SCREENWRITING TIPS...
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Momentum. Build it whenever possible.
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Try writing a scene by scene outline - it may be painful, but it'll be worth it in the end. Not good at outlining? Check out MOVIE OUTLINE 3 and your troubles will be over!
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Don't under estimate the power of your title! These are the first word (s) on your script, think of them that way.
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Stuck in a writing slump? Try mixing up your routine, and write at one of our wonderful Script-a-thon CAFES.
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Don't underestimate the power of identifying bad ides! Always scrutinize plot points/story devices etc. before they come to life.
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Look for throw-away lines. Inject character wherever possible.
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Don't underestimate the power of identifying bad ides! Always scrutinize plot points/story devices etc. before they come to life.
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Stuck on a re-write? Check out Script Doctor Eric for help.
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Try acting your screenplay aloud with a friend, stranger or your cat. Good way to get a handle on your characters.
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Avoid using the phrase "tastes like ass." Thanks to Oron Mendel for this astute observation. It's a lazy phrase, and we can all do better.
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Get as much dialogue on the first page of your script as possible." - Adam Strange
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Visit MovieOutline.com and watch the video for a look into why it's the most effective, all-inclusive screenwriting software out there.
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Be able to answer every question your script asks.
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Think of your script like play-doh. Make something cool with it.
Also, check out SCOTT THE READER for awesome notes.
Also, check out SCOTT THE READER for awesome notes.
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When you have a problem in your own life, think of how your protagonist would react. It's a good way to get to know him or her.
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Don’t wait for an epiphany in order to start writing. Just write, write, write, and your epiphany will come.
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Think of alternate endings for your story. A great ending really makes a script pop, so don’t settle on the first idea you have.
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As far as your audience is concerned, your hero should never stop thinking about his goal. Ever. He’s obsessed.
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Last Day for Early Entry!
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"The thing about a hero, is even when it doesn't look like there's a light at the end of the the tunnel, he's going to keep digging, he's going to keep trying to do right and make up for what's gone before, just because that's who he is." Joss Whedon
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Set up your antagonist and protagonist as clearly as possible. They should be polar opposites, standing in each other's way as often as possible.
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Be careful not to make everyone in your screenplay you. Mix up cadence and dialogue. Voices and ideologies. Backgrounds and family life. This is what brings characters off the page.
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Write everyday! Even if it’s just for 15 minutes, revising the pages you wrote yesterday. Who knows? You might get caught up in your brilliance, and pass the night happily, screenplay by your side.
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Always start with a logline! If you don’t have a logline, you don’t have your story planned out well enough to move forward.
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Join a writing group to hear your work performed. Cringing? Start cutting.
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Writing a comedy? Try hiding your exposition in a joke.
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Simple is good! Don’t be afraid to write a simple story These are the stories that really resonate with audiences.
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Try to keep titles short and memorable!
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Be patient every step of the way. In particular, flesh out concept before you begin to write.
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Check out our BLOG!
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Make sure all of your characters have an arc. Even your b characters should have a journey the audience can latch onto.
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Only name characters that are important to the story. Everyone else? CONFUSED PRISONER, ANGRY RABBIT 1-7, STUBBORN BARKEEP. You get it.
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If you're having trouble rewriting, try re-imagining your story outside of your original parameters. Be open to complete change, and see where it can take you.
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Give your antagonist a reason for being the way they are! This gives them motivation, and will help explain their actions in your story.
Looking for a good way to keep character motivations on your mind? Check out MOVIE OUTLINE 3's great Character building tools!
Looking for a good way to keep character motivations on your mind? Check out MOVIE OUTLINE 3's great Character building tools!
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Don't forget to take time away from your work! Nothing is more frustrating than a huge rewrite that makes your script worse. Avoid this by being patient.
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Check through your script for ellipses. Cut half of them.
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Look for possible places you could insert SCOREKEEPERS into your script. In Iron Man 2, a great scorekeeper is Tony's "blood toxicity meter". What's yours?
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Read your dialogue out loud. This is the best protection against bad dialogue.
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Always know your ending. If you don’t know where you’re going, the journey might (will) be frustrating.
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Be consistent! Don't change character names and locations halfway through your script.
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Don’t direct the camera. You script shouldn’t have any ‘we see’ or ‘pan to’ or ‘dissolve to’ unless it's absolutely, definitely needed.
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"Don't use words too big for the subject. Don't say 'infinitely' when you mean 'very'; otherwise you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite." - C.S. Lewis
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It’s helpful to consider every aspect of your characters and story before you write. MOVIE OUTLINE has some great tools for outlining and writing backstory as well as actual scriptwriting. Check it out!
