Your Screenplay Sucks! Screenwriting Crib Sheet

Colon after FADE IN Need to tell us character’s name in CAPS and need a brief

description of who they are (personality) Looks are only important if they are very important – don’t

spend too much time with clothing Scene description should more aptly be called action

descriptionDon’t put ANYTHING obvious in there, Example “ Cody slashes at branches near by” – near by is obvious

What character loves to do/adores is a good thing for openingsPrint to proofread

“a large house” – you should be more specific when saying things like this. “a Tudor mansion”

Don’t give us too much detail or info Don’t clarify things that happened two pages ago Don’t forget sluglines when people change rooms, Kid goes

from kitchen to dining room – this requires a new slugline Anything that you can make visual – make visual Whenever a new actor is introduced, their name/character

is in caps“a line of ADULTS”

“make their way” isn’t a good phrase If someone is at a desk, you don’t have to say sitting at the

desk Numbers are written out “thirteen” not “13” – very long

numbers are okay” To interrupt use two dashes and then don’t say “interrupt”

in the next scene description If a person doesn’t respond don’t say “he is silent” – we

know that

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Don’t’ do “BIG KID #1, BIG KID #2, BIG KID #3” – do “GIGANTIC KID, OBESE KID, BUFF KID”

You are not the director Get rid of the movie in your head – just give us the

shorthand version – this is responsible for tons of overwriting

Crucial info only! Cut dialogue when an action will suffice Instead of “yeah” give a nod or grunt in the affirmative With jumps in time or flashbacks, remind us when you come

back to the present day Screenplays are all in the present tense, nothing in past Need to make every word count – try to use specific nouns

and verbs rather than adjectives and adverbs “written by” on your title page should have a lower case w On page one, you’ve got the time to set the

stage/mood/genre/setting of the story – This is the only time you have the opportunity to do this

Less dialogue and more mood on page 1 Names aren’t capitalized in dialogue CAPS in dialogue means that the person is yelling Parentheticals aren’t in the dialogue, there is a break for the

parenthetical then dialogue. Don’t have any sluglines at the bottom of page By cutting some dialogue, dialogue that is left becomes

stronger Don’t hide the good dialogue in the bad dialogue

“Under the table, he clenches his fist” NOT “He clenches his fist, under the table” This is a good example of why image order is important and you should end sentences with the important thing

Don’t talk about the Zeppelin disaster, show itDon’t talk about a mean dad, show him

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“Nowhere” is one word Don’t repeat info from the slugline in the action Break big paragraphs up into smaller ones “He exits” not “He then exits” Don’t describe someone as woman and then girl, confusing

Don’t use a phrase to describe when a word will do“dirty hair” is as good as “Hair that looks like it hasn’t been washed in days”

Same sentence or phrase shouldn’t appear twice on the same page

Punches with fist – grin on face – both obvious FLASHBACK comes before INT. or EXT. With a flashback that isn’t actually the truth – explain that

it’s not real, make it obvious Tell the character/functional name when we meet

somebody, nobody should have two different names No spaces between parentheticals within dialogue, but do

put it on a different line Smile is a word you should be aware of – maybe you are

overdirecting the actors – people use this a lot, often too much within one script

Think of edit points – the scene should end on an exciting note.

Clothing isn’t as important as you think First words in parentheticals are lower case “Nate runs back to his dorm room” would likely be

impossible in one scene. “Nate runs away” is possible though.

All dialogue should move you forwards. If you can cut one exchange do that (unless is messes with rhythm)

“walks” is a deadly sin – there are better words Question and answer dialogue is bad

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Yelling shouldn’t go in a parenthetical, the thing yelled should go in caps

If people are whispering, don’t say whispering before each line of dialogue. Say it once in description and maybe italicize it.

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