Brads vs Screws?

11-14-2004, 10:52 AM

I have always used solid brass brads (1 1/4 inch) but my friend is doing a class and his teacher (who is a working s/writer) only uses screws and swears by them and says they should be using them over brads. Is this just and either/or - preference thing or should I switch to screws? I must admit they look better although they seem a bit more fiddly to use.

Really appreciate feedback on this as I want to stick to industry standard.

11-14-2004, 12:29 PM

while screws may do a better job of holding a script together, they are a pain in the ass to take out and when you submit your script to an agency or prodco, pretty much the first thing that's going to happen is that it's going to get scanned into their system or copied. use brads and get the brass washers to put on the back

11-14-2004, 06:17 PM

Use screws for your personal copies of that polished jewel ... but brads for the industry copies.

11-17-2004, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Screws? As in... like, hardware screws?

These

11-20-2004, 06:00 PM

brads. you do not need to think about it again

11-22-2004, 10:39 PM

The teacher is plain wrong. If you use screws that will be one point off your script before the reader even opens it to the title page.

Have your friend ask his teacher if she/he has always used screws. I bet not. When you are a working writer you can do a lot of things that you can't do when you are starting out. Kevin Smith writes using Times New Roman, but it's Kevin Smith and nobody is going to toss his script because of bad formatting.

The bigger and debatable question is two brads or three. Either way, have all the aesthetics as standard as possible and concentrate on writing a great script.

11-22-2004, 11:31 PM

I'm not at all convinced that using screws is going to cost you "points" with a reader. But brads are cheaper than screws, work just as well, and are easier to remove and replace, so they're the standard.

I think that's the same reason two brads are the standard rather than three -- it's cheaper for the writer and more convenient for everyone.

11-23-2004, 05:03 PM

FYI ... The The standard 1/2-inch screws, when screwed all the way down, will allow 120 pages of standard-weight paper. You can bind more than 120 pages by not screwing the fasteners down all the way. However, something in the range of 100-120 pages would presumably be optimal.

Bet you didn't know that! Heh.

11-24-2004, 03:54 PM

In nearly sixteen years as a story analyst/script consultant, I think I've seen screws instead of brads maybe three times.

Use brads.

11-14-2004, 10:52 AM	#1
magnoliastar Posts: n/a	Brads vs Screws? I have always used solid brass brads (1 1/4 inch) but my friend is doing a class and his teacher (who is a working s/writer) only uses screws and swears by them and says they should be using them over brads. Is this just and either/or - preference thing or should I switch to screws? I must admit they look better although they seem a bit more fiddly to use. Really appreciate feedback on this as I want to stick to industry standard.

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11-14-2004, 12:29 PM	#2
jimjimgrande Posts: n/a	while screws may do a better job of holding a script together, they are a pain in the ass to take out and when you submit your script to an agency or prodco, pretty much the first thing that's going to happen is that it's going to get scanned into their system or copied. use brads and get the brass washers to put on the back

11-14-2004, 06:17 PM	#3
ComicBent Posts: n/a	Use screws for your personal copies of that polished jewel ... but brads for the industry copies.

11-20-2004, 06:00 PM	#5
kojled Posts: n/a	brads. you do not need to think about it again

11-22-2004, 10:39 PM	#6
YeahWrite Posts: n/a	The teacher is plain wrong. If you use screws that will be one point off your script before the reader even opens it to the title page. Have your friend ask his teacher if she/he has always used screws. I bet not. When you are a working writer you can do a lot of things that you can't do when you are starting out. Kevin Smith writes using Times New Roman, but it's Kevin Smith and nobody is going to toss his script because of bad formatting. The bigger and debatable question is two brads or three. Either way, have all the aesthetics as standard as possible and concentrate on writing a great script.

11-22-2004, 11:31 PM	#7
refriedwhiskey Posts: n/a	I'm not at all convinced that using screws is going to cost you "points" with a reader. But brads are cheaper than screws, work just as well, and are easier to remove and replace, so they're the standard. I think that's the same reason two brads are the standard rather than three -- it's cheaper for the writer and more convenient for everyone.

11-23-2004, 05:03 PM	#8
ComicBent Posts: n/a	FYI ... The The standard 1/2-inch screws, when screwed all the way down, will allow 120 pages of standard-weight paper. You can bind more than 120 pages by not screwing the fasteners down all the way. However, something in the range of 100-120 pages would presumably be optimal. Bet you didn't know that! Heh.

11-24-2004, 03:54 PM	#9
TwelveMile Posts: n/a	In nearly sixteen years as a story analyst/script consultant, I think I've seen screws instead of brads maybe three times. Use brads.