So I’m mostly a novelist or lyric writer but I’ve been trying to write one of my many ideas as a screenplay instead. I know next to nothing about this and so far I’ve just sort of got a bad script with a sentence or two explaining how a shot without dialogue and/or action shots is filmed and what is happening in the shot.
Does anyone have any ideas or tips any formats I can use or examples I can read to try and get a better idea of what I’m doing? I don’t suppose it’s particularly different but I’m thinking of doing it as a series rather than feature so any tips pertaining particularly to episodes would be great... how do I know, for example, I have an episode length of content?
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Read stacks of screenplays- produced & specs - and figure out the formatting yourself. There is a reason why Executive bosses read hundreds of scripts per month and they know craft more than writers, and Execs are generally from business school. You gotta read screenplays and understand why you're doing this or that on the page, and if you don't- read more screenplays.
And episodic length of content would typically have a complete sub-story that either runs alongside or is part of the main story. LOST was a very obvious example of this where they would have a story from the character's background that helped move along the main plot.
As for formatting, the basics are very easy to master and this is a great time to sample the scripts from your favourite movies to get an idea of how the prose can vary. Production scripts and spec scripts differ in a few areas but some quick research will explain the minor differences.
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Matthew, I've been reading screenplays and TV pilot scripts (be they here on Stage 32 or on Script Revolution) in order to get a handle on format.
As long as I read at least PART of at least ONE script daily, it helps me out when I'm writing my own scripts.
All the VERY BEST to you, Matthew! Glad you're with us here on 32!
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For no dialogue sections I'd read the opening of the Paul Thomas Anderson movie "There Will Be Blood". Also in general its good to read screenplays to get an idea of formatting and articulating your ideas onto the page.
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I wanted to write for screen before even seeing an actual script and knowing what the hell that is...I couldn't even imagine it. So my first (logical) step was to get along some guys who do it and borrow scripts to read (internet was hatching that time).
Once you see what it's like (nowadays a click away) you get the idea and the rest is perfecting...