It’s all in the edit.

You’ve spent months, maybe even years in pre-production; script development, fundraising,  wrangling friends, family, strangers, following every lead just trying to wring as much  production value as you can from every cent you can get your hands on. The pieces and players are all in place. You’ve “green-lit” the film and now it’s time to  make you movie.

Actually it’s not.

It’s time to SHOOT your movie.

Your film isn’t a film until the final edit is complete.

You can shoot for years, (I know people who have,) you can develop and pre-produce, produce and shoot until the cows come home but until the picture is locked  and handed over to the sound guys in post  all you have is footage…not a film.

There is absolutely nothing like being on set. It’s a thrill to work with hundreds of  people all focusing on that ” one” take. It’s stressful and exhilarating at the same time.  You get to live the dream but as soon as you call a wrap on the production, the days on set “creating” with the team are over. You feel a pang of loss in your gut as your actors and crew all head off to new adventures leaving you, the producer and your new best friend, the editor, to MAKE the film.

If you are working ultra-low budget then you may be cutting your dream together yourself.

Try to avoid that at all costs.

“WHY?” (I hear you say ) “I know this project better than I know myself! I could NEVER let someone else cut my baby!?”

And that’s the exact reason why you should.

It’s all “forest for the trees” we fall in love with our own work, warts and all.

When our bad edit decisions make it into the film I can guarantee you it will be caught by the audience. It may even ruin your film and waste all the time you spent creating it.

Do you love the work of Martin Scorcese, Spike Lee, Quentin Tarantino or Robert Wise?

Then you love the work their EDITORS do.

All these guys either work or have worked with their favorite editors on all their films  or at least most of them. Why? Because not only do their editors have an amazing high level of ability, but I am guessing these directors have an understanding, a second language that they can speak with their editor: they know their editor that MAKES their film.

The house analogy:
A film script is the blueprint of the film, the director the contractor who oversees the production, (the owner of the new home would be the Producer) the cast and  crew are the bringing all the materials to the job site. The marble countertops, the  wrought Iron stair case, the nail guns, paint and lumber.

Once all the materials are delivered to the contractors’ satisfaction the builder (the editor) steps in and puts it  all together. The editor is the hands-on guy (or gal) that builds the house. A great editor can take the rough materials (your footage) and turn it into the best  possible story it can be. Because they don’t come to the editing table with the same pre-conceived notions the  director may have in their head, they look at the footage with fresh eyes and more importantly, fresh ideas. Sure there are differences of opinions during the edit. That’s  how great decisions are made. If it was easy everyone could do it right? And I can tell  you not everyone can be a great editor. It’s an art and talent as well as a highly  developed skill.

Like screenwriting, and every other role in a film, editing is a craft.

Different editors may be better at drama, action or comedy. I have found some editors who  have a specialty. They have that “feel” for the material, and guess what? They find  themselves cutting those kinds of films because they have proven they know what they are  doing.

Just like hiring your Director of Photography, I would look at any editor’s film reel with an eye to the type of material you are going to be a shooting. Talk at length about  films that are similar or styles you like. If have good communication going in you may  have found yourself a partner. You’re going to be in it with your choice for the long  haul.

If this sounds like marriage …it is. You’re trying to CREATE something with this person.

A good editor can turn a cardboard shack into a better-looking cardboard shack but a  great editor can work miracles and turn that shack into a Craftsman style, Tudor, or  Romanesque dream house.

A good editor knows pacing and composition and especially continuity and story structure.

A bad editor can ruin the best scenes. I don’t care how much you spent, or who is in your film. Get a lousy editor (our cut it yourself in a lousy way) and your film is doomed. A bad edit can turn an oscar-worthy script into straight-to-DVD B-film.

Best case scenario: get an editor in pre-production and have them start cutting as soon  as the lab cranks out your footage (if you’re shooting a film) or dump those takes on a  hard drive from your digi-cam and hand them off to your editor ASAP.

