Screenwriting : Camera angles, wardrobe details and why we should ask the pros by Vanessa Bailey

There's been a fair bit of discussion about how to write a screenplay. Camera angles, or no camera angles etc... Of course, established icons like Tarantino can do whatever they like because they've earned the right to with a track record. But the bottom line is always that the story is king. Not the camera shots or the dress the lead female is wearing. (Unless integral to the plot). Your dialogue and your lean and lovely descriptions are what create the atmosphere. Trim your dialogue and hone your descriptions to create an atmosphere that pulls the reader in. It's hard sometimes not to fall in love with a particular visual you have. Of course, you write with the visual in your head, but you can't dictate specifics ("Extreme CU as one tear rolls down her cheek and she sighs languidly, rolling her eyes sadly and casting them over the vintage Cadillac parked next to The Hilton). That sort of thing. I wanted to share some feedback I received from the Bluecat Screenplay Competition recently, it's for a short film I'm currently producing. I was very nervous to send it to a pro script reader, but I bit the bullet. I wanted to know what I was getting wrong. I polished and polished and trimmed and trimmed. I thought I'd share the response. Not to self-congratulate but to show that most of the time less honestly is more when it comes to scripts :) (You'll notice the only "techy" input I have is the crosscutting, but that's because it serves to build the tension and create pace, not because I'm directing the director) "The opening scene is minimal but effectively paints a vivid image, the barely visible young man is a figure that immediately draws my attention. The crosscutting between this young man and Sophie builds anticipation. The writer does an excellent job of conveying a sense of sadness between the two characters, with palpable chemistry. Dialogue is very natural. Overall this is an excellent script. It reads smoothly and is not encumbered by wordiness or unnecessary dialogue or details. The ending is powerful, devastating even. Once I got to the end everything made sense as I saw each character's words, actions and reactions in a new context. Very impactful script written in a minimal, easy to read way." Now, I'm a natural rule-breaker by nature, but knowing when to play within the rules is a canny skill and one worth developing. And actually the writing is more exciting when you just write the story! So think about submitting to a script reader? It's not necessarily expensive and it's really worth the investment. I hope this is useful! :D