SCRIPT TIPS

1. TWO KINDS OF INFO THAT BELONG IN A SCRIPT
WHAT THE AUDIENCE SEES
WE CANNOT SEE WHAT JOHN OR MARY FEEL OR THINK.

WHAT THE AUDIENCE HEARS
DIALOGUE
SOUND EFFECTS

2. VERBS
ACTIVE -- STAY AWAY FROM “IS”
JOHN IS RUNNING. INSTEAD: JOHN RUNS
PRESENT TENSE

3. SLOPPINESS
TYPOS
MISSPELLING – THEIR, THERE, THEY’RE; YOUR, YOU’RE
INCORRECT PUNCTUATION
INCORRECT GRAMMAR

4. CONTINUITY ERRORS
UNIFIED ACTION IN ACTS, SCENES, LINES

5. LESS IS MORE.
OBJECT / CLARITY IS ACHIEVED BY TAKING AWAY WORDS, NOT ADDING THEM – EXPLAIN LESS.

6. CUT – WHENEVER YOU CAN CUT – CUT!
FIND THE DRAMATIC ESSENCE OF THE SCENE. CUT YOUR SCENE TO ITS ESSENCE AND THEN SEE IF YOU NEED IT.
YOUR WRITING WILL IMPROVE WHEN YOU LEARN TO CUT WHAT OUT WHAT IS UNNECESSARY.


7. LEAVE ROOM FOR THE AUDIENCE TO INTERPRET AND USE ITS IMAGINATION.

LEAVE GAPS. DON’T SPELL EVERYTHING OUT.

AUDIENCES LOVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS GOING ON
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, DEPARTED
THEIR MINDS WILL FILL IN WHAT IS MISSING


8. DON’T LET MUSIC TELL WHO YOUR CHARACTER IS.
YOU MIGHT NOT GET RIGHTS AND IT COULD MAKE IT HARD TO OPTION YOUR SCRIPT.
IF YOU MUST USE MUSIC – SUGGEST WHAT TYPE, DON’T BE TOO SPECIFIC

9. AVOID ASIDES TO THE READER. PUTS A FAKE INTEREST IN YOUR SCREENPLAY.