Everything wrong with your screenplay in one infographic

[Jandrew]

Everyone has ideas... the problem is the writing. You always end up realizing you forgot a small detail and then try to squeeze it in so it makes sense... THEN you rage and end up rewriting the whole shit for one small detail

 

I went back in one of my scripts and tried to get as many plot holes out as i could. Such a pain. I ended up having to rewrite not just a scene, but half of whole acts, and then you have to remember what you changed in the beginning when your typing up the end so it still flows. At least it makes more logical sense now though.

Edited December 10, 2013 by Jandrew

[Cmasterclay]

Very fascinating. I'm writing a play for the stage right now and it's quite a fucking difficult task- I tried to make a movie out of it and that was even harder. Script writing is tough as hell, man.

[grim22]

Very fascinating. I'm writing a play for the stage right now and it's quite a fucking difficult task- I tried to make a movie out of it and that was even harder. Script writing is tough as hell, man.

 

The main issue I have is that I have some really good starting points or a pretty good concept in mind, but actually laying it out to make a story out of it is hard as hell. Especially since you cannot have wasted characters who do nothing for the entire plot.

 

Makes me respect the writers a lot. Even something like "The Room" still gave most characters an arc (however stupid that arc was).

[4815162342]

The main issue I have is that I have some really good starting points or a pretty good concept in mind, but actually laying it out to make a story out of it is hard as hell. Especially since you cannot have wasted characters who do nothing for the entire plot.

 

Makes me respect the writers a lot. Even something like "The Room" still gave most characters an arc (however stupid that arc was).

 

Yep, the old woman got the breast cancer and the weird kid neighbor had a drug debt problem

[grim22]

Yep, the old woman got the breast cancer and the weird kid neighbor had a drug debt problem

[AniNate]

Of course, this raises the question: How do so many shitty scripts end up making their way to the screen anyway?

[ChD]

Of course, this raises the question: How do so many shitty scripts end up making their way to the screen anyway?

 

Well, I guess It's lack of actual good scripts. As people said, writing a decent script is hard so I doubt they're coming in any day... Lack of good scripts make studios go for the not so good ones.

[dashrendar44]

Not that much related but if someone here got a script/story for a comics project and is looking for an artist to draw their ideas. Juts call me maybe and send me a PM.

[lab276]

Jeff Willis ‏@jwillis8128m

I went through a whole bunch of loglines and counted up the ones that I would actually request if I still worked in creative.

Sherlock Holmes ‏@beavercleaver1111m

@jwillis81 Out of curiosity what compelled you to pass on the majority? Was it concept of the script or poorly written logline?

Jeff Willis ‏@jwillis815m

.@beavercleaver11 TOP 5 PASS REASONS: Derivative. Limited audience. Weird. Expensive. Nothing stood out.

[Dementeleus]

Of course, this raises the question: How do so many shitty scripts end up making their way to the screen anyway?

 

Because they buy the scripts and then immediately re-write them. Or they hire a director and he hires a writer to immediately re-write them. Or they hire a director and he decides to re-write them himself. Or the script itself is okay and the director doesn't shoot it well. Or all the other scripts the studio had were shitty, and these were the least shitty.

[Jandrew]

Because they buy the scripts and then immediately re-write them. Or they hire a director and he hires a writer to immediately re-write them. Or they hire a director and he decides to re-write them himself. Or the script itself is okay and the director doesn't shoot it well. Or all the other scripts the studio had were shitty, and these were the least shitty.

 

This is more common for higher budget, higher priority, studio films than for smaller, lower priority, and awards contending scripts though right? Skyfall is likely to get more rewrites than Silver Linings Playbook right? Skyfall obviously has bigger and expensive set pieces, casting changes, location changes, more budget watch, and just general studio/director/producer wants something changed, but SLP didn't necessarily have all this, Weinstein was impressed and just left it alone, correct or no? 

