Lessons from 25 Black List Scripts

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  • Lessons from 25 Black List Scripts

    For the sake of learning, I've made a personal commitment to read all 76 scripts voted onto this year's Black List from cover to cover. So far I've gotten through 24 of them, doing 1-2 per day. While I can't pretend that this makes me the most knowledgeable reader in the universe, I think it's a large enough sample size to yield some insights and lessons.

    Here's what I've taken away from my experience with these scripts so far:

    1. The biggest crime a script can commit is being boring. While a lot of the scripts on the Black List have impressed me, many of them have had a fair amount of issues and problems. I've seen contrivances, faulty plot logic, unrealistic characters/situations, cliche plot beats, bland characters, vanilla dialogue, and a number of other problems. There are maybe only 1-2 scripts on this list where I'd say, "Buy this and shoot it verbatim." But you know what? Most of the scripts on the BL at least have some redeeming entertainment value. The concept might be totally ridiculous and the character decisions might be eye-rollingly stupid, but...you can still see that the writer is having fun and creating exciting moments for the reader. This might be obvious, but if you are looking to get traction for your script then your first priority should probably be to avoid being boring. Slick prose, a meaningful theme, clever dialogue, and airtight plot logic are secondary to engaging the reader.

    2. A good script should create an emotional response in the reader. Not entirely dissimilar to point #1, but probably distinct enough to warrant its own paragraph. Whether it's a comedy, drama, thriller, or all of the above, your script probably won't be successful unless it packs an emotional punch. The reader needs to FEEL something when they read your script. If you have a sloppy plot that makes no sense and doesn't hold up to logical scrutiny, the reader might forgive you there are lots of great jokes and gags. Likewise, a soul-crushing twist or downbeat deep in your script can help the reader forget about all the contrivances and boring moments leading up to that payoff. When they look back on your script, the first thing they'll remember is that devastating revelation or that awesome set piece, rather than the flaws surrounding it. There are a few scripts high on the BL that I think are objectively kind of bad, but they have some powerful emotional content that obviously speaks to certain people. A few really strong points can make up for a lot of weaknesses.

    3. You don't have to write the perfect script to get traction. When I was first starting to learn about screenwriting, I read a lot of the articles on Terry Rossio's Wordplayer site. Many of them are still very helpful and offer some great advice, but I also felt like there was this sort of latent condescending attitude of, "Oh, but by the way, professional screenwriters are immensely talented geniuses and you can only hope to join our esteemed ranks if you write a flawless masterpiece that you slaved over for a full calendar year." At risk of sounding like a condescending prick myself (who the f*** are you Dalt?), it's abundantly clear from reading these BL scripts that this is not the case. If you want to be a nitpicker, almost all of the scripts on the list have warts and flaws. If you don't want to take my word for it, consider that the #1 script on the list has 68 votes whereas the #4 script has 32 votes and the #10 script has 16. This means that even a top 10 script on the BL got less than 25% of all possible votes. Your script doesn't have to be flawless and it doesn't have to wow every single reader. It just needs to find a few champions. This is not to say that writers should lower their standards and start sending out ****. If anything, most aspiring writers probably have too much confidence in their own material. People should always strive to produce their best work. All the same, don't go too far in the other direction and treat the process with too much reverence. Even massive agencies like CAA and WME are sending out scripts that are far from perfect.

    4. Concept is important. Not exactly breaking news to anyone who has studied screenwriting in any depth, but it bears repeating. A compelling concept with mediocre execution will probably do more for you than a mediocre idea written well. There are quite a few scripts on the BL that I rated in the 6-7 range due to lackluster execution and writing, but which also had interesting core concepts that led me to think, 'This is unfilmable, but if you brought in a good writer to flesh out the basics, it could be something.' Personally, I'd never aspire to be the guy who gets rewritten as my ultimate goal, but it's a reminder that picking a strong idea will open more doors for you.

  • #2
    Re: Lessons from 25 Black List Scripts

    Thanks for this. I was wondering why my character-driven indie drama about a guy who falls off his bicycle and discovers that life is worth living wasn't getting me anywhere.

    Originally posted by DaltWisney View Post
    For the sake of learning, I've made a personal commitment to read all 76 scripts voted onto this year's Black List from cover to cover. So far I've gotten through 24 of them, doing 1-2 per day. While I can't pretend that this makes me the most knowledgeable reader in the universe, I think it's a large enough sample size to yield some insights and lessons.

    Here's what I've taken away from my experience with these scripts so far:

    1. The biggest crime a script can commit is being boring. While a lot of the scripts on the Black List have impressed me, many of them have had a fair amount of issues and problems. I've seen contrivances, faulty plot logic, unrealistic characters/situations, cliche plot beats, bland characters, vanilla dialogue, and a number of other problems. There are maybe only 1-2 scripts on this list where I'd say, "Buy this and shoot it verbatim." But you know what? Most of the scripts on the BL at least have some redeeming entertainment value. The concept might be totally ridiculous and the character decisions might be eye-rollingly stupid, but...you can still see that the writer is having fun and creating exciting moments for the reader. This might be obvious, but if you are looking to get traction for your script then your first priority should probably be to avoid being boring. Slick prose, a meaningful theme, clever dialogue, and airtight plot logic are secondary to engaging the reader.

