Speeling mistokes & Typos?

[Kyle88]

Hello all

Just wondering if anyone has any experience with spelling mistakes?

I've had two script editors go through scripts of mine, I've re read and re read till I hate my idea and yet one or two....Or 15! Still sneak in, mainly typos.

I was just curious if we think managers and agents ignore us or bin scripts if there are too many typos and mistakes? Even if you've got the next E.T or Shawshank.....

Just looking for experiences and this is not because I accidentally sent a really old version of my script to about 7 managers that was full of typos and spelling mistakes....

Looking forward to some nice responses....Hopefully...Well it is the done deal forums after all.

Kyle

[nmstevens]

Re: Speeling mistokes & Typos?

Hello all

Just wondering if anyone has any experience with spelling mistakes?

I've had two script editors go through scripts of mine, I've re read and re read till I hate my idea and yet one or two....Or 15! Still sneak in, mainly typos.

I was just curious if we think managers and agents ignore us or bin scripts if there are too many typos and mistakes? Even if you've got the next E.T or Shawshank.....

Just looking for experiences and this is not because I accidentally sent a really old version of my script to about 7 managers that was full of typos and spelling mistakes....

Looking forward to some nice responses....Hopefully...Well it is the done deal forums after all.

Kyle

I worked as a story editor for years and while I never minded the occasional mistake, there were some things that really bothered me.

First, if there were spelling mistakes in the cover letter or on the first page of the script -- that drove me crazy and could easily get the script binned without my reading anything more.

Second -- if there were a lot of mistakes. Multiple mistakes on the same page. Careless mistakes.

The way I looked at it -- if the writer doesn't care about this thing, why am I wasting my time on it? Next script.

As for proofing, I read through it for errors, my wife reads through it, my producing partner reads through it -- and then what I do is to use Final Draft's "speech" function and have that thing read the script out loud and I read along with it as it does.

While that doesn't necessarily catch every mistake, I've found that it will catch over ninety percent of everything that everyone else has missed. Because it's automatic, it won't ever read what someone "thinks" ought to be there, but will actually read what really is there.

Plus, because it reads every single word (except, unfortunately, for character names), it tends to keep you from skipping over things too.

NMS

[Steven L.]

Re: Speeling mistokes & Typos?

I was reading THE TOWN today and on page 3, spotted a slightly super-minor typo that threw me off : We jump cut and watch him to the same to the TRACERS.

I don't think anyone cared.

Though some unknown writer who queried via Twitter... it might have been tossed.

[Brice]

Re: Speeling mistokes & Typos?

All I can speak from is my personal experience having done coverage for production companies. I have never thrown a script aside because of spelling mistakes - I have to write a full synopsis after all - and have never mentioned anything about spelling/grammar in my comments for coverage.

That being said, if I open a script and find five obvious spelling errors on the first page then my first thought is "wow, this writer couldn't even take the time to proofread their first page...I really hope the rest of the pages aren't like this-. Whereas I think the writer would rather my first thought be "wow, this opening scene is really engaging and I can't wait to see what happens next-.

Of course I've read strong scripts that started out like the former, but generally well-written scripts are also professional in their presentation (keeping mechanical errors to a minimum). I can't speak for what you should do in this particular situation (so I won't try and pretend I know), but at least if I read a script for a prod co and the story/characters/concept were so awesome that I couldn't put the screenplay down then I would still give it a positive coverage. Correcting typos isn't hard to do, it's just that in my experience lots of typos usually means that isn't the only problem with the script.

[JoeBanks]

Re: Speeling mistokes & Typos?

Spelling matters. Grammar matters. Spelling and grammar mistakes are not why agents or managers reject scripts.

[Manchester]

Re: Speeling mistokes & Typos?

In case you're looking for ways to avoid those typos slipping through: Are they typo-typos or homonym-typos? IOW, is it "thier" instead of "their", or is it "there" instead of "their"? Or, something else?

[ClintW3]

Re: Speeling mistokes & Typos?

and then what I do is to use Final Draft's "speech" function and have that thing read the script out loud and I read along with it as it does.

While that doesn't necessarily catch every mistake, I've found that it will catch over ninety percent of everything that everyone else has missed. Because it's automatic, it won't ever read what someone "thinks" ought to be there, but will actually read what really is there.

Plus, because it reads every single word (except, unfortunately, for character names), it tends to keep you from skipping over things too.

NMS

I have found this very helpful, too.

And, even with robot voice, it helps catch clunky dialogue, flabby action lines etc.