Your movie can start taking shape immediately. Get scenes cut while you are still  shooting. Your editor may spot holes that you can fix while still in production. It’s incredibly expensive to re-shoot scenes after principal photography has ended, so why not  try to avoid those issues? Plus, you can screen edited scenes after a day of shooting, make suggestions to your editor and get an idea how your shots are flowing.

Want to get  a rush of adrenaline about the project while you are in the trenches shooting? Watch a few well-cut dailies.

Filmmaking is collaborative and if you are not collaborating with an editor you are  missing out on 90% of what your film “could” be.

Ask around. There are great editors waiting to be discovered.

Your film and audience will thank you for it.

7 Deadly Screenplay Sins

I came across this list awhile back and felt is was so “spot on” I would share it with you. Credit goes to Mr. Akers who compiled this list on his site ‘Your screenplay sucks“.

7 Deadly Sins of Writing

Seven Deadly Sins of Writing… from Your Screenplay Sucks!

Using Find (Ctrl F or Apple F) in your computer, chase down these words in any form you find them. Losing them or changing them will strengthen your work.

“Find” spaceisspace should find only the word you’re looking for, not every “is” in your screenplay.

is
He is grinning… becomes… He grins.

are
The convicts are singing opera… The convicts sing opera.

the
Nacho hightails it out of the town… Nacho hightails it out of town.

that
Ralph can’t tell that she’s French… Ralph can’t tell she’s French.

then
She laughs. She then looks at Alice… She laughs. She looks at Alice.

walk
Tika walks down the hall… Tika prisses down the hall.

sit
Sitting at the poker table, Doc deals the cards… At the poker table, Doc deals…

stand
The surgeon stands at the operating table and works… At the operating table, the surgeon works…

look
Cheryl is looking at Stephanie… Cheryl studies Stephanie.

just
I am just totally exhausted… I am totally exhausted.

of the
Tom sits by the entrance of the mall… Tom sits by the mall entrance…

begin
The tape begins playing… The tape plays.

start
She starts moving toward the den… She moves toward the den.

really
Betty is really pretty… Betty, hot as a two dollar pistol, struts in.

very
The kids sing a very old song… The kids sing a traditional song. (“very” means the following word is weak…)

turn
She turns and looks at him… She looks at him.

the phone
Bonnie hangs up the phone… Bonnie hangs up.

some
He pours some coffee… He pours coffee.

still
Kevin, still in paint covered overalls… Kevin, in paint covered overalls.

the room
He puts on a tie before leaving the room… He puts on a tie before leaving.

his face
Nora has an amused expression on her face… Nora is amused.

seems, appears
Tony seems upset… Tony is upset… So, is Tony upset, or just appear to be?

her way
Carol pushes her way inside… Carol pushes inside. (“his, its way” too!)

both
They both stare slackjawed at the comet… They stare slackjawed at the comet.

ly
(as on the end of an adverb!) search for lyspace Also search for ly. and ly, as lyspace will not find an adverb at the end of a sentence, etc. Grade school writers go wild over adverbs. You’re past that now. Use them, um, sparingly. If at all.

Search for and change these words in whatever you write and the results will be tighter and more clear. Okay, so it’s twenty five deadly sins. So sue me.

Music to my ears

I recently came across a post online regarding specifying music in screenplays. The writer was inquiring about how to go about including his original songs with the screenplay.

The short answer would be: Don’t do it.

It’s hard enough selling a screenplay let alone selling your songs as well. If you have ever tried to license music for a film you know it is a big enough undertaking that producers hire someone to tackle the job for them and it is a very expensive and time-consuming task at that.

There is background music (the “soundtrack”) or “source music” where a song may be coming from a radio or television or “performance”, were a character sings a song on screen. Each type requires a different agreement.

Music is an undeniably important aspect of a film. As I have opined before: Your audio track is half the experience of the film…if not more.