    2. A good script should create an emotional response in the reader. Not entirely dissimilar to point #1, but probably distinct enough to warrant its own paragraph. Whether it's a comedy, drama, thriller, or all of the above, your script probably won't be successful unless it packs an emotional punch. The reader needs to FEEL something when they read your script. If you have a sloppy plot that makes no sense and doesn't hold up to logical scrutiny, the reader might forgive you there are lots of great jokes and gags. Likewise, a soul-crushing twist or downbeat deep in your script can help the reader forget about all the contrivances and boring moments leading up to that payoff. When they look back on your script, the first thing they'll remember is that devastating revelation or that awesome set piece, rather than the flaws surrounding it. There are a few scripts high on the BL that I think are objectively kind of bad, but they have some powerful emotional content that obviously speaks to certain people. A few really strong points can make up for a lot of weaknesses.

    3. You don't have to write the perfect script to get traction. When I was first starting to learn about screenwriting, I read a lot of the articles on Terry Rossio's Wordplayer site. Many of them are still very helpful and offer some great advice, but I also felt like there was this sort of latent condescending attitude of, "Oh, but by the way, professional screenwriters are immensely talented geniuses and you can only hope to join our esteemed ranks if you write a flawless masterpiece that you slaved over for a full calendar year." At risk of sounding like a condescending prick myself (who the f*** are you Dalt?), it's abundantly clear from reading these BL scripts that this is not the case. If you want to be a nitpicker, almost all of the scripts on the list have warts and flaws. If you don't want to take my word for it, consider that the #1 script on the list has 68 votes whereas the #4 script has 32 votes and the #10 script has 16. This means that even a top 10 script on the BL got less than 25% of all possible votes. Your script doesn't have to be flawless and it doesn't have to wow every single reader. It just needs to find a few champions. This is not to say that writers should lower their standards and start sending out ****. If anything, most aspiring writers probably have too much confidence in their own material. People should always strive to produce their best work. All the same, don't go too far in the other direction and treat the process with too much reverence. Even massive agencies like CAA and WME are sending out scripts that are far from perfect.

    4. Concept is important. Not exactly breaking news to anyone who has studied screenwriting in any depth, but it bears repeating. A compelling concept with mediocre execution will probably do more for you than a mediocre idea written well. There are quite a few scripts on the BL that I rated in the 6-7 range due to lackluster execution and writing, but which also had interesting core concepts that led me to think, 'This is unfilmable, but if you brought in a good writer to flesh out the basics, it could be something.' Personally, I'd never aspire to be the guy who gets rewritten as my ultimate goal, but it's a reminder that picking a strong idea will open more doors for you.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Lessons from 25 Black List Scripts

      Originally posted by DaltWisney View Post
      A compelling concept with mediocre execution will probably do more for you than a mediocre idea written well. There are quite a few scripts on the BL that I rated in the 6-7 range due to lackluster execution and writing, but which also had interesting core concepts that led me to think, 'This is unfilmable, but if you brought in a good writer to flesh out the basics, it could be something.'
      This is x 10 for comedy.

      I have read a bunch of BL comedy scripts from the last 2 years, and I'm not going to name names and slag someone else's unproduced work (I will, however name underwhelming movies made from former BL scripts like Rough Night and Sex Tape and Father Figures) but jeez...

      The stuff I'm reading is SO sit-commy & first draft-y, but you can already imagine the poster and that's all that counts.

      My advice to anyone writing comedy is that a mediocre execution of a marketable idea will get you miles further than a great script.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Lessons from 25 Black List Scripts

        Very true. What makes a script engaging can often go beyond the craft of writing, which is the premise and concept (the X-Factor, as the Bitter Script Writer called it, I believe, or what the Nicholl calls the "magic").

        40 Year Old Virgin is an excellent example of this - a title that doesn't even need a logline because the concept is already a movie even if the writing were mediocre.

        Now an amazing concept AND amazing writing? That's gold

        Originally posted by kintnerboy View Post
        This is x 10 for comedy.

        I have read a bunch of BL comedy scripts from the last 2 years, and I'm not going to name names and slag someone else's unproduced work (I will, however name underwhelming movies made from former BL scripts like Rough Night and Sex Tape and Father Figures) but jeez...

        The stuff I'm reading is SO sit-commy & first draft-y, but you can already imagine the poster and that's all that counts.

        My advice to anyone writing comedy is that a mediocre execution of a marketable idea will get you miles further than a great script.

        Comment

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