![]() ![]() There is software for every budget (including free!) Final Draft is the industry standard and, by far, the most accessible screenplay software to use. Today, scriptwriting software is your most essential tool because it allows you to focus on the story instead of margins. The book covered the classic three-act story structure as well as the technical formatting of the story elements on the page. In 1979, screenwriting guru Syd Field released his landmark book, Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting. Fortunately, much has been written on the subject, such as Robert McKee’s Story or John Truby’s Anatomy of Story. It’s common to know the beginning and the end of a story but have difficulties connecting all the dots to get there. Second acts (in a three-act structure) can be challenging. Who is your story really about? Is your comedy really a drama, or is your horror film really a thriller? These are issues related to story and structure. Many writers struggle with story development. You can also use the beat sheet calculator when writing shorts to ensure proper pacing. If you like Blake Snyder’s method, there is a beat sheet calculator that indicates page ranges for plot points given the length of your script. You’ll eventually notice a pattern because audiences like structure even if they’re not aware of it. Watch some of your favorite movies and outline them, noting the beats and when (timecode) they occur. However, by using a beat sheet, your characters can still control the story while you ensure that it maintains proper pacing. Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You’ll Ever Need has a fun approach, and his beat sheet (plot points) makes outlining your screenplay easy. There are many excellent books on writing screenplays. Keep this page count in mind when writing both your beat sheet and your screenplay. How long are they? (Avoid movies by A-List writers since they can break all screenwriting rules including page counts). Think about movies that are similar in genre to your story idea. For example, most horror films are between 90 and 100 pages. Acceptable page counts vary for different genres. Typically, each page of a script represents a minute of screen time. If your script passes these tests, while creatively hooking the agent in the process, they’ll go back to page 11 and keep reading. The end of the screenplay should clearly resolve your character’s conflict(s) or achieve their goal(s). After 10 minutes, if you don’t know who and what the story is about, do you keep watching? After the initial ten pages, an agent will flip to the end of the script and read the final page. Sounds harsh? Think about being at home, watching a movie. What are their motives and what are they trying to achieve?.Are your characters interesting and well defined?.If your script passes these tests, the agent might then read the first ten pages to find out: Courier font? Is it industry formatted? Can you see more white than black on the page? Is your screenplay within the appropriate page range for the genre? Does it flow? Typically, an agent will initially look at the aesthetics of the page. One question you might have is, what do agents look for in a script? You might think that story is at the top of the list unfortunately, it is not. ![]() These resources have global appeal to any filmmaker since examples of shooting scripts, as well as rewrites, are also available. There are several free sites such as Simply Scripts or Drew’s Script-O-Rama. Reading scripts used to be challenging to do if you weren’t already in the industry however, scripts are now accessible online. Read a script! You wouldn’t attempt to write a book without ever reading a book the same is true when writing a movie. While the task of writing a script may sound monumental, there’s an easy way to start. Combined with screenwriting software, it’s never been easier to pen that first script. Over the past 20 years, A-List screenwriters and their writing gurus have provided interviews for articles, lectures, seminars and podcasts some have even written books on the subject. It’s impossible to condense narrative feature film writing into one article. Are you stir crazy from COVID-19 and shelter-at-home orders? Do you know how to write a script? It’s never been a better time to shelter-in-place and stay safe behind your computer while you write that script that’s been percolating in your head for years. ![]()
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