- 1). Study. This isn’t about technique or gimmicks. In this instance the word study refers to watching movies scripted by other teams of writers. If you are a television snob or never take the time to sit down for a movie, writing a script is not in the cards for you. On the other hand, if you are willing to take the time to watch, take notes, even critique, then you will be placing yourself in the hands of the best teacher available to you: the screen.
- 2). Stick to basic hard-and-fast rules regarding story structure. Every story has a beginning, middle and end. Know where your story is beginning, who your key hero/heroine is and what goal you are trying to accomplish through your actors who will essentially be telling the story.
- 3). Get to the point and get to the point early. The best way to lose your audience is to keep them guessing for 50 minutes as to what the point is, or wondering where you are taking the story. While your climax can wait until much later in the script, if you want to write a truly compelling script you will need to “grab” your audience early in the game.
- 4). Understand the time frame necessary to write a compelling script. The industry simply won’t accept a script that is more than 120 pages because each page takes about a minute to play out on screen. Unless your last name is Scorsese or Tarantino, the chances of keeping a long script out of the trash can are nil. By keeping your script under 100 pages you are more apt to get it into the hands of a producer.
- 5). K.I.S.S. Keep it simple, stupid. This acronym is extremely important for your success as a screen writer. Producers have a lot to consider when choosing compelling scripts. Too many actors, lack of cohesiveness, scattered timelines, and a dozen locales will throw up red flags, and your script will quickly be tossed. Keep it simple with as few actors as necessary, a central locale and a compelling script that flows naturally from one scene into the other.
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