Comments on: The Script Reader’s Top 5 Screenplay “Do Nots”

By: David

David — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 15:57:11 +0000

I’ve noticed that when writers get angry at pieces like this they tend to espouse exceptions to the rule. Every time! Out comes the laundry list.

Too bad it’s statistically impossible for everyone to be the exception. If you’re a new writer looking for entry, it’s far better to write material producers actually want to read.

Nothing wrong with spending years and years trying to get that trend busting screenplay produced — but how big are the chances that your 1st or even 5th screenplay is that script?

Here is a reader giving you guidelines — and instead of accepting those guidelines and being pumped about the inside info — you decide non of it pertains.

I spent about a year reading for a mid-sized prodco. Trust me — I wish wish wish the submitting writers would have followed a list like this. Heck, I wish I would have paid attention to this advice when I started writing.

Are all the rules fair? No. Do the rules give you unlimited creative freedom? No. They require that you bleed. A lot. To push your work and be even more creative in order to stand out.

If you want unlimited creative control, do what I do. Write a poem. Write a screenplay about anything you want however you want. And then when you’re done — go back to writing screenplays that actually have a shot at getting bought. :-).

By: Gary

Gary — Mon, 14 May 2012 21:48:01 +0000

as for the moving the story along rule what if im not writing a straight up story with a plotline what if its more of the story of someones life like goodfellas.

By: clee

clee — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 17:34:35 +0000

Thank you Monica… I really like reading your posts. Very enlightening. Plus.. somehow, it an odd way, (not weird), just odd, you write like the female lead character in You, Me and Dupree… Not a bad thing!

By: Shannon G

Shannon G — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 16:49:16 +0000

Yeah like that…

By: Monica

Monica — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 08:40:44 +0000

In reply to Shannon G. What do you mean by "get used"? Like, get people to read it?

By: Shannon G

Shannon G — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 13:11:42 +0000

Hi Monica,
You said about character introductions, something I’m considerably poor at, so how do I introduce my characters without it being too plain and boring? Also when I’m finished with my script, what do you think is the best way I could send it off so that it would really get used?

By: Monica

Monica — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 18:15:18 +0000

In reply to pat. Exactly. Everyone wants to be a genius and thinks that they can write one draft of a mediocre story and their first script should sell for a million dollars. Does this happen often? No.

By: pat

pat — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 08:32:05 +0000

See what I mean…

By: Monica

Monica — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 00:06:32 +0000

In reply to Max.

Hey, Max. Of course everyone has a right to their opinion, but to dismiss genre entirely as a core approach to writing misses the boat. It isn’t basic genre conventions that is killing creativity. It’s just hard to come up with something fresh that works within the rules and also blows people’s socks off. I think if you actually were to study various genres, you might gain a lot from it. But, if you think that’s a waste of your time, don’t.

Genres are not “indefinable,” as you claim, and as a reader I know it immediately when something shifts without warning. As regards broad comedy vs. romantic – the point of the romantic comedy is the force that keeps the lovers apart, which is overcome and then they’re able to be together. The point of the broad comedy is the A story (goal) of the protagonist, which is won, and the love interest is the ‘prize.’ These are not the same thing. They are very different story models, structurally.

Ideology, as you call it, isn’t ‘principally uncreative.’ A parallel to what you’re arguing is that because we have a fixed alphabet and fixed rules of grammar, this system is principally uncreative and thus our thought and creative processes would be killed because of it. Exactly the opposite – I think it is freeing to learn the rules, because then one can work within them. To just assume that there are no rules at all – well, then, we would have no communication. You might not like having to use a comma, but it exists for a reason. Don’t hate the comma!

On the action lines debate. It isn’t because I am lazy and jaded that I am not a fan of long blocks of text. It’s just not the contemporary standard for screenwriting. Hey, if you love long passages of prose, write a novel! Nobody is forcing anyone to write for the screen. As I mentioned, there are some writers who can pull it off – but if you are writing like this, you’d better be very confident that your prose is amazing and also that you’re not overwriting. Screenwriting is about hitting the beat. Most scripts these days come in between 101-107 pages. I often read material that takes 4 pages to write a beat that can be written in 2/8ths of a page. That is just wasted space. Unless you are crafting a kick-ass action sequence, in general you don’t need to write 3 pages of block prose.

Another way to think of it is this – if someone is taking home 25 scripts and has the weekend to get through them, are they really going to labor over every single prose word you’ve decided to force onto your pages? If you’re amazing, maybe. But, if you just look like a writer who doesn’t know better, probably not. That is time out of their day that they could be spending on a writer who just looks/reads ‘professional’ from page 1.

Every rule can be broken as well as you’re doing it intelligently and it works for your story. But I see writers every single day who think they can be that one who can break the rules. Worse when they don’t know what the rules are to begin with. Learn the rules, make them your friends. Then, if and when you decide to break them, you’ll be ahead of the game.

By: Max

Max — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 08:15:55 +0000

Petty arguments about which films shifted genre are and how is wrong. Its truthfully indefinable — based on your idea of what certain genres are or what a ‘shift’ would actually consist of.
1.The real question is not simply of a ‘ limit of creativity ‘ but a complete and utter abolishment of it. You suggest that romantic comedies:
– Basic genre conventions: for example, with romantic comedy, the thrust of the story is the meet-breakup, meet-breakup – what forces are keeping the lovers from being together –
Or that what you call broad comedies are : “male protagonist is trying to accomplish a life goal (A story), then he meets the female love interest” — isn’t that the same thing as the romantic comedy? This formula, and formulaic-ness is exactly what is bothersome, and in my opinion is killing the business. How can romantic comedies be limited to one story line? How can comedy in general only be limited to positive ending love stories? Can we agree that ideology is principally uncreative, that this is what is keeping the audiences bored?
2. In your rather officious and brow-beating (although I do like your honest, albeit catty nature, all of my L.A. people, including me have become equall so)…. DO-NOTS list, how can you restrict your reading to ‘ Not write long blocks of action” Is action not the substance of a film? Are not as you call them, writers who get ” paid a lot ” writing superior material i.e. with those hateful long action lines? Is this requirement based on the jadedness of all screenreaders reading shit all day or laziness, or both? Just being honest.
3. You are exactly the kind of kick ass and take no prisoners insider gal I would love to read my scripts, but can you handle the long block lines, or will you fall asleep? I think you’d be quite surprised.