When a source song is used in a film the rights have to be acquired for all artists from their perspective licensing entities. That means the person who wrote the song and the person (or band) who performed the song. Usually these entities require to know how the song is used in the film (opening credits, closing credits, during a scene etc…) and they usually want to know the context of the song’s use. (If you have the song being played during a scene where a cop gets doused in gasoline while tied to a chair as in “Reservoir Dogs,” then you may have to spend some time convincing the artist or their agent that it won’t hurt the “image” of the tune or that it may increase sales or become an “iconic” scene….etc…etc…)

It can be a an extremely frustrating experience to acquire song rights for a film and legally disastrous if you include music you don’t have the rights to.

How does this relate to your screenplay?

First of all a simple rule: Unless you have the rights to adapt a popular Broadway musical into a screenplay, keep song titles out of your script.

Music is not the purview of the screenwriter UNLESS it is part of the character’s role (i.e. He is an Elvis impersonator or one of the Beatles.)

Writing original lyrics for music to be used in a film is a very bad proposition. What are you going to do? Write out the lyrics on the page with a note to the reader: “Sing to the tune of “Old McDonald?”

I have even heard a story about a screenwriter sending along a cassette tape to be played along with the script. Epic. Fail.

What if you can’t help but add a song title in the script. A song you desperately love that inspired you to write the script in the first place?

Example:

The Sheriff unloads his pistol on Raymond as he sings “I’m not missing you at all” by John Waite.

What if the producer reading this just got dumped by his wife and she used this song to do it? Probably wouldn’t have the same impact as the writer intended. The songs you love are not the same songs everyone else loves so why chance your taste in music on the success of the script being sold or produced when most likely any song cues you want to put into a script will be changed anyway?

You can get by adding music when needed easily by being vague:

• Isabel plinks out a classical melody on the harpsichord.
• Bill shouts a gospel song as he drives away.
• A heavy rap song blares out from the car’s sub-woofers.

These examples are enough musical description needed to add the required ambiance without stopping the story cold.

Believe it or not, many songs that may end up being used in a film as source music may not even have titles recognized by the reader.

Why write something like “Owen plays the “The Blue Egg Shuffle” on his dobro” when the average reader wouldn’t even know what the “Blue Egg Shuffle” is.

It stops the reader cold. Are they supposed to Google “The Blue Egg Shuffle’ or download it on iTunes before reading on? But when the film is produced and the credits roll there it is: “The Blue Egg Shuffle” along with all the legal right entities attached to that tune.

Now of course this cheap advice is for the screenwriter pedaling a spec script. If you are shooting this epic rock opera yourself, then add whatever you want, but be prepared to pay for any songs you don’t write or own.

So before adding songs to your screenplay, ask yourself if it is absolutely essential to drive the story forward or by including a specific tune you are developing an intricate character trait

…or are you just whistling Dixie?

Have you read anything good lately?

Put yourself in the reader’s shoes.

You’re a reader for a top Hollywood producer, or perhaps even an assistant to the owner of a smaller production company. Your job is to weed through (and when I use the word “weed” it’s not by mistake) a pile of scripts that have been dropped on your desk. You’ve got to get through this pile over the weekend to give a report at Monday’s meeting about any possible treasures that may be of interest to the producer.

You already know the genres of scripts your boss is looking for and you know that any writer or agent submitting a script will know that too, based on the work your company has produced in the past. Anything outside that genre will probably get tossed right off the bat, culling the offerings down and making your weekend R&R time a little longer.

A rom-com about a guy with a dog and a girl with a cat? Yeah, well unless they go to summer camp and get chain-sawed by an escaped killer clown on the third page of the script, your boss, who only produces horror films isn’t going to like it.

PASS. (Even if it was the greatest rom-com ever written.)

A good writer knows their audience.

You start by going through the pile. It’s easy to spot a pro script right away, simple, straightforward presentation. No cover art, special binders…just a few brads and cardstock. Industry standard.