Edited December 12, 2013 by Jandrew

[A Marvel Fanboy]

Most scripts end up getting stored forever. Bad writing wouldnt be a problem if the story/concept is really good. 

[dashrendar44]

Most scripts end up getting stored forever. Bad writing wouldnt be a problem if the story/concept is really good. 

 

Good concept can be ruined by shoddy writing. You got to know how to develop this good concept, that's the hardest part. Coming with a good idea is easy. Knowing how to run deep into it and explore all of its potential, now that's tricky and that's how you recognize a good scriptwriter.

 

See Indy 4. Concept is great on paper (Indy at the beginning of Cold War dealing with ancient aliens UFO's and dealing with a sidekick that is none other than his son. A concept that adressed Indy getting old and facing the atomic era once WWII ended furthering Lucas/Spielby love for serials by paying homage to 50's scifi flicks), final script and execution are tedious. Frank Darabont's draft exploiting the concept for good use was scrapped by Lucas for an half-assed script.

Edited December 12, 2013 by dashrendar44

[AniNate]

Yeah, a lot of people have great ideas. Knowing how to make a decent film with them is far more difficult.

[A Marvel Fanboy]

Bad writing could be improved through rewriting while concept is more valuable and has its upper limit. At least when I review screenplays, the writors' writing skills are not the most important factors. Concept, characters and genre elements (and budget) come first. No script is perfect.

Edited December 12, 2013 by firedeep

[Dementeleus]

Bad writing could be improved through rewriting while concept is more valuable and has its upper limit. At least when I review screenplays, the writors' writing skills are not the most important factors. Concept, characters and genre elements (and budget) come first. No script is perfect.

That's actually the exact opposite approach to take. Good or cool concepts are a dime a dozen. The hard part is the execution. Give the same concept to 10 different writers and you'll have 10 wildly different stories.In terms of re-writing: yes, you can improve on someone else's script but you can just as easily hopelessly muddle it up (and the more it gets rewritten the higher the possibility of that).

[A Marvel Fanboy]

That's actually the exact opposite approach to take. Good or cool concepts are a dime a dozen. The hard part is the execution. Give the same concept to 10 different writers and you'll have 10 wildly different stories.In terms of re-writing: yes, you can improve on someone else's script but you can just as easily hopelessly muddle it up (and the more it gets rewritten the higher the possibility of that).

I meant concept/storyline as a whole. By writing skills, I meant detailed scene to sence execution.

[Jandrew]

Woo! Got another screenplay draft printed! That makes 5 now? And i have another 2 or 3 in progress and about 14 ideas in total.Its an R-rated comedy called "That Lost Night" about a middle aged couple who gets the idea to hold a prom for adults. Their friends get on board and well, they hold a prom, and lo and behold a wild and unexpecting night there ensues. Its 114 pages, and I promise you its not your typical "R rated wild night" movie, I try to be as original as possible. I believe the dialogue is pretty funny, but the real LOL comedy will come from the dancing. A bunch of 40 year olds trying to grind, move and twerk like theyre 18 to todays music, and thats the hook.TBH I got the idea last summer when i was home and i was flipping channels and Disney's Prom was on. I decided to watch 10 minutes to see how terrible it was and at that same time i was researching Hangover 3 and it just came to me - "what if a group of adults held a prom instead of teenagers?" And i havent seen a movie like this so i drummed up an idea and bam! Hopefully you guys will be seeing it and my others on the silver screen in the near future! And once I get these copyrighted yall can read and provide feedback if you want. Welp, on the next project - "The Negotiation" (tentative title).

Edited January 9, 2014 by Jandrew

[Dementeleus]

Jandrew, register all your drafts with the WGA. It's $20 apiece, I think, and if you plan on passing them around or sending them anywhere, it protects you against getting 'em stolen.

[cookie]

I read somewhere that for a studio to even look at your script without throwing it in the garbage, it has to have been registered with WGA.

 

Of course there's the copyright protection as well.