Best 1st Page you read - Best 5 pages you've read..

[zazzo2003]

So, I was thinking about this after listening some producers, lit managers and agents speak honestly about "their time". They said that if they're not hooked by the first five pages, you're in the circular filing cabinet. "I have to love you in 5 pages" said one producer... One said, he knew by the 1st page.

So, what is the best 1st page from a script you read for a comedy and drama recently? What's the best 5 pages?

Why?

Thought it would be fun to see what people thought

Thanks for playing

--Zazzzz

[Signal30]

Re: Best 1st Page you read - Best 5 pages you've read..

Wow... it used to be ten pages, then five and moving in on one. Soon they'll be tossing it if they don't like the energy of the card stock.

[Kevan]

Re: Best 1st Page you read - Best 5 pages you've read..

This is a really good question.

I scanned through my screenplay collection and read a lot of first pages, particularly the big, sucessful movies and couldn't find a first page that grabbed me and then I stumbled on it..

LETHAL WEAPON
By
Shane Black

His writing is so minimal and sparse but he still manages to descibe so much. He sets up a story with a tragedy which in turn leads into a mystery and it's a throughline which preminates through the spine of the screenplay.

I'd say this is probably the best first page ever written, it hits all the marks perfectly in every sense.

[Baby_Neill]

Re: Best 1st Page you read - Best 5 pages you've read..

Can't think of a script that grabbed me by pg. 5. Now, there were a lot that got me by pg. 10.

I think pgs. 1-5 are really too early to judge a screenplay. Plenty of great screenplays started off kind of slow, and then by pg. 10 -- BAM! -- something just draws you in, makes you want to read more. Like CHINATOWN.

The only scripts that fall into the pgs. 1-5 category for me, are JAWS, ALIEN, and THE CRYING GAME. But even they really took a full 10 pgs. to get me really interested in the story.

[pwrmyth]

Re: Best 1st Page you read - Best 5 pages you've read..

If ten pages is asking too much of the reader, writers are the new endangered species.

[Robot17]

Re: Best 1st Page you read - Best 5 pages you've read..

Can't think of a script that grabbed me by pg. 5. Now, there were a lot that got me by pg. 10.

I think pgs. 1-5 are really too early to judge a screenplay. Plenty of great screenplays started off kind of slow, and then by pg. 10 -- BAM! -- something just draws you in, makes you want to read more. Like CHINATOWN.

True. But you can tell if it sucks or not in the first few pages.

Bot

[Baby_Neill]

Re: Best 1st Page you read - Best 5 pages you've read..

True. But you can tell if it sucks or not in the first few pages.

Yeah, you can tell bad writing from the first scene. But even if the script is strong, the story's pacing might be a slow build up, and it's going to take more than 5 pgs. to get hooked. Doesn't mean it's a bad screenplay, and I don't think it should be judged a definite stinker until about 10-15 pgs. in.

If the script's decent it should be read to at least pg. 10. It's ten pages. How lazy can a person be not to read/skim ten pgs.?

[wcmartell]

Re: Best 1st Page you read - Best 5 pages you've read..

Poe said you have to grab the reader with your first *sentence*... and that was over 150 years ago.

- Bill

[Robot17]

Re: Best 1st Page you read - Best 5 pages you've read..

I think that there's also a difference between a good story and a good screenplay. Poor writing doesn't necessarily mean there isn't a story to be had within the material.

If someone asks me to read their script I only do so with the understanding that I will not go any further if it isn't up to a certain professional level. I actually hold it in front of them and say that.

I've read enough efforts by people with cr*ppy formatting, bad grammar, typos etc that I get resentful about it and can't objectively comment on the important part - the story.

I'll give it back and say "this isn't ready" for submittal or readers or whatever. Change these things and let me look again.

I see this as a limitation of mine and want to be able to give the story a fair chance. I'm one those "pie eyed" optimists that thinks everybody has an interesting story within, somewhere.

Bot

[Signal30]

Re: Best 1st Page you read - Best 5 pages you've read..

Poe said you have to grab the reader with your first *sentence*... and that was over 150 years ago.

- Bill

FADE IN:


EXT. RIVIERA - BEACH - DAY

Where the ocean ends, an ocean of bare breasts begins.

[yeehi]

Re: Best 1st Page you read - Best 5 pages you've read..

FADE IN:


EXT. RIVIERA - BEACH - DAY

Where the ocean ends, an ocean of bare breasts begins.

[Signal30]

Re: Best 1st Page you read - Best 5 pages you've read..

If done right...

FROM BARE TO MATERNITY

[Kevan]

Re: Best 1st Page you read - Best 5 pages you've read..

Good call, Writerly. Fantastic screenplay..

[argo]

Re: Best 1st Page you read - Best 5 pages you've read..

Die Hard. Classic.

Also love the first few pages of Ocean's 11 -- the prison review dialog rocks.

And, yes make fun of me, but the first page of Michael Cooney's Identity screams at you to turn the page. He works hard to put a shock at the very bottom of page 1 to hook you and make you flip to page 2.

[argo]

Re: Best 1st Page you read - Best 5 pages you've read..

Will have to find my copy of Identity and type it in as the only script I can find online is a revise. In the meantime, here's roughly the first page (and then some) of Ocean's 11. Brilliant dialog and get a great sense of character.


FADE IN:
EMPTY ROOM WITH SINGLE CHAIR
We hear a DOOR OPEN and CLOSE, followed by APPROACHING FOOTSTEPS. DANNY OCEAN, dressed in prison fatigues, ENTERS FRAME and sits.

VOICE (O.S.)
Good morning.

DANNY
Good morning.

VOICE (O.S.)
Please state your name for the record.

DANNY
Daniel Ocean.

VOICE (O.S.)
Thank you. Mr. Ocean, the purpose of this meeting is to determine whether, if released, you are likely to break the law again. While this was your first conviction, you have been implicated, though never charged, in over a dozen other confidence schemes and frauds. What can you tell us about this?

DANNY
As you say, ma'am, I was never charged.

INT. PAROLE BOARD HEARING ROOM - WIDER VIEW - MORNING
Three PAROLE BOARD MEMBERS sit opposite Danny, behind a
table.

BOARD MEMBER #2
Mr. Ocean, what we're trying to find out is: was there a reason you chose to commit this crime, or was there a reason why you simply got caught this time?

DANNY
My wife left me. I was upset. I got into a self-destructive pattern.

BOARD MEMBER #3
If released, is it likely you would fall back into a similar pattern?

DANNY
She already left me once. I don't think she'll do it again just for kicks.

Glances dart between the Board Members.

BOARD MEMBER #1
Mr. Ocean, what do you think you would do if released?

Danny considers.

DANNY
(deadpan)
I don't know. How much do you guys make a year?