10 Quick Tips on Basic Screenwriting

Competency

The Script Mentorwww.thescriptmentor.com

Scene Headings (a.k.a Master Scene Headings, or slugs): Include camera location (INT, EXT, INT/EXT),

scene location (BEDROOM, BUSY STREET, etc.) and time of day (DAY, NIGHT).

Camera Directions (CUT TO’s, etc.):Limit yourself to “FADE IN:”, and

“FADE OUT:”

(Exclude all technical camera directions in your spec script unless IMPERATIVE to the

IMPACT of the story).

Actor Directions (beats): Do NOT include

(beat) in dialogue. The actor is trained to

act.

Think of a “beat” as dialogue speed bump;

it slows the read considerably.

“More white than black”: • Target 150-180 words per page; • Long paragraph blocks are deadly. • Keep scenes short; three pages or less

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).

DESCRIPTIONS: • Provide enough scene description to allow reader to imagine scene • Exclude details that do not add to the story.• Try to keep all descriptions to two lines or less.

PUNCTUATION: Rules of punctuation still apply in a screenplay.

Learn them.

DIALOGUE:• Avoid expositional dialogue (having one character impart

information to another character information that they should already know).

• Keep dialogue to four lines or less whenever possible.

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” (words ending in “-ing”).

SPELLING:Do not rely on spellchecking programs

to do your spelling work for you.

Geno Scala is a multi-award winning screenwriter, producer and owner of “The Script Mentor”, where he and his team of experienced staff offer practical advice to aspiring screenwriters.

He has more than two decades of experience in the Hollywood community in a variety of capacities including serving as the executive director for multiple award shows such as The Academy Awards, Grammys, and the Soul Train Awards. Geno is also the founder and CEO of Shark-Eating Man Productions.

He is currently developing and producing a docudrama series for television.

www.thescriptmentor.com