Screenwriting Tips... You Hack

Month

June 2013

1 post

Screenwriting Tip #1220

When sending out a script, don’t try to hedge your bets by saying “it’s an old script” or “it’s a rough draft”. If it’s not good enough to show people, don’t show it. If it is good enough, back it 100%.

Jun 12, 201339 notes

May 2013

1 post

Screenwriting Tip #1219

Writing a comedy? In the first draft, concentrate on making the characters feel real. Jokes are for the second draft.

May 11, 2013122 notes

April 2013

3 posts

Screenwriting Tip #1218

Every once in a while, step back from film theory and plot structure to think about your story’s place in the overall culture. What do you want your story to say, and why do we need that message right now?

Apr 24, 201360 notes
Screenwriting Tip #1217

Avoid opening scenes that exist just to demonstrate to the reader how clever/daring/evocative you are. If the scene has no bearing on the protagonist, it shouldn’t be there.

Apr 23, 201354 notes
Screenwriting Tip #1216

What you write belongs to you. Every word is a decision, and every decision is a reflection of yourself. Never forget that.

Apr 18, 201397 notes

March 2013

1 post

Screenwriting Tip #1215

Audiences don’t love set-pieces. They love characters who do amazing things during set-pieces.

Mar 1, 201339 notes
Screenwriting Tip #1214

Can’t figure out what happens in the climax of Act Three? Study your own theme. The answers are hiding in the thematic choices you’ve already made.

Feb 28, 201359 notes

February 2013

7 posts

Screenwriting Tip #1213

When it comes to accepting script notes, there is a time for grace and flexibility, and there is a time when you must draw a line in the sand and say “No further”.

Feb 17, 201334 notes
Screenwriting Tip #1212

Everyone knows the villain is supposed to act like she’s the hero of her own story. But so should the romantic interest, the henchmen, the mentor and the supporting characters.

Feb 13, 2013321 notes
Screenwriting Tip #1211

The more you write, the more the reader will linger on that moment. To draw out an emotional beat, write longer action paragraphs and full sentences. To rush through a scene, write shorter paragraphs and clipped sentences.

Feb 9, 2013138 notes
Screenwriting Tip #1210

Don’t cater to the slower members of the audience. Move fast and force them to keep up.

Feb 6, 201379 notes
Screenwriting Tip #1209

When prepping for meetings, don’t come up with ten different concepts. Pick your two best and learn them inside and out.

Feb 5, 201320 notes
Screenwriting Tip #1208

Take time out every now and then to recharge your batteries.

Feb 4, 201338 notes

January 2013

13 posts

Break Time

Hi folks. This is a quick post to let you know that I’ll be taking a few weeks off. Regular daily tips will return at the end of January.

You may have noticed that I’ve been taking more short breaks recently. I feel it’s necessary to avoid burning out. After all, I’ve been writing daily tips for (almost) 1200 days in a row! I’m confident that I still have a lot to say about screenwriting. However, I also think that I may eventually need to transition to a less rigorous update schedule — say, two or three posts a week.

But that’s all in the future. For now: good luck, happy writing, and I’ll see you in a few weeks!

P.S. If you need to contact me in the meantime, please feel free to drop by my Twitter feed (twitter.com/xanderbennett) or email me at xanderbennett@gmail.com.

Jan 13, 201314 notes
#crossposted
Screenwriting Tip #1207

Ideally, every major choice a character makes should either A) strengthen what we know about them, or B) challenge what we know about them. If it doesn’t do either, maybe it doesn’t need to be in the script?

Jan 12, 2013119 notes
#crossposted
Screenwriting Tip #1206

Biopics aren’t the whole story of a person’s life, from birth to death. They’re the story of one particular flaw in that person’s character. The question is whether they overcome the flaw or it overcomes them.

Jan 11, 201363 notes
#crossposted
Screenwriting Tip #1205

Keep it moving. If you feel like a scene is slowing you down, end it early.

Jan 10, 201351 notes
#crossposted
Screenwriting Tip #1204

Don’t start with static characters and try to manipulate them into conflict. Start with loud, argumentative, restless, ambitious, larger-than-life characters and put them in the vicinity of each other.

Jan 9, 201389 notes
#crossposted
Screenwriting Tip #1203

Don’t feel bad about destroying large parts of your story world. You created it; you can uncreate it.

Jan 8, 201361 notes
#crossposted
Screenwriting Tip #1202

Don’t apologize for your weird idea. Embrace it, explain it, and learn how to make others understand it.

Jan 7, 2013134 notes
#crossposted
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