ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

9 years, 10 months ago - Nick Goundry

I'll respectfully disagree with Louis, as I've found the experts to be very useful. Vital, in fact, to help me learn how to become a better writer. William Goldman offers a lot of his own expert advice in his awesome books on screenwriting and the industry in general.

The central point is to come up with a great story and tell it really well. That's extremely difficult, but if you take the time to follow all the points in that initial list, you'll have a better chance of succeeding.

But if you want to distill it even further, have conflict in every scene. Often it'll be minor conflict, but it should be there. Without conflict you don't have drama, and if there's no drama the scene has no purpose and you can cut it.

And amateur writers always use too much dialogue. I've been taught that once you've written the first draft of a scene, go back to it and think about how to write it with half the dialogue. It's unlikely you're as good as Shakespeare, so tell the story visually.

9 years, 10 months ago - Dan Selakovich

This is exactly what they look for. But #12 always pisses me off to no end. Fuckers.

Look, Reckardo, here's the secret to selling to Hollywood et al: A high concept. Pick a genre and STICK TO THE GENRE. And lastly, if they can cross promote (toys, a cup at MacDonald's, or a amusement park ride) you'll be golden.

I've never been able to do any of those. But if you can, sweet!

9 years, 10 months ago - Louis Dempsey

IN THE MOVIE BUSINESS, NOBODY KNOWS ANYTHING- still one of the best things Bill Goldman ever wrote. Rickardo, ignore the "experts", ignore the "script consultants", ignore the "readers". Write the best script you can then refuse to give up! Everything else is just bullshit.

9 years, 10 months ago - Chris Bogle

I've had outstanding experience with readers here in the UK. I paid for two reads at crucial points of my short and they were quickly able to give me confidence in the work and allowed me to 'see the wood for the trees'. They didn't give me story, but were very quickly able to point out dramatic elements that didn't work, were confusing, but also the bits that were strongest. I wouldn't write again without factoring a professional read in somewhere along the line.

BUT, and this is a big BUT!! you have to get good readers. I'm lucky in that here in the UK really good script eds are a bit thin on the ground, so the good 'uns are easy to spot. I did have one read where the reader came back with a paragraph telling me how good it was. Utterly useless. You need someone qualified to rip it apart for you and help you navigate the story options.

The other thing I would say is try to find a development producer, someone who can hold you hand throughout the writing process and knock you on the head when you go too far off piste.

I can also recommend Zoetrope. It's Coppola's brainchild and a website where you can go and submit work for online reads.The quality can be mixed, but there are some good pros on there and you will definitely get some valuable feedback.

Hope some of that ramble helps!

9 years, 10 months ago - Chris Bogle

I should qualify that statement about script eds - I meant 'thin on the ground' relative to the States.

9 years, 10 months ago - Dan Selakovich

HA! Yeah, Wozy, I'm with you, brother. I've been in those story meetings when a name producer was trying to find studio funding on my work. Sure, do your own thing if you have a trust fund.

Poor Goldman. Yes, nobody knows anything. So true. But he also says structure is everything. That list is structure that the studios are looking for. I shit you not. That's been the formula for years. Even #12. And that fucker is key, even though if you do your job right, it shouldn't be.

Though there is something you should be aware of, and I don't agree with Nick on this: dialogue is everything in a first draft. Readers don't read description. I'm not kidding. They don't. Want proof? OK, here: I had 12 studio readers point out the same problem in one of my scripts. I told the producer, "well, it's not a problem. It's handled visually." She said "Dan, they don't read the description. They have 10 scripts a day to get through. They don't bother. Visual is for additional drafts." I said, "are you telling me they only read the dialogue?" She replied, "yes."

Is it fucked up? Absolutely. But the lesson is this: be really good at dialogue. I always got top marks on dialogue from studio readers. I really worked at it. For years. Early drafts count on dialogue. Maybe things have changed since I was in the thick of it, but I doubt it. Remember, there's film school and real life. They are two completely different things.

9 years, 10 months ago - Lee 'Wozy' Warren

If you're not able to do most or all of these, selling your script becomes almost impossible - in Hollywood anyway! These are the basics of writing as far as I'm concerned. And yes Dan is right about High Concept. -- Know your market!!!

9 years, 10 months ago - Dan Selakovich

Good for you, Angela. Feedback is critical. AND you've read scripts. My advice to all young writers is to read at least 30 scripts from movies you've really enjoyed before writing a single word of your own. I'm amazed at how many students have never read a single screenplay before trying to write their own. It's so odd.

9 years, 10 months ago - Rickardo Beckles-Burrowes

Hey Angela,

Thanks for commenting and I'll shoot you over a DM.

9 years, 10 months ago - Rickardo Beckles-Burrowes

Was there a main point that stuck out for you which came up in your writing course as well?

9 years, 10 months ago - Angela Peters

Great read Rickardo, thanks for sharing.

And from a writer's perspective I have to agree with Nick and Chris. Expert feedback is so useful. While you definitely want to stay true to your own baby and all that jazz, getting professional readers is often the difference (in my humble opinion) between someone getting further, and sometimes getting into the doors of the big production companies. I've just seen two buddies do it recently - paid for good script readers, got the feedback, did more work, and then got respective meetings with some of the big guns in Hollywood. Maybe it won't go anywhere, maybe it will, but I do think (having read about 50+ feature scripts in my time) that you can spot the difference.

As a side note, drop me a DM if you'd like me to suggest two I know. But I'm pretty sure the gents above will have amazing recommendations.

9 years, 10 months ago - Nick Goundry

That's an effective road map to a great story well told.

I recently did a writing course that hammered home all these points and it was fantastic. I wrote a feature last year that was dissected by my tutor - who was also a hugely experienced script consultant - and he picked apart everything that was lacking. That's hard to take, but I soon realised I agreed with everything he said, so now I'm on rewrites and I'm certainly a better writer as a result.