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