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 […]
Tag Archives | screenwriting notes
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 major plot […]
Screenplay Competition Reading: It’s All Subjective
Here is the good, bad, and ugly of screenplay competitions: art is subjective. For everything everyone tells you, in the end it all boils down to taste. That’s why you just have to write your passion. One reader (producer, manager, agent) might not have any interest in your story. But another will. We write for […]
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 to […]
The Screenplay Competition “Dos”
The basic “dos” before you send your script to a competition. The following is a very basic list of items that get my attention as a competition reader. If your script addresses each of these points, you’re doing a good job. I will be excited to read your script. DO have a title page. Sometimes […]
Screenwriting Homework: Beat Sheets
Screenplay is about structure. Structure isn’t a random fascist convention designed to sabotage and infuriate would-be screenwriters: it’s a means for the reader and audience to know where we are in the journey. Structure as it relates to screenplay is a tool to help writers develop and increase the dramatic stakes of their story. Everything […]
Screenwriting Basics: Genre
One of the most sweeping and common mistakes I see in about 30% of the scripts I read is confusion of genre. And, by “genre,” I don’t mean “horror.” There are a variety of genres, and each specific genre and genre sub-set has its own conventions. By convention, I am not talking about overall structure. […]
Screenwriting Basics: Subject Matter
For me as a reader, when I am evaluating projects – and especially in evaluating another writer – subject matter is very important. Quality of writing aside, the choice of what that writer has decided to invest a year’s time (or thereabout) into can tell me a lot about that individual – and whether or […]
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 […]
Screenwriting Basics: Formatting & Proofreading
Basic Language Skills Look, the reality is that basic – and, indeed, excellent – proficiency with the English language is our trade. Knowing whether the comma goes inside or outside the quotation mark isn’t incidental to this craft. It is actually fundamental. If you got a D in your sixth grade English grammar class and […]
Story Notes: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
The reality of being a screenwriter is that you’ll be getting notes from everyone on the planet and your mother about how to write your script – and ideally should smile in breezy congeniality while doing it, even if every ounce of your beingness wants to punch them in the face. The best way to […]
Screenwriting Basics: The Reader’s Perspective
So, you wrote a script. You’ve birthed the baby. You’re feeling awesome. You tell yourself repeatedly, “I rock!” – since nobody else is going to. Then you send your script out – and that rock comes hurling back toward the earth faster than you can blink. Following is a list of some things to consider […]