Movie Script Writing : Avoid These Screenplay Mistakes 2

Screenwriting For Authors -- Avoid These Newbie Mistakes Part 2

Author:Danek S. Kaus

Hopefully you've had a chance to read my first article on the common mistakes that authors make in their early, and often later, attempts at screenwriting to adapt their book. If not, that's okay. Each of these articles can stand alone. So let's get started.

[caption id="attachment_128" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Movie Script Writing : Avoid These Screenplay Mistakes 2[/caption]

NOT CAPITALIZING CHARACTER NAMES - The first time you introduce a character, their name should be ALL IN CAPS, such as JOHN SMITH. After that, use traditional capitalization.

OVERLY SPECIFIC CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS - Many newbie screenwriters try to cast their movies by introducing a character as a George Clooney or Salma Hayek type. This can make casting more difficult, especially if you can't get those actors for your movie. Instead, keep character descriptions more general, such as 'athletic, early 30's.

DIRECTING THE SCRIPT - Some beginning writers include camera angles and background songs in their scripts. DO NOT DO THIS. It looks amateurish.

LONG, COMPLEX SENTENCES - Use simple sentences in your descriptive passages so the producer does not have to pause and try to extract your meaning. It's a great way to get them to toss your script and move on to the next one.

LONG DESCRIPTIVE PARAGRAPHS -- Nobody likes to read long, unbroken blocks of text, especially directors and producers. Break up the description into short paragraphs. If you secretly dream of directing, using short paragraphs can be a subtle way suggesting where new shots or angles could begin, without actually stating so, according to some screenwriting coaches.

NOT INCREASING THE TENSION - Another big mistake is keeping the same level of conflict, or lack of it, throughout the script. A screenplay should have mounting tension and increasing stakes until you reach the climax, which should be the most intense scene of the entire screenplay.

BEING TOO CHATTY -- Movie dialogue is not like real-life conversation. Lose all the empty discussion, such as saying hello, asking how someone is and what they did last night, unless it somehow reveals character and advances the story. If it does not advance the story, cut it. Every action a character performs and every word they say should move the story along in some way.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/screenplay-articles/screenwriting-for-authors-avoid-these-newbie-mistakes-part-2-4318391.html

About the Author

Danek S. Kaus is a produced screenwriter with another film in development. Several of his screenplays have been optioned by movie production companies. He can help with your screenplay or adapt your book into a movie. He also offers professional script analysis and coaching.

Movie Script Writing : Avoid These Screenplay Mistakes

Screenwriting For Authors -- Avoid These Newbie Mistakes

Author:Danek S. Kaus

Screenwriting is vastly different from writing a novel or true-story book. It is a different medium and needs to be treated as such. It is a difficult form that even few authors are able to master.

[caption id="attachment_126" align="aligncenter" width="650"] Movie Script Writing : Avoid These Screenplay Mistakes[/caption]

With this in mind, here are a few of common mistakes of new screenwriters. Hopefully, this article will help you to avoid them and make your script or book into a movie more enticing to Hollywood.

STARTING TOO LATE - Novels can and often do begin at a leisurely pace, with scene descriptions, character backgrounds, etc. Because screenplays generally run a maximum of 120 pages, much of it white space, a screenplay has to get moving sooner.

UNNECESSARY DESCRIPTION - Screenplay description is minimalist, just enough to tell the reader where we are and a general tone of the place. Leave the rest up to the director and/or art director.

STATING THE OBVIOUS - one tendency of newbie screenwriters is to have characters tell us what we just witnessed on the screen. For example, if we are watching a track meet and John crosses the finish line first, it is unnecessary and boring to have a character say 'John won the race.'

FORMAT - Screenplays follow a strict format. The first thing a producer or Hollywood Reader (whose job it is to read scripts for their bosses) does is check the format. If it\'s wrong, even a little, they throw away the script without further attention.

LENGTH - Feature Film scripts are usually 90 - 120 pages, though close to 100 is usually preferred. The reason is that one page of a screenplay is considered to translate into one minute of screen time. Industry execs will generally not read a script that is of improper length.

TOO MUCH DIALOGUE - One big newbie mistake is to write page after page of dialogue. Movies are primarily a visual medium. There should be a good balance of dialogue and physical action, favoring action. Action does not necessarily mean gun fights and car chases. It means the characters are doing something.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/screenplay-articles/screenwriting-for-authors-avoid-these-newbie-mistakes-4318381.html

About the Author

Danek S. Kaus is a produced screenwriter with another film in development. Several of his scripts have been optioned by movie production companies. He can help with your screenplay or adapt your book into a movie. He also offers professional script analysis