You open the scripts to the last page…how long are these beasts? Over 110 pages? Those are going to end up at the bottom of the read pile, maybe permanently. Hey, your friend has a barbecue at 6:00 tonight…and you’ve got over ten scripts to read over the weekend.

You really want to find something to get excited about. If you find a winner, it will lead you up another rung on the ladder of success…

You don’t have much time. So what are you going to do? Start scanning the first few pages of each script.

You know that if the writer knows what they are doing they are going to grab the audience (and you, the reader) right away.

You give each script five pages…no, the weather is nice outside…let’s give them three pages. If they look intriguing they go into the “warrants a full read” pile. The others…PASS.

This shortens up the pile quite a bit. In those first pages a professional reader can tell if a writer knows the craft and knows how to write a good opening. Very important stuff.

Sure the script may start out strong and fizzle out in act two before it gets a PASS, but it’s better than wasting time on a script that starts slow, gets slower and maybe has a bit of a payoff at the end…after the audience has already left the theater to ask for their money back.

No, it’s much safer to stick with the opening scene that grabs you. If the writer can keep the reader interested for the next 107 pages, that’s a script that may just get kicked up to the next level.

Back to scene.

So when you finally type FADE OUT at the end of your script, think of it in a pile with fifty other scripts before you send it out.

Is it an inviting read? Lots of white space? Does the opening scene grab the reader? Engage them in a way that makes them want to know where this story is going?

If you are like me and are working at becoming a better writer, read pro scripts that have been produced. Pay attention to the first few pages as well as everything else about the script.

Most producers (and readers) are looking for that great opening.

If you can deliver that, (as well as a strong script,) you may just make it to the Monday meeting when Mr. Hot-Shot producer asks his interns and readers:

”Have you read anything good lately?”

Pitch Perfect

If you are a baseball aficionado you know that on opening day of baseball season some celebrity or politician usually gets asked to throw out the “opening pitch” of the game.

The crowd waits expectantly to see if the pitched ball can reach the plate, let alone hit the catcher’s mitt.

From the interviews I’ve read with people who have been honored with this long-standing baseball tradition, it is a stressful honor. Many chosen guest pitchers practice weeks before they get their one moment in front of the hometown, sold-out crowd of baseball fans to prove themselves in that one single pitch.

Same goes for “pitching” your script.

I have only been asked to “pitch” a script once. I wasn’t prepared to be asked, but sitting across from me was a producer I had never met, who had shown interest in one of my scripts. After talking over possible rewrites he asked a question I should have been prepared for:

“What else are you working on?”

Now if you are a car mechanic and you get asked that question it’s an easy answer, but as a writer, unless you’ve been PRACTICING your pitch…it can be the most awkward and uncomfortable position to find yourself in.

If you mumble and stumble your way through the intricate storyline of your script (as I did) , it appears that you really don’t know what the hell your own script is about, and certainly the producer won’t be able to figure it out either based on your incoherent ramblings.

Getting asked the (potentially) million-dollar question “what is your script about” is your golden opportunity, so be prepared to pitch before you get ready to send your script out, finish your script, start writing your script, or think about writing your script.

You hear about scripts getting sold for six figures based on a pitch. That’s not based on a logline folks…it’s a well thought out, well crafted, well orchestrated pitch of an idea by someone who has a proven track record to deliver that pitched idea as a polished, production-ready script.

A pitch is not a logline, but can be built using your logline as a foundation. (See my earlier logline rant here.)

A pitch is not a telling of the story. The main reason being you don’t have 90 minutes to pitch it or 45 minutes or 30 minutes…usually if you have your pitch down, you can do it (and should do it) in fifteen minutes or less.

It’s not the logline…it’s definitely not your synopsis. It’s your logline on steroids.

Fifteen minutes…on the outside to wow the producer with your epic, multi-character, intricate story.

I recently listened to an interview where Writer/producer Simon Kinberg recommended that you use half (or more) of your pitch time setting up the story (the first act.) It gives the person you’re pitching to enough information to relate to and understand the main character, the inciting incident and the goal.

