Part XXIX: Ten (10) Tips on Basic Spec Screenwriting Competency

As a screenwriting mentor at The Script Mentor (www.thescriptmentor.com) and producer with Shark-Eating Man Productions (www.sharkeatingman.com), I review several dozen original speculative screenplays a month. One thing I’ve found during this review process is the commonality of errors spanning the screenwriting experience spectrum: newbies and experienced writers alike make the same mistakes over and over again. I call these "formatting errors". Formatting is not exclusively about the margin settings. In screenwriting, we are talking about the proper way to write slug lines, as just one example of formatting. Other repetitive errors include poor spelling, grammar, lack of punctuation, and overuse or misuse of a variety of acceptable screenwriting techniques.

If these errors are consistent throughout the first ten pages, no one of any authority will ever read beyond the first three pages, much less the first ten. If YOU want to be taken seriously as a spec screenwriter, here are ten areas to look for, change, and/or improve:

1. Scene Headings (a.k.a Master Scene Headings, sluglines, or slugs): Include camera location (INT, EXT, INT/EXT), scene location (BEDROOM, BUSY STREET, etc.) and time of day (DAY, NIGHT). Do NOT use any other TOD unless absolutely imperative in telling the story (if the killer only kills at midnight, and the killer is about to kill, then say “MIDNIGHT”)

2. Camera Directions (CUT TO, DISSOLVE, etc.): Exclude all technical camera directions in your spec script unless IMPERATIVE to the IMPACT of the story. Limit yourself to “FADE IN:”, and “FADE OUT:”

3. Actor Directions (beats): Do NOT include (beat) in dialogue. The actor is trained to act. Think of beats as dialogue speed bumps, and it slows the read considerably. Do NOT confuse this “beat” with a “Save the Cat” beat, or a beat sheet. You’re marching to the beat of a different drummer there.

4. “More white than black on the page”: Target 150-180 words per page, and you’ll have a nice balance between blank space and ink. Anything over 200 words seems heavy; long paragraph blocks are deadly. Keep scenes short; anything longer than three pages seems too long. Try the "1-2-3-4" method of writing; one typed line (max) for MSH; two typed lines (max) for scene/character descriptive text; three typed lines (max) of action text; four typed lines (max) of dialogue. These will be "averages" throughout the screenplay.

5. Screenwriting Technique/ Style: Do not get carried away with parentheticals, CAPITALIZATIONS, flashbacks, montages, hyphens, ellipses and exclamation marks. If you need to use them, use them in moderation (sparingly).

6. Descriptions: Provide enough scene description to allow the reader to imagine scene, and exclude details that do not add to the story. Try to keep all descriptions to two lines or less.

7. Punctuation: Rules of punctuation still apply in a screenplay. Learn them.

8. Dialogue: Avoid expositional dialogue; having one character impart information to another character; information that they should already know; for the sole purpose of informing the audience (“You know Mom died when I was only eight, so…”). Keep dialogue to four lines or less whenever possible.

9. Grammar: Avoid repeats of words, such as “walks”,” laughs”, “looks”, etc. Write in the active tense “He knocks”, as opposed the more passive “He is knocking” (-ing words).

10. Spelling: Do not rely on spellchecking programs to do your spelling work for you.

THIS WEEK'S PROMO: Bridgitte Lesley- author.

Ms. Lesley is a prolific novelist, with over 90 completed works of fiction. Her latest work is called "My Lady Love" (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LPRJUMQ?tag=mustread0d-20&geniuslink=true); "The owner of an enterprising bed and breakfast which was always fully booked, Mrs Jeeves lead a busy and exciting life. Her guests checked in and out frequently. As a hands-on owner, it was important that she portrayed the image of a true professional...Fraternizing with guests was unheard of and an absolute no-no...Then, along came Peter Remington..."

Brigitte says the following about her love for writing; "Introducing a new character to a reader is something I love doing. Literary fiction is exactly that! Where a story is woven around a character, or even a few. At the same time, romance is part of the deal. I love a happy ever after. In all my novels you will find that thread of romance. Romance is a passion."

Ms. Lesley lives near Durban in South Africa. She immerses herself in her novels, and her writing is now her full-time career. "I aim to make each book that I write a pleasure to read. I hope to achieve that."

WRITER'S BIO: Mr. Scala spent 22-plus years in the Hollywood community, and was the Executive Director for the 72nd Annual Academy Awards, as well as The Soul Train Awards, The Grammys, The Blockbuster Video Awards Show and The Saturn Award Show. Today, he and his writing team are actively working on several ghostwriting projects for his celebrity clientele as well, including the adapting the novel "Making Broken Beautiful" by Pamela Millican-Hartnoll; a tragic story of excessive abuse and redemptive success; and biopics of early rock pioneer Jimmie F. Rodgers and iconic folk star Harry Chapin- all while continuing to mentor new writers and self-published authors.

Geno has two screenplays produced into feature films; "Assassin 33 A.D." and "The Tombs". Both are currently available on Amazon Prime.