For what it's worth...

[Kyle88]

Re: Speeling mistokes & Typos?

Guys, this has been really useful to me!

I use the same functions but have always found little things to do sneak through. It's usually things like 'there' instead of 'their' and 'your' instead of 'you're'.

Thanks for making this a useful and interesting thread.

Kyle

[Steven L.]

Re: Speeling mistokes & Typos?

Guys, this has been really useful to me!

I use the same functions but have always found little things to do sneak through. It's usually things like 'there' instead of 'their' and 'your' instead of 'you're'.

Thanks for making this a useful and interesting thread.

Kyle

Little things that catch me the most is during a polish -- missing words. It's almost as if my mind will automatically add in those words while reading. Hate those the most.

[Kyle88]

Re: Speeling mistokes & Typos?

Steven L..... Ditto!

[Manchester]

Re: Speeling mistokes & Typos?

It's usually things like 'there' instead of 'their' and 'your' instead of 'you're'.

I have that problem, too. One tool I use to deal with it is the "Advanced Search" function in Adobe's pdf reader. Edit | Advanced Search. Or - CTRL+SHIFT+F. (Note: Other pdf readers may have this function, too.)

I create the pdf from Final Draft, then search for each of my typical mistakes in the pdf. With Advanced Search, a mini-window pops up and when you do your search on a word, it shows every instance in a column - with some context words on either side. I find this approach faster and more effective than doing a series of Finds within FD, even though I have to go back to FD to fix any mistakes. Of course, YMMV.

Another small bonus with the pdf check: FD does not do find/replace within dual dialogue. Searching in the pdf file will find every instance of a word.

Another way - which ComicBent has mentioned (I think) - is to use the grammar functionality of Microsoft Word. Export/save your script as a txt file, open it in Word, then look for the words that Word underlines in blue. Those are the suspect bad-grammar words. That is, it catches "there" when you meant "their".

[Fortean]

Spelling Matters

Worst situation.

That spelling error gets into the film.

In writing JEKYLL & CANADA, (and knowing several people named MacDonald), I was careful to write MacDonald instead of McDonald, as the name of Canada's first prime minister, then, made the film.

One of the people, (a Canadian writer who reviewed my screener copy), wrote back an e-mail indicating that this prime minister wrote his name in a different way: Macdonald, (instead of MacDonald). I had to edit the film to make the corrections, (about a dozen title cards).

It's always a good idea, (especially when rewriting your own work, again and again), to have another writer examine it to spot any mistakes that you've missed due to your familiarity with any errors.

Just don't use a Scot, as your proofreader. They're dunderheids, and cannot spell anything properly in English.

“Dunderheid, dinae kick open that door
Ye’ve skelt a the schuil books,
A ower the floor.”

“Nou pick them up neatly, an nae mair o that,
Go an stand in the corner,
An aye, pit on thon tall pointy hat.
Staund richt up in the corner
Well oot o yer pals reach,
I’ve students, an scholars
Crying oot fir me to teach.”

“Ye’ve stuid ther fir an oor
So come on in, an sit doun.
Not at the back o the classroom
At the front, ye wee buffoon”

“So that yer in ma vision
An I can keep ma eye on you,
While we’re daein logarithms
You’ll do the two times two”.

Thirty years hae passed, since I last see’d that lad
For a dunderheid, he hasnae done bad.
His best pal Wullie’s, a blacksmith ,
An bonnie Jeanies’s she’s a braw wee seamster,
Wha thocht that the dunderheid, wid go and mak Prime Meenster.

~ Bruce Clark Dick

[SuperScribe]

Re: Speeling mistokes & Typos?

I have the dubious distinction of having written a script that contains no typos. At least none that I and about four other people could find.

Unfortunately, the script isn't very good. I dotted every "i" and crossed every "t" but left plot holes large enough to shove Rush Limbaugh's head through.

Yes, it's important to be as professional as is humanly possible. But a few broken branches aren't going to ruin an awesome forest.

A shitty forest with pristine branches, however, will...

Damn. What an awful mangled metaphor.

But, hey, no typos!

[Kyle88]

Re: Speeling mistokes & Typos?

SuperScribe.....LOL rather funny.

[Bairn_Writer]

Re: Spelling Matters

Just don't use a Scot, as your proofreader. They're dunderheids, and cannot spell anything properly in English.

As a Scot I have to say that is is completely true. Long time since I've head the term dunderheid, brought a smile to my face.