DON’T WATCH THE DAMN MOVIE FOR ME
Look at your script. Are you telling me what’s going to happen next? Stop it.
Read more5 STAR ESCALATION
Escalation keeps the story interesting. To succeed, an individual escalation should be well set-up as the thing we hope doesn’t ever happen. Then when it happens, we know the most shit has just hit the biggest fan. Rinse, then repeat until the end of act two.
Read moreWHAT IS A BEAT AND HOW DOES IT WORK LIKE FOOTBALL?
A beat is like a down. A new foothold has been established. There was a play (a plan), a skirmish (conflict) and an advance was made toward the endzone (goal). There are first downs and also downs of lesser importance, which establish a rhythm of forward motion, including an occasional setback. Sometimes you get a…
Read more…THEN FORGET IT
Good scripts care about people. A lot.
Read moreBE STRONG
Cull. Whittle. Refine. Don’t waste a minute on a stale, usual, boring premise. The general problem with early scripts is that they are way too conservative in character and payoff.
Read moreOVER-WRITTEN DIALOGUE
MAKE IT VISUAL
If you create an image like this instead of a talking scene at a BBQ where people gossip about how the neighbors don’t get along, AN ANGEL GETS ITS WINGS.
Read moreEVERY READER EVER
This is true because 95% of all scripts are sent out way too soon, half-formed and half-baked, full of exposition and a general lack of coherent, compelling story. The good news is that now you know this, and with a little extra effort you can easily rise to the top five percent. Rewrite until there…
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