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Try not to write 'beat'. Much like wrylies, written beats detract from the story and can distract your actor (or reader). Only use when absolutely necessary!
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Limit your use of wrylies. One per page is too many. What's a wryly? Check out our facebook page! http://tinyurl.com/268ogw8
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Create a protagonist that has room to grow. If he’s got a perfect life already, why bother writing about him (or her).
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Limit your use of wrylies. One per page is too many.
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Thing in broad actions. John makes a call. John DOESN’T pick up his phone, flip it open, dial, then send, then lift phone to his ear.
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Don't put photos on the cover of your screenplay!
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Watch for typos. They may seem incidental, but they can really distract a reader.
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If you spot a cliché, try to change it! Twist it just enough, and people will think you’re original!
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Always know where you’re going! If you write a beginning without an ending in mind, you will have a lot of painful rewriting to do later.
Don't forget to outline with MOVIE OUTLINE 3 before you start to write! It'll save you tons of rewriting time later.
Don't forget to outline with MOVIE OUTLINE 3 before you start to write! It'll save you tons of rewriting time later.
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Make sure your timeline makes sense. If the story takes place over a year, make it absolutely clear that it doesn’t take place over a week.
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The most important tip: FINISH YOUR SCREENPLAY! Don’t join the bagillion writers that have a first act, or half a script, sitting on their desktop.
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Anyone can think of a concept. Great execution is what truly makes a screenplay work.
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Experiment with how and where you write. Maybe you like music, maybe you like white noise. But if you’re feeling uninspired, play with your environment. It could help.
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Read, read, read! Read any script you can. And don't limit yourself to your favorites, or ones you think you'll enjoy. Even terrible scripts can be really useful.
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Take an acting class. This will help you write characters and voices, and most importantly, it will teach you to write parts actors want to play!
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Watch for typos. They may seem incidental, but they can really distract a reader.
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Make dialogue short and snappy. Do you like talking to people that babble on endlessly in real life? Exactly.
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Don’t let your main character get lost in great supporting characters.
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Think of a funny quirk for your main character. Maybe he compulsively plucks his eyebrows. Or maybe he’s always chewing on grass. It makes things interesting.
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Be generous with your notes and time. Offer to help other writers, and they will return the favor. And if not, you’ve learned something from reading their script.
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MOVIE OUTLINE 3 is really helpful in planning out screenplay scene by scene. And it’s much easier to write a script when you always knows what comes next.
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Try to think, what would my main character do? Whether you’re at a Starbucks or in an awkward social situation, it could be interesting (and productive) to get in your protagonist’s shoes.
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Be wary of repeat beats. It’s a fine line to walk when you’re trying to show the progression of your heroes bad day, but your audience doesn’t need to see the same things happening in different ways over and over.
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Cast real actors in your head before you write. Nail their voices, no one will notice, and you’ll have really original character voices.
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If you're writing a comedy, don't be afraid to state the obvious. Sometimes pointing out obvious absurdity can be hilariously funny if used sparingly.
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If you're setting up a unique world, don't give the audience everything at once. Gradually revealing special details will keep readers wanting more.
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Catalog tricks and tools that you use as you write a script, so you can use them again on your next piece, or even within the same script. Or visit our TIPS page, where this thought and others like it are cataloged for you.
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Scan your work for scenes that open with questions, and see if you could achieve the same effect by opening with a response.
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Change scene locations! If you protag and his best friend always chill at a pool hall, your reader could easily get bored. Mix it up!
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Screenwriting is just tricking someone into buying what you’re selling. Put the pieces in place through arduous problem solving and rewriting, and then challenge readers to find a hole.
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Give your characters unique voices. Seriously. Speak their lines out loud, each with a different pitch, or tone, or whatevermakes them unique.
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Watch as many movies as possible, even movies you know you won’t like. Think about them analytically.
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The shorter your scenes are, the better! Especially for comedy.
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If something can be going on in the background of your scene that might make it more interesting, do it!
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Don’t be afraid to use onomatopoeia in your action. But if you do, capitalize it. THWOMP. You just got owned by an awesome tip.
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Before you start writing create Character maps, outlines, scene by scene outlines, anything and everything. Don’t think you can keep all that straight? BUY MOVIE OUTLINE 3!
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Don’t be afraid to borrow from your own life for funny or dramatic moments. The best moments from many scripts are drawn from real experiences.
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Don’t be afraid of hard rewrites. Notes can be daunting, but instead of trying to make your sorry screenplay work, create new, better scenes or situations.
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Read about screenwriting as often as possible. Check our links for terrific blogs and other screenwriting sites.
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Pick a random scene in your script. If you delete it, does it ruin everything? If not – CUT IT or make it matter.
