Right. So. I am a writer, but I also work as an assistant in the industry, which has given me a taste of both sides of the coin. Namely, the process of writing coverage for incoming scripts.
I've gotta say, that a solid 75% of the scripts are of the quality where I wish I could stop reading after the 2nd page. Unfortunately, at least in the places I've worked, that's not really acceptable. So no matter how bad a script may be, I have to read the whole thing, then write a summary and notes on it. It's a miserable thing to have to do, over and over again. It absolutely does cause me to approach each new script with trepidation. And I can say with complete certainty that other readers deal with this too, and as such approach new scripts with more disdain and preconceived notions than they should. Because just on a probability basis, that new script is going to suck.
So the question then is, how do you counteract that?
First, start quickly. I don't mean the first ten pages. I mean, page one, scene one. Do it however you want. Have a character bleeding out in the backseat of a car, introducing some mysterious object, being chased by guys dressed like unicorns... just something, whatever it is. Otherwise, your script blends in like all the other crappy, boring scripts that cross our computer screens.
Secondly, be weird. It amazes me just how many scripts I've read that have zero original elements. The characters, the way the characters are introduced, the plot, the dialogue, the situations... everything feels like the script I had just read before it. If somebody told me there was one person writing all these scripts, I'd believe them.
Case in point, I was reading a script a couple weeks ago that after the first few pages made me think, "Here we go again." Until I got a few pages in, and there was a character that only the protagonist could (apparently) see doing a kind of crab-walk against the wall in the lobby of an office building. It grabbed my attention, because it was weird and different and original.
The third thing I will say, is that the reality is if you get a read request, the first line of defense so to speak is going to be an unpaid intern. If the completely unqualified intern who reads your script doesn't like it, it's unlikely to go anywhere. There was one production company I worked at in the past where the head of the company would read everything that came in himself, but that's not the norm. Realistically, he only did that because he's towards the end of his career and has little going on, so nothing better to do with his time.
My point here though, is that to write a script that is going to impress these interns, you need to follow the BS rules that really only apply to tentpoles. As in, likeable characters, definitive act structure with turning points, plot driven, etc. It sucks, but it's reality based on my experience. If Tarantino never made Pulp Fiction, and you submitted that exact shooting script to some random management company, I guarantee you'd never hear back because they'd say things like, "No plot. Unlikeable characters. Offensive language. Confusing structure. The gimp scene is just weird and unnecessary. AND WE HAVE TO KNOW WHAT'S IN THE BRIEFCASE!" Obviously, those things are all dead wrong. But, it really doesn't matter if they're right or wrong. They hold all the power.
Finally, if you actually do get yourself to the point where you've had your script read and got notes back on how to improve it. Take that seriously. I really can't put into words just how frustrating it is to see writers who have gotten this opportunity squander it with half-assed revisions that do not fix any of the major issues. Especially when they send the 8th revision back one week after getting the notes. You would think that this only applies to a few cases, but it's actually the majority. It's funny, but the guy who I've seen take the revisions most seriously was actually blind. To this day, I don't know how he handled it. But the new version didn't come back for about two months, and it was a totally different script. Be that guy.
Anyway, I'd just like to reiterate that I'm not saying these things are required for a good script. They are required for getting through the morass that is the development process though. It's a completely broken process, but it's not changing any time soon. So, get used to it and write your scripts accordingly, or don't quit your day jobs.
I've gotta say, that a solid 75% of the scripts are of the quality where I wish I could stop reading after the 2nd page. Unfortunately, at least in the places I've worked, that's not really acceptable. So no matter how bad a script may be, I have to read the whole thing, then write a summary and notes on it. It's a miserable thing to have to do, over and over again. It absolutely does cause me to approach each new script with trepidation. And I can say with complete certainty that other readers deal with this too, and as such approach new scripts with more disdain and preconceived notions than they should. Because just on a probability basis, that new script is going to suck.
So the question then is, how do you counteract that?
First, start quickly. I don't mean the first ten pages. I mean, page one, scene one. Do it however you want. Have a character bleeding out in the backseat of a car, introducing some mysterious object, being chased by guys dressed like unicorns... just something, whatever it is. Otherwise, your script blends in like all the other crappy, boring scripts that cross our computer screens.
Secondly, be weird. It amazes me just how many scripts I've read that have zero original elements. The characters, the way the characters are introduced, the plot, the dialogue, the situations... everything feels like the script I had just read before it. If somebody told me there was one person writing all these scripts, I'd believe them.
Case in point, I was reading a script a couple weeks ago that after the first few pages made me think, "Here we go again." Until I got a few pages in, and there was a character that only the protagonist could (apparently) see doing a kind of crab-walk against the wall in the lobby of an office building. It grabbed my attention, because it was weird and different and original.
The third thing I will say, is that the reality is if you get a read request, the first line of defense so to speak is going to be an unpaid intern. If the completely unqualified intern who reads your script doesn't like it, it's unlikely to go anywhere. There was one production company I worked at in the past where the head of the company would read everything that came in himself, but that's not the norm. Realistically, he only did that because he's towards the end of his career and has little going on, so nothing better to do with his time.
My point here though, is that to write a script that is going to impress these interns, you need to follow the BS rules that really only apply to tentpoles. As in, likeable characters, definitive act structure with turning points, plot driven, etc. It sucks, but it's reality based on my experience. If Tarantino never made Pulp Fiction, and you submitted that exact shooting script to some random management company, I guarantee you'd never hear back because they'd say things like, "No plot. Unlikeable characters. Offensive language. Confusing structure. The gimp scene is just weird and unnecessary. AND WE HAVE TO KNOW WHAT'S IN THE BRIEFCASE!" Obviously, those things are all dead wrong. But, it really doesn't matter if they're right or wrong. They hold all the power.
Finally, if you actually do get yourself to the point where you've had your script read and got notes back on how to improve it. Take that seriously. I really can't put into words just how frustrating it is to see writers who have gotten this opportunity squander it with half-assed revisions that do not fix any of the major issues. Especially when they send the 8th revision back one week after getting the notes. You would think that this only applies to a few cases, but it's actually the majority. It's funny, but the guy who I've seen take the revisions most seriously was actually blind. To this day, I don't know how he handled it. But the new version didn't come back for about two months, and it was a totally different script. Be that guy.
Anyway, I'd just like to reiterate that I'm not saying these things are required for a good script. They are required for getting through the morass that is the development process though. It's a completely broken process, but it's not changing any time soon. So, get used to it and write your scripts accordingly, or don't quit your day jobs.
Comment