How hard is it to write a decent script? What about good? Excellent?

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  • How hard is it to write a decent script? What about good? Excellent?

    Decent scripts, good scripts, and excellent scripts. How much does talent vs perseverance come into play for each? The time it takes to achieve each? This is all opinionated by the way

    More importantly, what do you define as a decent script, a good script, or an excellent script?

  • #2
    Re: How hard is it to write a decent script? What about good? Excellent?

    An excellent script gets you work. Decent and good scripts help you learn your craft.

    (Caveat: although sometimes, good friends in the right places can help get work for a good/decent script. I haven't found any friends like that...)

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    • #3
      Re: How hard is it to write a decent script? What about good? Excellent?

      Dango is right. By Hollywood standards an excellent script is either going to sell or get you work. Or both. And I would guess that the people in the film business would tell you an excellent script is a rare find, because they have to spend a lot of time sifting through the awful-to-decent scripts.

      When I started writing every script I wrote was excellent! Then of course I discovered what an excellent script truly is and mine got moved to decent script shelf.
      My first crack at a logline usually makes a great synopsis!

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      • #4
        Re: How hard is it to write a decent script? What about good? Excellent?

        Just write, man. Do your best and see where you fall. Good, decent, excellent. It's all subjective. All you can do is your best.

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        • #5
          Re: How hard is it to write a decent script? What about good? Excellent?

          Originally posted by Liv96 View Post
          Decent scripts, good scripts, and excellent scripts. How much does talent vs perseverance come into play for each? The time it takes to achieve each? This is all opinionated by the way

          More importantly, what do you define as a decent script, a good script, or an excellent script?
          Talent = T
          Perseverance = P

          Decent Script
          6 = T*2+P^2

          Good Script
          B+ = 19(T/3+P)

          Excellent Script
          Gold Star = (P*T)^4

          Just kidding. What ATB said.

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          • #6
            Re: How hard is it to write a decent script? What about good? Excellent?

            Some people never get it. I don't know how hard those people actually work or how much natural talent the ones who make it have.

            I know that each project I write I learn something new and the more I write the better I get in some aspect. Other factors come in to play of course but you can't calculate that.
            Quack.

            Writer on a cable drama.

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            • #7
              Re: How hard is it to write a decent script? What about good? Excellent?

              Excellent, good, decent, and crap scripts are equally hard. Just depends on who's writing them.

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              • #8
                Re: How hard is it to write a decent script? What about good? Excellent?

                I guess I'll take this seriously. If I really had to define decent, good and excellent....

                To me "decent" is all over the place. Anybody can achieve "decent" in a few months by aping the popular plot points that gurus teach you. There are tons and tons of "decent" floating around. I actually prefer reading the God awful bad over decent because decent just kind of sits there. It's formulaic and you know where things are going before you turn the page, but it's not wonky with some goofball tacked on twist. It's a meal that's satisfying while you eat it, but soon forgotten afterward.

                "Good" is usually when a writer takes the familiar plot points, etc. but is masterful enough to make twists and turns in the story. So, we might have an idea that characters will get from point A to B, but how they get there is pretty surprising. Good isn't life changing, but there could be attempts at that made. Good is hard to do, but most people are still capable at getting there because it still follows a pattern.

                To me, "excellent" is a combination of a great concept, but told in a way that pretty much throws out the formulaic plot points and does something unique in storytelling and changes the game. Preferably, the story should also have an underlying, unwritten message that adds even more depth to the piece and even more interest upon future readings/viewings. Since "excellence" requires thinking outside the box and doing things in a different way, the God awful bad is its close cousin. Most people will never achieve "excellent" or God awful bad.
                On Twitter @DeadManSkipping

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                • #9
                  Re: How hard is it to write a decent script? What about good? Excellent?

                  Originally posted by Mr. Earth View Post
                  I guess I'll take this seriously. If I really had to define decent, good and excellent....

                  To me "decent" is all over the place. Anybody can achieve "decent" in a few months by aping the popular plot points that gurus teach you. There are tons and tons of "decent" floating around. I actually prefer reading the God awful bad over decent because decent just kind of sits there. It's formulaic and you know where things are going before you turn the page, but it's not wonky with some goofball tacked on twist. It's a meal that's satisfying while you eat it, but soon forgotten afterward.