That makes great sense. Give the “producer” a reason to care. Give them more time on the set up to get engaged.

Think of it as a verbal “trailer.”

If you were pitching “The Lord of the Rings” would you say:

“You see this Hobbit needs to take a ring to a volcano. Him and his pals walk a long way and get chased by a lot of things including this freaky Gollum guy who used to be normal, but he wants the ring too”…?

“What the Hell is a Hobbit and why does he have a ring and why should I care?”

Before you even get wound up you’ve already lost.

The baseball didn’t even make it to home plate.

I suggest writing your pitch out. Stick to the main spine of your story using your logline as a guide.

Build the first act up, get to the inciting incident, (because that is what your script is “about” isn’t it?) lump the second act in a few sentences but remember you don’t always want to give away the big ending in your pitch.

That’s where you HOPE the producer says…”Well? What happens?…Does he get the girl, lose the ring, make it home…etc…etc…?”

The producer has now granted you more of their valuable time.

You answer questions, but don’t elaborate too much…the goal is to have them read the script.

Many script pitchers fall back on the old “comparison” pitch such as “It’s Men in Black meets Saw” to close their pitch.

This can be effective but when the producer reads your script will that comparison be crystal clear? What if the person you are pitching hated Men in Black and tossed their cookies at Saw?

A great example is the winning pitch from last years American Film Market Pitch Competition. See it here. Then think about how you could approach pitching your own story.

Write out your pitch and practice it until you can perform it automatically. You don’t have to know it by rote (but it helps) and make sure you are comfortable enough with it to be able to inject the passion you have for the story in your performance because your passion is a huge selling point.

If you appear bored by your own work why should I get excited about it?

Don’t read from note cards…pitch from the heart. If you are really on the ball (unlike me) you’ll have a pitch ready for every script in your repertoire.

If all goes well the producer may ask you to send the script over.

In that case, not only did you throw the perfect pitch, you made it to first base.

So practice your pitching and soon you’ll be ready for the big leagues.

A tough act to follow

Usually, when we get an idea for a story it comes in the form of a “what happens to whom.”

We get inspired because we figure out the inciting incident and then the outcome. We decide on success or failure for the protagonist and we may visualize the big climactic scene that leads us to the fulfilling finale.

Perhaps we can see in our mind’s eye the mind-bending intro (The Matrix) or the emotional exchange that leads our hero on his journey.

Those are usually the easiest scenes to write.

Most people start with FADE IN (everyone loves a great opening scene) and get through ACT 1 pretty quickly.

Then you hit the wall.

Act 2

The biggest,  “baddest” act in the whole script.

Not only is it twice as long as act 1 and 3 combined, it’s also the most important act (in my mind.)

It’s the act that keeps your audience in their seats, it’s the act that “tells the story” and takes us on the journey, fleshes out your characters and justifies the big ending.

With a soft Act 2 you don’t have a strong script.

Let’s use a 100 page screenplay as example.

Your first act should end no later than page 15…a little earlier if possible.

Your Act 3 should be 10-15 pages. No more if possible (unless you are tying up your Lord of the Rings trilogy.)

That leaves a lot of page space for Act 2.

The beginning of Act 2 is fairly easy…after the inciting incident the hero decides to take the journey, or the quest, or the challenge. It’s also a good time to start fleshing out your secondary characters who are along for the ride. Tie their story in with the protagonist’s.

Soon we revisit the antagonist, and see that there is trouble brewing for our hero ahead.

The trick is to layout obstacles along the path. They get rougher and tougher as the act progresses.

Setbacks and problems arise. Yet somehow our hero stays the path.

Halfway through the second act (mid-point of the script) you can throw in a monkey wrench. A change-up that may redirect the goal or immediate needs of the hero.

For example: In Jaws, the goal is to kill the shark, but mid-way through the script, the shark (and the captain) disable the boat (The Orca) and the goal becomes “stay alive and get home”…the men still want to kill the shark, but the goal has shifted not only in the sharks favor, but it forces the hero(s)  to confront their fears, change plans and fight to survive. A great act two.

