Character « Screenwriter-to-Screenwriter.com

Screenplay Plotting: Where’s the B Story?

Many of the scripts I’m reading at the competition level are very unsophisticated in the plotting of their B stories. Many don’t have B stories at all. Your A story may be well plotted and the characters may be clearly and succinctly drawn, however, if there aren’t interesting B stories dense with subtext that inform [...]

What, Technically, is a “Beat” in a Screenplay?

A writer friend of mine emailed asking me to better describe what is a screenwriting “beat.” Here’s the skinny.

This is actually a point of confusion for many people, and I recall it was very confusing to me when I started at film school because there are actually three kinds of beats, but people just use [...]

Screenplay Genre and Structure: Why the Beat Sheet?

The beat sheet is the best way to learn about screenplay structure, genre conventions and how to structure your script when you’re starting to outline.

A beat sheet is basically what you should create for yourself as an outline before going to page, however even before you start beating out your own script it is [...]

Romantic Comedy Beat Sheet: The Wedding Planner

Here is a breakdown I did on The Wedding Planner. First of all, I love this movie (love you, Shankman!). I think it’s funny, romantic, really charming and well written (go, Pam and Mike!). It is also very well structured, so it’s a good one to study.

What is of notice is the [...]

The Screenplay Competition “Do Nots”

The basic “do nots” before you send your script to a competition. The following is a very basic list of items that do not impress me as a competition reader and, more often than not, will get your script a resounding pass. If your script contains any of these points, consider rewriting before submitting [...]

How To Make Your Script Stand Out: Character, Character, Character

I read two scripts this morning about which I seriously debated, “to recommend or not to recommend…” For me as a reader, it really comes down to whether or not I would fight for a script. If I’m on the fence, that’s not a resounding, “yes!” There are too many resounding yeses at this level, [...]

Screenwriting Basics: The Logical World

The logical world may seem like an obvious point, however, I read enough scripts that have major breaks within the logic of their world that this is a topic of importance that I wanted to write about. Whatever rules you establish for your world must remain consistent throughout.

Sometimes, in particular with younger or new [...]

Screenwriting Basics: Character and Location Intros

Many scripts I read don’t bother to establish location or introduce their characters appropriately. Do not forget that when I pick up your script, I’ve never been introduced to your screenplay world before. I have no idea if your script takes place in New Orleans or Boston, in today’s world or in 2055. I have [...]

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Screenplay Plotting:<br>Where’s the B Story?

What, Technically, is a “Beat” in a Screenplay?

Screenplay Genre and Structure:<br>Why the Beat Sheet?

Romantic Comedy Beat Sheet:<br><em>The Wedding Planner</em>

The Screenplay Competition “Do Nots”

How To Make Your Script Stand Out:<br>Character, Character, Character

Screenwriting Basics: The Logical World

Screenwriting Basics: <br>Character and Location Intros

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