| The new screenwriter tends to have a love
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| affair with is/her "baby." He's married
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| | Isaac Asimov: "Either it sounds right or
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| to every word and nuance he's carefully
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| | it doesn't sound right."
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| scripted onto each page. Often, it reads
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| more like a novel than a screenplay and
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| | You might be amazed at how you'll spot
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| usually it needs a serious rewrite. It's
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| | those things you know need a little extra
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| time to get a divorce.
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| | attention. They're those things that seem
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|
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| | "odd" or don't feel "right" to you when
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| You must not be afraid to hack, chisel
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| | you read it out loud. You might find
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| or cut-out ANYTHING that does not serve
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| | yourself thinking that certain characters
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| to push the story forward. Sooner or
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| | say and do things that don't seem to
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| later, you'll write a scene that is just
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| | "fit" their backstory. You likely find
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| plain good. You're in love again and all
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| | this especially true of dialogue. Circle
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| is right with the world. Finally, you
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| | these dialogue passages so you can come
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| conclude that it doesn't serve the story
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| | back to them later.
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| as it should. You must get a divorce and
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| hack it out of the script.
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| | 4. Act it out.
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|
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| Remember: not every story is movie
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| | This is also an opportunity to get actor
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| material. Not every story is as
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| | friends to read your script. If scenes
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| fascinating on the screen as it is in our
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| | are awkward or don't come across as you
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| heads. This is especially true of
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| | intended, they need work. Stage a reading
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| biographical stories. As interesting as
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| | of the script. Make sure all of the
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| someone's true-life experiences are, they
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| | actors get a list of the characters they
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| rarely translate well to the screen.
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| | will portray and have someone assigned to
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| However, it often makes an excellent
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| | all of the lesser, incidental characters.
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| bestselling
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| | Don't prep them! Let the actor get the
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| book.
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| | information about the character only from
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|
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| | the script. If he doesn't get it, neither
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| In screenwriting, you only have TWO
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| | will an agent, reader or producer; and
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| TOOLS to work with in a screenplay:
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| | you need to go back the set-up the
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|
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| | character so he DOES get it. During the
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| DIALOGUE: that characters say
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| | reading, mark scenes that don't work or
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| ACTION: a visual description of what is
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| | have the intended impact and come back to
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| seen on the movie screen
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| | them later.
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| This does NOT include:
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|
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| | 5. Read it through out loud again, but
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| * Anything anyone "knows" (i.e. "Ed
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| | only the ACTION DESCRIPTION.
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| heard about Jennifer's problem at
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| school.")
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| | Movies are a visual medium. If your
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| * Anything that cannot be photographed
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| | story isn't visual, maybe it shouldn't be
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| (i.e. "Mary loves chocolate ice cream.")
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| | a movie. Did you get lost? Are things
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| * Anything the audience "knows" (i.e.
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| | vague? Are the scenes not visual? Can you
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| "This is the same woman we saw earlier at
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| | tell what's going by the visual clues?
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| the bar.")
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| | Mark those scenes and come back and flush
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| * Any background information (i.e. "John
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| | them out a little more.
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| is Tom's best friend.")
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| |
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| * Any action description that uses
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| | 6. One more time out loud, but this time
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| '-ing' words. (i.e. "Sue is reading the
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| | only the DIALOGUE.
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| newspaper." should be "Sue reads the
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| newspaper.")
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| | Do characters seem to drone on and on?
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|
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| | Can't tell WHAT they're talking about? Do
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| Here's a common sense approach to
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| | they talk about things not essential to
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| self-analysis of your own screenplay:
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| | the scene? Mark these scenes and come
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|
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| | back and rewrite them later.
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| 1. Read some FIRST-RATE scripts!
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| | Rule of Thumb: Scenes and dialogue
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| You need outstanding examples of
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| | should start at the point where, if you
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| well-written screenplays against which
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| | cut out the start of the scene, what
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| you can compare your work objectively. I
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| | follows doesn't make sense any more. This
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| recommend you read at least three,
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| | also applies to movies. Many screenplays
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| preferably nine, screenplays. Here's the
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| | really start around pages 30-50, which
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| catch: You MUST read them ALL in the same
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| | means the writer spent way too much time
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| week. Agents and development executives
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| | setting up the story. How do you tell? As
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| read 35-50 a week on their own time so I
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| | you read, it suddenly seems as though
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| know you can read at least three. Don't
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| | you've started a "movie in a movie" and
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| look at a single page of your script
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| | you like it better than the one you
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| until you've finished reading the scripts
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| | started. Time to get divorced. Unsure?
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| you downloaded. Read one (or more) in
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| | Write a second script and see which
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| each of the following categories:
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| | version you like best.
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|
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| * One in the same genre as yours,
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| | Writing is Rewriting
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| * One that's been made into an
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| OSCAR-winning or nominated movie, and
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| | Ernest Hemingway: "Don't get discouraged
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| * One that's an all-time favorite movie
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| | because there's a lot of mechanical work
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| of yours.
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| | to writing...I rewrote the first part of
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|
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| | Farewell to Arms at least fifty times."
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| 2. Now: read your script.
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| | Paddy Chayefsky: "I'm not a great
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| It might seem a little different now,
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| | writer, I'm a great rewriter."
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| but that's GOOD. You're becoming a little
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| |
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| more objective.
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| | Good advice from two guys who ought to
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|
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| | know.
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| 3. Read yours again: OUT LOUD.
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|