If you think you can cheat and throw in a few pages of “filler” scenes that don’t move the story forward or expand on the characters motivations, then you are committing story suicide. The audience will give up and your big ending won’t have the pay-off you intended.

To keep the audience interested make things tough on your protagonist, raise the stakes and build the story until you reach that climactic scene at the end of Act 2. The one you’ve been itching to write.

I’ve read many scripts where the biggest scene is either the inciting incident (too early) or mid-way through Act 2 (still too early.)

Make your protagonist go through hell through Act 2 (hopefully at the hands of your antagonist.)

If you build up to the big moment at the end of Act 2 your Act 3 will write itself. Resolution and reward.

Keep in mind that Act 1 is what your story is about…Act 2 is how it happens and usually when a script has “issues” they can be found in Act 2.

Make Act 2 work for you and against your protagonist.

There’s an old saying that “It’s always darkest before the dawn.” Whoever said that first was obviously referring to the end of Act 2.

So get tough on the toughest act to write. Your audience will thank you for it.

Give your characters something to work with.

Memorable characters make for memorable films. They give lead actors a reason to want to take the part, which makes your script very marketable. They give the audience someone to love or hate.

If your character has depth, a past, a future, a weakness…they become “real” to the audience. This is true for the antagonist and especially true for the protagonist.

Give your character a flaw.

If  superman didn’t have Kryptonite as a weakness how interesting would he be? Invincible=Boring.

That was part of the story issues in the later Matrix films. It’s also plot hole when someone has a power they don’t use until the very end of the film. “Kung Fu Panda” comes to mind.

Indiana Jones hates snakes. Sheriff Brody (Jaws) is afraid of the water.

Drug and alcohol abuse is almost a cliché as a character flaw these days as it has been used a million times.

Give your character a secret.

They know something no other character knows…maybe something the audience doesn’t know. (Spoiler Alert) Darth Vader is Luke’s Father. In Saving Private Ryan Tom Hanks turns out to be a school English teacher. The secret is a powerful story device…it adds depth and a back story at the same time. You don’t have to be writing a mystery for secrets to be revealed.

Give your character an object.

This can make for very memorable and iconic characters. It can become an identifier and a marketing bonanza.

Indian Jones has his whip (and his hat). Luke Skywalker has a lightsaber. Superman’s cape. Citizen Kane used a sled (Which Mr. Spielberg now owns.) Dirty Harry has a 44 Magnum “the most powerful hand gun in the world.”  Lord of the Rings…well they had the ring.

The object can be used to attach a feeling, a goal, a memory…and power.

If a girl gives her lover a ribbon before he leaves to go to war, all you have to do is show him holding that ribbon before going into battle and you’ve just spoken volumes with one simple gesture…and just by using the object (the ribbon) as an identifier.

In a “show don’t tell” medium the use of an object can make all the difference in the world. It also helps your audience make connections and discoveries on their own…

Give your character a color.

This is usually handled post-script stage but I thought you might want to be aware of the implications.

This can be subtle or not. I love to assign colors to scenes and characters. Yes, it’s manipulative, but film making is a psychological exercise between the film and the audience is it not? If you want to invoke a mood…color is a powerful tool.

What if Darth Vader had worn all white? Dorothy had red slippers and in a film with a lot of blues and greens…those shoes really stood out. What would Lord of the Rings be without all the earth tones…Gandolf (in white) made a statement.

The next time you find yourself reacting to a scene emotionally take a look at the “colors”;  the costuming, the decor and paint, the set, the lighting.

Passion, depression, anger, illness, can all be shown with colors but be careful not to indicate things in your script that are out of the “writer’s domain.”

When you sit down to write that script do yourself (and your actors) a favor and give them something to work with.

Friday Video Fun

Came across these vids…The Script Cops. Hope you enjoy them!

Aquarianna is here!

