SCRIPT TIPS

Here's some insight into what our script consultants look for when we evaluate your work. We also post script tips on social media, so follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook if you want more!

What's your logline?

A logline is a sentence or two that describes what your script is about. Right off the bat, your logline should convey the premise of the story, who the main character is, what genre you’re going for, etc. Most importantly, it should make us want to read your script!

Who's your lead?

Your story should have a central conflict, which the main character needs to overcome. How that particular character tackles that specific problem is what shows us who the character really is, and what makes him or her unique. Great characters approach problems in interesting and unusual ways, which is why we love them.

Is it Dramatic?

A character wants something and must overcome an obstacle to get it. That’s drama. You’d be surprised at how many scripts don’t follow this basic rule of screenwriting. Make sure all of your scenes include drama.

How much does it cost to make?

It’s important to consider production logistics, financing models, and budgeting when making a movie. (If you don’t know about any of those things, don’t worry – that’s why we’re here!) It all starts with an industry professional looking at a script and asking “can this film make money?” In other words, will it pull in more revenue than it costs to produce? If the answer is yes, it has a shot to get made.

be you!

Nobody else has your specific life, knowledge, or experiences. There is only one YOU. The best scripts are ones that nobody else could have possibly written. Take a look at what makes you unique, and find a way to turn it into a piece of dramatic, visual writing. Are you the guy who puts out fires on oil rigs, or the woman who performs background checks on Secret Service agents? Why not write about that? You’ve already done the research… you lived it!

what else is out there?

One of the advantages of reading thousands of scripts is that we know all the industry trends. For example, there’s been a lot of “Hitman Does One Last Job” recently, so your version of it has to be really different to stand out. Other common tropes are:

• Guy gets friend-zoned by his crush.

• Ex-soldier with PTSD comes home to fight a crime lord.

• High school seniors try to lose their virginity.

• An FBI agent chasing a terrorist uncovers a conspiracy from the top.

• Kids are trapped in a house with a generic slasher.

• Humans fight to save our species in an overly complex science fiction world.

• A squad of Marines kills hordes of nameless Middle Easterners.

• Parent and child take a road trip to scatter a dead relative’s ashes.

• A rape victim tracks down and kills her abusers.

• Too many more to name.

Want more?

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