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Don't Ever Let These Words Describe Your Script
My Fellow Writers,
Back when I was reading for the studios, I probably passed on around 90% of the projects I read - just like all readers. When you're doing those last few drafts of your script, it's important to know how to get rid of the red flags that are going to make it easy for readers to pass on it. So I thought I'd do a quick review of the most common words I used to use in passing on scripts. Try to make sure none of these apply to your script - and read the scripts of your favorite films in order to see how they solved problems you're facing.
Here are a few of the deadly words:
Contrived/Convenient - in well over half of the projects I passed on, either one or both of these words came up in the coverage. The writer used lazy plot choices that turned simply because the story had to get from point A to point C. You can get away with one or two minor contrivances in a script, but if a major part of the plot turns on a contrivance, a professional reader will catch it every time.
Familiar/Unoriginal - here's another one that comes up very often. All stories are recombinations of other stories. But that doesn't mean that you have to write yet another buddy cop movie, or try to copy some recent blockbuster just to capitalize on the trend. Write what you love, not what you think might sell, and you can probably avoid this one. This word also often applies to more specific elements of a script, e.g., the characters and dialogue. Don't just write the character like another cinematic character you've seen. The script will read like a hundred others that the reader has read, and it won't distinguish itself.
At the same time, be warned that too much originality will make your project difficult to make. I'm not saying you shouldn't strive for such originality, but just that not everyone will appreciate your efforts. I'm sure lots of people passed on BEING JOHN MALKOVICH. This all goes back to having an original and personal vision, but grounding it in recognizable human emotion.
Flat - this one's a catch-all that's probably overused by readers. Any number of problems can fall under this one. It could be that the script lacks emotion. It might just be a dialogue problem. It might be that the script lacks fresh elements (which also falls under the "familiar" category). But the fact is that the reader doesn't find himself or herself pulled forward through the story.
Remember that readers have to hack through about five of these a day sometimes - and if yours is just like a bunch of others, or doesn't have inspiration in EVERY line, well, you're in trouble before you start. The reader would love to find a good script - it's how they get promoted. But if your script doesn't inspire the imagination, then they're going to pass on it perfunctorily.
Finally, the most common way that I used to pass on scripts was in saying that the "execution didn't live up to the potential of the premise." I wasn't lying or being lazy. That was usually the case. When you choose your great premise, be sure to put in an equally great effort in choosing scenes. There are a billion ways to write any given script. Don't strive for the 100th best way or the 10th best way. Strive for the best way. No matter how much you love writing - and I REALLY love it - it's extremely hard work. But well worth it when you come up with the right answer, because you read it and you know you've hit it out of the park.
Speaking of that, I've got lots of work to do. Raise the bar for yourself. Write movies, not just screenplays.
Striving,
Grady
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