I want to invite my blog visitors to visit the website of my long-time-coming graphic novel “Aquarianna.”

Yes, my baby’s been delivered. I hope you like her!

Perhaps you had read this script online on Triggertsreet or Zoetrope.

So if you’re interested in an action/adventure/fantasy story, perhaps you will like Aquarianna.

The novel features art from internationally known concept artist and designer Iain McCaig who developed iconic images for Star Wars I,II,III, Harry Potter, The Terminator and Dracula to name a few the ink and colorists are with Liberum Donum, an amazing group of illustrators that have been incredible to work with.

I hope you can stop by and browse around. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Aquarianna, a graphic novel

http://www.aquarianna.com

Brian

PS: If you like what you see add a “like’ on the Aquarianna facebook page for me!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Aquarianna/179949435379012

Kill your little darlings.

Do you want to feel all “warm and fuzzy” as a writer? Write poetry.

Do you want to develop a narrative prose that institutions of higher learning will create courses to study? Become a novelist.

Do you want to see your work regurgitated, manipulated, contorted, edited, reworked, critiqued by those who can’t put a sentence together and maybe, just maybe be turned into a completely different medium where the intent of your work may or may not shine through?

Well, my friend, screenwriting is for you!

I would venture to say that screenwriting is the only form of writing where there is more RE-writing than actual writing.

Why? Because film making is a collaborative effort.

Most writers are comfortable sitting alone for hours at their chosen place of creative wordsmithing, toiling away on the profoundly time-intensive, emotional process that is known as writing.

Screenwriting is different.

Most screenwriters don’t realize that as soon as they sit down at their keyboard and type FADE IN they are becoming writing partners with a whole group of people they may have never met.

I’m not sure authors of others forms of literature would even entertain the idea of putting their work through the process that a screenplay must go though to reach it’s intended audience. For good reason. It’s terrifying and frustrating and if you make it through…it’s absolutely rewarding.

Lets start with reviews.

You get a brilliant idea and sure enough, six months later, your one-hundred-and-ten page screenplay slides out of your inkjet printer…the words “FADE OUT” still wet.

You may have written a few scripts, perhaps studied a course or two.

You don’t have a career as a writer, or haven’t signed with an agent yet. Now what?

How do you know if your script “works?” How do you know you conveyed the emotions, the timing, the dialogue, the story arc, the…well everything…?

You could give it to your friends and family to read. If they are all in the film business or are well-versed on script structure and format, well, then I say go for it. Other than that, a few well-intentioned notes from them that might help, but can you trust them to be so honest with you that major issues in your script can be talked about freely and with authority without them feeling like you will take their critiques personally?

Besides, if you want someone to make this thing into a film you’ll have to send it out to the real world sooner or later…is it ready?

Perhaps a screenwriting teacher or mentor? That’s a good start.

I recommend joining screenwriting networking sites online; Triggerstreet, Zoetrope or Done Deal Pro come to mind. Why? Because they are full of people studying the same thing you are. They are all writers at different stages and ability levels and they are all looking for feedback to improve.

Now of course many of the folks on those sites haven’t put in the time to study the craft, or maybe they’ve only written a few scripts. IT DOESN’T MATTER.

When you want to get feedback on a script and you don’t have access to a professional whom you KNOW AND TRUST, (there’s lots of online “professional reader service” and “coverage” scams,) then a great way to go is by joining one of these web sites.

Before you start looking for reviews on your script you have to develop thick skin. Alligator scales. Screenwriter’s epidermis.

90% of the people reviewing your work online want to help you become a better screenwriter.

The others, the ones who make you feel like quitting, or wish to feel better about themselves as “critics” or “experts” make themselves known real quick.

They use derogatory words instead of giving advice. Instead of encouragement they use a put-down. You know, the ones that say, “Don’t take this personally, but your screenplay sucks…that is all.” Those “reviewers” are a waste of time. What you need to look for is CONSTRUCTIVE criticism.

