Archive for the 'Words on the page' Category

e 18 Seven writer’s rules for survival in animation
Useful suggestions for screenwriters working on their first animated feature
e 26 Handling repeating sequences
You’re almost never going to show the exact same thing twice. So don’t do it on the page, either.
e 6 Narcopalabras
A handy and scary glossary to terms from the Mexican drug war.
e 47 The wall of newspaper clippings
Gary Whitta wrote in with his proposed moratorium: the wall of expository newspaper clippings.
e 48 Breathe, damnit!
Double negative points for saying something quippy after being revived.
e 56 “No signal” is the new air duct
This compilation clip demonstrates what a hoary cliché it has become to explain why movie characters can’t use their cell phones.
e 22 Should I include a list of characters?
Is it okay to include a brief list of characters for a particularly complex and character-rich script?
e 36 Last looks
I handed in a script today, and thought it might be helpful to talk through my best practices when finishing up a draft.
e 43 Subtitled success stories
Somewhat remarkably, the top two movies in America have subtitles. Lots and lots of subtitles.
e 67 Quoting books in a script
Screenplays don’t cite references because they don’t quote things.
e 67 Now that’s a gunfight
I’m busy working on Preacher, and it’s no spoiler to say that it features a gunfight or two. Last night, I twittered to ask what people’s favorite gunfights were, Western or otherwise.

