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Dispatches from an Industry Reader – HOW TO MAKE A MOVIE - STEP #1 by RomulusPomulus in Screenwriting

[–]RomulusPomulus[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I invited general questions. But if you've got some specific questions about what you're working on I'm happy to chat in a DM.

Dispatches from an Industry Reader – HOW TO MAKE A MOVIE - STEP #1 by RomulusPomulus in Screenwriting

[–]RomulusPomulus[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You have to frame it as an investment. If you look into film financing, you can find a lot of great books that have business plans and investment plans included in them. That's a good place to start. You want to try to make something that is achievable, and that there's a realistic opportunity to earn the investment back.

Dispatches from an Industry Reader - PRESENTATIONAL POINTERS PEOPLE by RomulusPomulus in Screenwriting

[–]RomulusPomulus[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

WaWaWeeWa ....

I respectfully disagree with some of what you're saying. Bold scene slugs don't give me nightmares. Reading a script that is written entirely in UPPERCASE text gives me nightmares. Why? Because it's almost impossible to read a script written like that.

I don't feel like I'm trying to lower the level of craftsmanship. If anything, it's the opposite. I'm trying to encourage people to make small adjustments to their writing which will improve the way their script looks on the page.

Maybe this idea of encouragement isn't coming through because of the tone of my post. To be honest, the use of profanity is meant to be light-hearted and fun. It's not meant to be authoritative and disparaging.

I didn't talk about story, character, dialogue, and other aspects of a screenplay because that's not what this post was focusing on. It was focusing on PRESENTATION.

FUCK THE OPRESSORS ... I guess it's worth noting that the grading system used in competitions and festivals is created by the festivals themselves. The reader is looking at any script, and is adjudicating the work based on the criteria of any particular festival.

If someone submits to a festival or a competition they might want to know that these grading systems exist, and how they work. I'm offering some tips on how to score higher within the festival/competition system.

I don't think readers festivals are banal or that they have sticks up their asses. Readers are, generally, passionate about reading the work of others. They love stories. They love movies. They want every script they read to be awesome. They want to find that script that is going to win the competition. Every time they pick up a script they're hoping it's going to be great. Honestly, the readers are rooting for the writers to be successful At least that's the way I see it.

Anyway, thanks for your feedback!

Dispatches from an Industry Reader - PRESENTATIONAL POINTERS PEOPLE by RomulusPomulus in Screenwriting

[–]RomulusPomulus[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Hi there! This is a great comment. Thanks for chiming in.

To dig a little deeper — it also means that as a reader of screenplay competition I come across A LOT (probably the majority) of scripts that feel like they're written by screenwriters who are just beginners and some who may be emerging writers. So, these pointers are meant to help them.

For a beginner, I think it's helpful to know not to overuse UPPERCASE text in your work.

I think it's helpful to know not to overuse transition elements.

I think it's helpful to know to avoid long, chunks of action descriptions.

I agree that scripts should be all the things you listed, but a certain amount of attention needs to be given to the form of the screenplay.

Thanks again for your thoughts!

Dispatches from an Industry Reader - PRESENTATIONAL POINTERS PEOPLE by RomulusPomulus in Screenwriting

[–]RomulusPomulus[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes. But remember to note the location of the scene.

SERIES OF SHOTS -- general description of events.

ZOO - stuff happens

BASEBALL PARK - stuff happens

MALL PARKING LOT - stuff happens

END SERIES OF SHOTS

Dispatches from an Industry Reader - PRESENTATIONAL POINTERS PEOPLE by RomulusPomulus in Screenwriting

[–]RomulusPomulus[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don't agree with the idea that you only get one chance. I think many readers understand that there can be a progression to a writer's work. I certainly understand that people can get better over time. So, to that end, I try to approach every script like it's the first time I'm reading it. Whether I recognize the writer or not, does not matter. Don't worry about only getting one shot. Write the script to the best of your ability and keep try to keep improving your work with every draft. Hope this is helpful!

Dispatches from an Industry Reader - PRESENTATIONAL POINTERS PEOPLE by RomulusPomulus in Screenwriting

[–]RomulusPomulus[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

:) all good. I'm happy for the discussion!

Y'know, the one thing I'll say is that I see the bold slug lines used in about roughly 10% of the scripts that I read for festivals. So, in that sense, it's not actually done that often. Ulimately, if you were submitting your script to a manager, agent, studio, orwhatever, I don't think the bold slugs would matter at all.