To get an idea how your script stacks up you should get at least five reviews from people who have shown that they have really READ your script. Get even more reviews if possible if it’s an early draft.

Why so many reviews?

Because that’s the only way to see trends in the opinions and feedback on your script.

If several reviewers point out a similar weakness or plot hole it should put up a red flag and give you something to address.

No writer should ever say that a reader “just didn’t get it…” when faced with a critical review. That attitude will kill your script’s chances of improving. It’s a cop-out. If five readers didn’t “get it” why do you think a producer, director or an audience will “get it?”

If a reader doesn’t “get it” you haven’t done your job as a writer.

Before you send out that screenplay to producers or agents make sure they are going to “get it.” Period.

A writer is never there hovering over a reader’s shoulder to explain what is happening in their script and why. That’s the job of the printed word. If you can’t convey what you need to in your script to drive your story home, you need to rethink your approach.

What about the craft (the format) of the script? What about the structure? An experienced reviewer can help you spot problems and offer fixes. I myself have benefited from advice from readers I have never met. The second draft of the first script I ever posted on Triggerstreet was nominated for Script of the Month and soon was optioned…thanks to the reviews I received there and the many rewrites I performed based on feedback.

I’ve met a handful of writers on Zoetrope whom I’ve befriended and their advice has changed the way I write. I seek those writers out often and I try to reciprocate whenever I feel I can help.

Networking with experienced writers will help you learn to be a better writer no matter what your skill level.

Now the hard part.

Once you get a five or more well-thought-out, well-informed critiques from well-intentioned reviewers, write all the points they make down. Compare their notes and look for patterns. These are reliable issues you need to address in your rewrite.

Everyone gets the “forest-for-the-trees” syndrome. Everyone falls in love with their own words. You have to learn to KILL YOUR LITTLE DARLINGS to save your screenplay.

Sometimes it takes a cold bucket of water in the face to make you realize you missed an opportunity in your story, or that two secondary characters can be made into one causing less confusion to a reader, or your plot points could be made earlier to create a quicker pace…or…or…

Another pair of experienced eyes can make all the difference in the world.

Get your reviews; put your script in a drawer. Take a week off and think about what has been said about it.

Then go back and rewrite that beautiful little work-in-progress.

“But I’m a great writer! I don’t need tips or notes from someone I don’t even know! What if they don’t know what they are talking about or just don’t “get it” or they don’t like the genre, or know about comedy or history or blah, blah, blah…?”

I’ve heard these excuses so many times.

YOU ARE A SCREENWRITER.

BY DESIGN your work is written to be handed over to others to change, review, rewrite, interpret and edit.

Of course you should write the strongest, most bullet-proof script you can possibly write…a script in which no director or editor would dare to change even one word.

It’s a great goal, but that’s not reality.

A film is a collaborative process. It starts with the script. A finished, optioned screenplay is going to get  tweaked by the director, its dialogue rewritten by the actors and the film edited by the editor…so why not get used to getting notes right away?

Why do you think a producer is going to look at your work any different than a reader in Ohio, Idaho or Norway?

Consider it “training” for when you hit the big leagues. Many writers make their living rewriting other writers’ work. Get used to it.

It’s a part of the film business that many new screenwriters never consider and the sooner they do, and the sooner they can take “notes’ to heart and find a way of improving their screenplays, the closer they will get to playing in the big leagues.

“But what if I’m not going to sell my script? I’m going to shoot this baby myself!”

Well of course you could shoot what ever you want. You could make a feature film out of the New York phone book if you wanted, but wouldn’t you want to know how your story was viewed by someone who had no preconceived ideas about your work?

Someone who may be able to help you strengthen the script and point out those obvious problem you didn’t see after three drafts? It’s a million times easier to fix a film at the script level than it is to fix it in post production. Less expensive, too.

So take deep breath and send your beautiful little darling out into the real world. You may learn something that will make your script stronger or better yet…something that will make you a better writer.

What’s the harm in that?