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The differences between script writers and directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a script writer, becoming a director takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a director has an average salary of $113,489, which is higher than the $64,254 average annual salary of a script writer.
The top three skills for a script writer include test cases, test scripts and database. The most important skills for a director are healthcare, customer service, and oversight.
| Script Writer | Director | |
| Yearly salary | $64,254 | $113,489 |
| Hourly rate | $30.89 | $54.56 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 15,222 | 230,711 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 46 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
Scriptwriting is an art and craft that requires both imagination and creativity to create entertaining content and tell a story in both dialogue and picture. The script can be educational, training, film, television programs, or entertainment. The duties and responsibilities include creating characters and coming up with skeleton plots for the producer to direct the narrative and determine the outcome of events.
Directors work in show business, whether in a film, a television show, or a theatre production. They are responsible for bringing the material to life. They work with the writers to get a clear vision of how the production should look. They lead the production team in planning for the production, identifying filming or rehearsing schedules, casting for roles, and other aspects that need to be decided upon. Directors provide direction to the actors to ensure that the actors understand their role and will be able to effectively convey emotions to the audience. They also manage all other crew members and communicate their expectations clearly so that everyone on the set is working towards one vision.
Script writers and directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Script Writer | Director | |
| Average salary | $64,254 | $113,489 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $106,000 | Between $66,000 And $192,000 |
| Highest paying City | Pleasanton, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Virginia | New York |
| Best paying company | Snap | Mayo Clinic |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a script writer and a director in terms of educational background:
| Script Writer | Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Communication | Business |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between script writers' and directors' demographics:
| Script Writer | Director | |
| Average age | 46 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 54.2% Female, 45.8% | Male, 53.2% Female, 46.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.6% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 8.7% White, 71.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 6.4% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 14% |