to cover. But I'm just explaining WHY it can never happen. So if you're interested in pursuing a screenwriting career, that is if you're not too discouraged, continue working. Work harder. You started early, so you have a head start. I started out when I was 13. But give up the idea that you will start working professionally anytime soon. Good luck!
No - not really.
Your best move would be to write a novel - or several novels, hope to get published and then you might be lucky enough to have your book referred to a movie production company.
No professionals would even look at a screenplay written by a complete unknown.
And other thing that would help would be to write some plays - short ones at first - and see if there are any local community theatres which might look at your work. There might even be competitions which you could enter.
Get to know the right people in that industry. Really, having connections is everything in this world.