                  "Good" is usually when a writer takes the familiar plot points, etc. but is masterful enough to make twists and turns in the story. So, we might have an idea that characters will get from point A to B, but how they get there is pretty surprising. Good isn't life changing, but there could be attempts at that made. Good is hard to do, but most people are still capable at getting there because it still follows a pattern.

                  To me, "excellent" is a combination of a great concept, but told in a way that pretty much throws out the formulaic plot points and does something unique in storytelling and changes the game. Preferably, the story should also have an underlying, unwritten message that adds even more depth to the piece and even more interest upon future readings/viewings. Since "excellence" requires thinking outside the box and doing things in a different way, the God awful bad is its close cousin. Most people will never achieve "excellent" or God awful bad.
                  That's all really interesting. I never thought about how formulas and standard plot point could determine a scripts quality

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                  • #10
                    Re: How hard is it to write a decent script? What about good? Excellent?

                    I think for me, it's how I feel after I put down a script that determines if it's decent, good, or excellent.

                    Decent feels like a solid, but predictable blueprint -- hits all the beats, the story moves, everything is in its proper place. I don't feel any real emotional connection to the characters, and after a few days, I've forgotten most of the script.

                    Good accomplishes everything that "decent" did, and then some. In addition to some very solid plotting, pacing, characters, etc., it packs an extra punch. Clever plot twists. Unique, interesting characters. A few emotional highs and lows. The concept is really cool. For the two hours I'm reading this script, I'm really enjoying it. I'll probably forget most of it after a month or two, but at least I'll remember reading it.

                    Excellent sticks with you. For me, it's all about disappearing into the story and its characters and feeling like you're actually there, like you can actually feel what these characters are going through. There are no false notes. Nothing forced or too predictable. It does everything well, and some things exceptionally well. After a year, I'm still recommending a script like this to friends.

                    I haven't read too many "excellent" scripts.

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                    • #11
                      Something Like This

                      1% of writers can write decent.

                      1% of that 1% can write good.

                      And 1% of that 1% can write excellent.


                      Though these figures are for illustration purposes only, now you know how hard it is to write good enough to be pro.
                      M.A.G.A.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Something Like This

                        Originally posted by SundownInRetreat View Post
                        1% of writers can write decent.

                        1% of that 1% can write good.

                        And 1% of that 1% can write excellent.


                        Though these figures are for illustration purposes only, now you know how hard it is to write good enough to be pro.
                        Where do people get all these figures?

                        There are plenty of pros who aren't considered "GREAT" writers and get jobs anyway. They've got no critical acclaim and mediocre box office and they still get jobs. Half of everything is knowing someone who likes what you do and can help you along. Because everything's subjective.

                        There is no "right" script, it's the right script at the right time, as has been quoted numerous times. (per christopher lockhart?)

                        Excellent for you may not be excellent for me, and vice versa. Just write.

                        EX: out of 8 movies, writers Scott Moore and Jon Lucas (The Change Up, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past) range from a 6% to a 29% on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 16.5 to 55 million in box office. Not impressive if you are judging by "GREAT" standards. They also wrote the original Hang-over, with a 79% rating and 277 million dollars in box office. Writing low-rated and modest box office movies after The Hang-over didn't impede them getting other films made. Nor should it. It's not an all or nothing deal. Once you get in, in does seem like there's room to create and not get buried if one film doesn't work out.

                        Getting something made, rather than meeting an arbitrary "GREAT" seems like a solid goal.
                        Last edited by figment; 04-11-2013, 03:47 PM.

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                        • #13
                          Re: How hard is it to write a decent script? What about good? Excellent?

                          I write nothing but excellent scripts. Others seem to have a different opinion on that.

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                          • #14
                            Re: Something Like This

                            Originally posted by SundownInRetreat View Post
                            1% of writers can write decent.

                            1% of that 1% can write good.

                            And 1% of that 1% can write excellent.

                            Though these figures are for illustration purposes only, now you know how hard it is to write good enough to be pro.
                            See, what you don't realize yet is that no one writes a decent script every time or a good script every time or an excellent script every time.

                            It's a challenge... every time.

                            There are no excellent writers, only excellent scripts. It's not a level you obtain but a reception you have to fight for every time you're out the gate. Like a racehorse, you can be put to pasture with one failed attempt.

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                            • #15
                              Re: How hard is it to write a decent script? What about good? Excellent?

                              Writing an excellent script is fairly easy. In fact, I can show you how to do it.

                              All I need is your credit card number.

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