I got a lot of replies, but one name that kept coming up was Michael Mann. He consistently finds ways to send thousands [...]
e 22 Twitchforks
I almost invented this word today. But didn’t.
e 109 On accident, by accident
If you say “on accident,” you’re very likely under 30 years old. In fact, among Americans in that age group, it’s more becoming more common than the traditional “by accident.”
e 15 Gender-specific douchery
We rarely refer to women as assholes.
e 40 On the present tense
The present progressive tense can be your friend.
e 114 Writing better scene description
A YouTube lesson on making more-readable scene description.
e 45 On square miles
A correction in the LA Times points to a deeper flaw in English.
e 26 Growing sentences
With a few simple instructions, you can turn nay normal sentence into a David Foster Wallace super-sentence.
e 18 Can I go beyond DAY and NIGHT?
Sluglines can be more specific, but only when it’s important for the reader.
e 11 How to handle unknown narrators
Do you give them a name, even if they haven’t shown up on-screen yet?
e Comments Off Presidential punctuation
After eight long years in hiding, the semicolon’s glorious return.
e 8 How do I include animated sequences?
Clear sluglines help to weave in and out of animation.
e 6 Today’s word: Oleaginous
It’s a lovely word, and a nice alternative to the similar unctuous.
e 48 ‘Wherefore’ does not mean where
A pet peeve and a losing battle with popular meaning.
e 17 On the radio
Formatting radio chatter.
e 7 Including an important symbol
Is it okay to put a drawing into a script?
e 12 Two from the file
Old questions, dusted off and answered.
e 42 One. Million. Dollars.
Do millionaires dream of being billionaires?
e 19 On creating emotion
How the writer, actor, director and audience work together.
e 11 Keeping track of time
Ways to keeping the reader engaged and clear when you’re skipping around in time.
e 13 Time jumps and oil drilling
Two unrelated questions answered. 1. Clarifying young and old versions of characters. 2. How much research to do before writing.
e 12 Handling a character’s POV shot
Formatting for a specific character’s point of view.
e 34 Five quick questions
One writer, five questions.
e 38 Simple is better than accurate
Simplicity is not the same as idiocy, or pandering.
e 18 Writing unspoken things
Llittle choices are what form your style, and developing a narrative voice is a crucial part of your career as a writer.
e 36 How to cut pages
Just as important, what NOT to do when trying to cut length. Don’t cheat.
e 25 Writing silent scenes
Always treat your readers like audience members, and think about it from their perspective.
e 18 Secret history of the Kleinhardt Gambit
Done just right, jargon helps ground characters in their setting, much the way medical-ese makes you think those pretty people on TV could actually be doctors.
e 50 Were I to seek examples of the subjunctive…
When the subjunctive shows up, there’s almost always drama.
e 22 Northeaster
I spent five days in Maine, writing and researching my next project.
e 49 Rethinking motivation
Try replacing the question of what the character wants/needs with, “Why is the character doing what he’s doing?”
e 77 How to explain quantum mechanics
Answering the tricky questions elegantly, so your audience can remain focussed on the story.
e 25 Scripting a short film
A short film, like a short story, can’t waste any time. Here’s what to include, and what to leave out.
e 11 When a character has two names
How to format when characters have mysterious beginnings and change identities.
e 20 You know, like in that other movie
Don’t be lazy and stupid by relying on existing scenes to visualize your own.
e 59 On horseshit, and the New York Times
Taking issue with a mischaracterization in the paper of record.
e 22 Characters who are not yet important
How to treat characters we’ll meet later but don’t hear from right away.
e 16 Including the unknowable
The rules for slipping in unknowable lines in your screenplay.
e 13 Short answer sprint
Nine second answers to nine burning questions. Ready…go!
e 14 The History Boys
A writer can get away with quite a few things on stage that are tough to pull off in movies.
e 23 Using “we” in scene description
Handling perspective in your action lines.
e 13 Pre-Lap
Using dialogue to bridge a cut. (Warning: some readers are haters)
e 8 INT. BOOKSTORE, or something better?
How specific to get in your sluglines.
e 5 Changes while directing
When the shoot begins, the real world comes to play.
e 34 Should I write a novel or a script?
If you’re looking to put your story out into the world, paper beats film, hands down.
e 162 Make your introduction
Scene Challenge! Give me your best dry-cleaner intro.
e 44 How to introduce a character
One of the most difficult and important lessons to learn. Here’s some great examples and helpful guidance.
e 23 TV in movies
Some rules to using TV for exposition in screenplays.
e 68 Masturbating to Star Trek
Scene Challenge! The first (and dirtiest) ever!
e 25 Pause vs. beat
Most times, dialogue reads fine without any special indicators, so save them for when they’re truly needed.
e 44 How to write dialogue
Seven steps to writing meaningful, entertaining dialogue while handling exposition.
e 27 Trusting your audience
Kudos to the writers of HEROES for letting the audience connect the dots.
e 13 Scribble version, final version
Examples of the differences between the sketch and the full scene.
e 24 Clarification on point one
Update on “How to write a scene” post. Does the character drive the story or the storyteller?
e 48 How to write a scene
The steps I take and questions I ask myself in order to write a scene.
e 32 Retcon
New (to me) term for a useful device in serial fiction.
e 16 High net-worth individuals
Why not just call them rich?
e 10 Using overheard dialogue
Let’s say you’re at work and you overhear some great dialogue. Should you worry about co-workers suing when they hear it in your movie?
e 6 When characters have multiple names
Treat your reader like an audience member. Give them the same information on the page that they would get on the screen.
e 42 Writing what can’t be shot
Movies are about what characters do and say, not who they were before the story started.
e 55 Of course grammar matters
True, grammar can’t be filmed. But scripts are read by people, not cameras. And people deserve the best writing you can muster.
e 41 What does “calling bullshit” actually mean?
If you’re gonna heckle, back it up or look stupid.
e 32 The word escapes me
Needing the right word and finally finding it.
e 49 Four quadrants of screenwriting style
Are you a Literalist Shower Fragmenter Filmist? Discover your writerly personality.
e 102 A movie by any other name
Some projects sell mostly on their title. Choose wisely.
e 7 Character depth in a short film
Most successful shorts don’t spend much of their time filling in the details about their characters. Strive for economy.
e Comments Off Avoid clichés
Look at every scene and ask whether it feels movie-like in the bad way.
e 4 Dialogue versus exposition
Learning how to show, not tell.
e Comments Off Four Seasons, Five Season or just some fancy hotel
Is it okay to be specific about locations and brands without their pre-approval?
e 7 American English and troublesome contractions
Helpful grammar tips for one of them foreign types writing American dialogue.
e 8 The challenge of writing good dialogue
Movie dialogue is what real people would say if they could take a few seconds to think between lines.
e 5 Including illustrations with your screenplay
Why it’s never okay to include drawings with a screenplay. Words are all you get.
e 1 Writing for VFX
The director, cinematographer and visual effects supervisor have the final say about what the effects look like. But until these people come along, the writer is all those jobs
e Comments Off Avoiding cliches
Cliches are shortcuts. The more you avoid taking them, the more interesting the places you’ll end up.
e Comments Off Ad-libbing
Planned ad-libbing is like hoping for a white Christmas. Maybe it will snow, or maybe it won’t. Your sleigh better have wheels just in case.
e Comments Off Action writing
Give it the attention it deserves or risk it dying in production or edit.
e Comments Off Drafts and revisions
Expect to do multiple drafts and revisions and make sure the first draft you show people could actually be shot.
e Comments Off Index cards
They can help visualize the structure and pacing, but allow for invention along the way.
e Comments Off Over-editing
Always ask, “Do I need this?” But don’t sacrifice tone for brevity.
e 1 Ratio of pages to screen time
A page-a-minute is a good rule, with exceptions.
e 1 Do I have to write the courtroom scene?
Sorry, you can’t outsource the hard stuff to the actors and director.
e Comments Off Transitions
When to use them. Which to use.
e Comments Off How long is a scene?
If I get to the third page of a scene I’m writing, I automatically stop and re-examine it to figure out why it’s so long, and whether it really needs to be.
e 1 Camera angles and edits
Until the movie is in theatres, there’s no such thing as a final shooting script. Angles are for Directors and edits are for editors.
e 2 More camera angles
Reading a screenplay should give you the sense of watching the movie. There are times when it’s appropriate to mention angles, just as it can be necessary to point out costuming, or music, or effects in order to let the reader know what’s what.
e 1 Using CUT TO:
When and how it’s useful.

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