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If you’re stuck in a scene, try completely rewriting it from scratch. Destroy the world or situation you created in that moment and create something new.
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Eavesdrop on everyone around you. People might think you’re weird, but that’s only if they catch you. Don’t get caught… If you get caught…run away.
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Good screenwriting is problem solving. Think about your story logically, and you’ll discover what needs fixing.
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If you’re writing a comedy, be really, really funny. But know when to turn it down to achieve the dramatic need of the story.
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Be careful with exposition. The less obvious it is, the better.
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Learn to love the joys of cutting important moments from your script. Don't be scared! Impress yourself with how much you can cut, and you'll rarely be sorry.
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Ask trusted readers to evaluate your work, but don't hound someone who's not responsive. Don't be that guy!
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Comb your script for salutations and ask yourself, "Can this be cut?”
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Make sure your character's actions are always propelled by their motivations, not by what is most convenient for your story!
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Be consistent in your slug lines! If half way through your script 'JAKE'S HOUSE' becomes 'THE HOUSE' it could really confuse your readers
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Try to keep your story as simple as possible, even if it is innately complicated. It will be easier for readers to follow, and easier for you to write!
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Don't start your script with an ending image unless it's absolutely necessary! There are better ways to raise the stakes.
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Don't set up your sequel at the end of your script! If your script spawns a franchise, you can worry about it then, but for now, tie up those loose ends!
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Don't bore your reader!
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Don't be afraid to take people's advice. You might have a clear vision in your head, but sometimes it's not best for your screenplay to stick to a single idea
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Make every plot point as BIG as you can. The highs should be sky high, and the lows should be unprecedented.
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Every scene should move the plot forward. Unless it’s hilariously funny. But then, you should still probably move it forward. Probably definitely.
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Think about and plan character arcs before you start writing. This important information is just as essential as an outline or beat sheet
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Construct scenes carefully and with as much texture as possible. Writing an argument scene? Experiment with setting, time of day, etc. Create and build tension any way possible.
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Always know your ending. If you don’t know where you’re going, the journey might (will) be frustrating.
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Make your climax as climactic as possible. Bring all your bad guys together…and bring them down in a blaze of imaginary glory.
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Don't get too attached to anything! Sometimes you have to let an amazing idea or joke go for the greater good.
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Don't jump into your script too soon! All good ideas deserve careful consideration before they hit the page. Mull it over, let it ruminate, outline, outline, (outline), and then go for it!
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Don't get too attached to anything! Sometimes you have to let an amazing idea or joke go for the greater good.
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Write everyday! Even if it’s just for 15 minutes, revising the pages you wrote yesterday. Who knows? You might get caught up in your brilliance, and pass the night happily, screenplay by your side.
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Always start with a logline! If you don’t have a logline, you don’t have your story planned out well enough to move forward.
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Don’t forget what your script is about! You might get caught up with one pesky scene, but as long as your story keeps moving, you can always fix it later.
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Be careful not to make everyone in your screenplay you. Mix up cadence and dialogue. Voices and ideologies. Backgrounds and family life. This is what brings characters off the page.
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Make yourself laugh. If you’re not feeling it, no one else will either. Same goes for any emotion. You’ve gotta convince yourself first.
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When writing action paragraphs, the shorter, the better! Always break up big chunks. The rule used to be 5 lines. Then it was 4. We heard that soon, action paragraphs will be gone altogether.
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Read scripts! There are plenty of great sites out there with tons of free scripts to read, so check them out. Reading scripts is an invaluable tool to growing as a writer. We like: Simply Scripts.
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Make other writer friends. Everybody needs someone to talk to and it’s true what they say…sometimes parents just don’t understand. Need a pal? Ask Mortimer. Check out a café, or join a writing group or online forum.
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Set up your antagonist and protagonist as clearly as possible. They should be polar opposites, standing in eachother's way on every page.
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Surprise your reader. In any genre, this is a good rule of thumb.
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Always make your hero worthy of the villain and vice versa. Nothing makes a hero easier to root for than a really mean villain, and nothing makes a villain look worse than an active, driven hero.
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Use your brilliant idea! Don’t keep it on hold for later. You may be intimidated about actually executing it, but you have to try now, or you might never do it.
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Only use a montage when you really need it. Be especially wary in the first 50 or so pages.
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Be open to taking notes. If you can handle constructive criticism artfully, then you’ve got a real chance at improving your work
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Titles! They gotta be good. Your title should embody your screenplay. It must tell the reader what the screenplay is about, and inspire to go see it! Good titles: Die Hard, Legally Blonde. Bad title: You Don’t Mess With the Zohan. What...is a Zohan?