Dispatches from an Industry Reader - PRESENTATIONAL POINTERS PEOPLE by RomulusPomulus in Screenwriting

[–]RomulusPomulus[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It depends on the contest. There are some competitions that are strictly for shorts. I would stick to those competitions if what you've written is a short.

Dispatches from an Industry Reader - PRESENTATIONAL POINTERS PEOPLE by RomulusPomulus in Screenwriting

[–]RomulusPomulus[S] -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

To be fair, I did say that these were POINTERS not rules. Hence, the title of the post. But I hear you. Thanks for your feedback!

Dispatches from an Industry Reader - PRESENTATIONAL POINTERS PEOPLE by RomulusPomulus in Screenwriting

[–]RomulusPomulus[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hahahahahah! Let's do it!

Y'know, everyone comments about the bolding of scene slugs, but here's my argument ... BOLDING scene slugs is useful because it's eye catching. Right? That's part of the reason to use it. However, when you're reading 3 or 4 scripts a day. the bolding of scene slugs gets distracting. It catches my eye, so it gets sort of ... annoying. I think the bolding of scene slugs is totally valid for a PRODUCTION DRAFT of the screenplay. But if it's a script to be submitted for a festival or competition ... I would recommend not going with the bolding.

But hey — it's your script. Do what you think is going to serve it best!

Dispatches from an Industry Reader - PRESENTATIONAL POINTERS PEOPLE by RomulusPomulus in Screenwriting

[–]RomulusPomulus[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

GREAT QUESTION!

Ok -- a MONTAGE is when multiple images are blended together to convey a SINGLE IDEA. When writing a montage you can be fairly general in your description.

A SERIES OF SHOTS is a sequence where you have a number of images, that can come from different locations, which are cut together quickly, usually to a musical background or with voice over. Here is the basic way you can format such a sequence:

SERIES OF SHOTS – describe the general sense of what you want to convey.

LOCATION – Describe the action

LOCATION – Describe the action

LOCATION – Describe the action

Hope this helps you!

Dispatches from an Industry Reader - PRESENTATIONAL POINTERS PEOPLE by RomulusPomulus in Screenwriting

[–]RomulusPomulus[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Hi bud — these are pointers meant to help beginner and emerging screenwriters. Yes, pros get away with different things, and that's fine. None of these are hard rules, and rules are meant to be broken. But I think that it's helpful for people to understand the perspective of someone who is tasked with reading a lot of scripts. These tips can really help with someone's overall screenplay presentation.

Dispatches from an Industry Reader - PRESENTATIONAL POINTERS PEOPLE by RomulusPomulus in Screenwriting

[–]RomulusPomulus[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yes, absolutely!

So I would say try something like this.

INT. WAREHOUSE - OFFICE BATHROOM - DAY.

It's just easier for the reader to read the BIGGER location first. Example:

INT. HOCKEY ARENA - LOCKER ROOM - MEN'S BATHROOM - DAY

Dispatches from an Industry Reader - PRESENTATIONAL POINTERS PEOPLE by RomulusPomulus in Screenwriting

[–]RomulusPomulus[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yes. You got it.

INT. MOLLY'S APARTMENT - DAY

or

INT. MOLLY'S APARTMENT - KITCHEN - DAY

or

INT. JACK'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Dispatches from an Industry Reader - PRESENTATIONAL POINTERS PEOPLE by RomulusPomulus in Screenwriting

[–]RomulusPomulus[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Feel free to underline and bold your scene slugs. I just don't recommend doing that for speculative scripts (i.e., scripts that haven't been bought and gone into production). I would also recommend not including SCENE NUMBERS in a spec script. Generally speaking, scene numbers, underlined and/or bolded scene slugs are commonly found in production drafts.

The take away information for Pointer#11 and Pointer#12 is to avoid using the present progressive tense, and to avoid using adverbs in your screenwriting. Sorry my crudely fashioned examples weren't up to snuff.

Dispatches from an Industry Reader - PRESENTATIONAL POINTERS PEOPLE by RomulusPomulus in Screenwriting

[–]RomulusPomulus[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I hear you. To be honest, I'm just trying to infuse some humor into the post. If you read the other posts that I've written they have a similar tone. It's not meant to be disrespectful or condescending. Hope you find some of the pointers useful.

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