This essay was inspired by a recent seminar we gave at the “How to Beat the Odds in Hollywood” screenwriting conference in Las Vegas.
Our first essay, HOW TO MAKE A READER LOVE YOU (February 2002) dealt mainly with small technical issues like typos that turn off readers and take them out of the magic of a story. For those writers who have dotted all their “i”s and crossed all of their “t”s, the real challenge is finding the secret formula that turns on a reader and earns that elusive “Consider” or “Recommend.”
The list below may seem obvious, but these general elements mark the difference between a decent script and a great screenplay that stands out from the others in a reader’s stack. To give a taste of that hard-to-nail “magic,” we’ve included references to scripts we’ve read and admired that contain these attributes. We’ve also listed previous essays that discuss the issues in more detail.
Six Steps to a Stand-out Script
1. Memorable, colorful and original characters -- both main and supporting.
BOWFINGER: The dialogue and description set up Steve Martin’s hopeless yet endearing loser producer. The fresh, eccentric supporting cast enriches Bowfinger’s world, instead of reducing it to Hollywood stereotypes.
AMERICAN BEAUTY: The descriptive introduction of Lester and his surroundings immediately sets up that all is not right in suburbia.
WHEN HARRY MET SALLY: Details and quirks bring a character to life, such as the way Sally orders food at restaurants!
Essays: Supporting Characters (April 2002), Avoiding Clichés in Characterization (August 2002), Flawed Protagonists (January 2003).
2. An engaging and compelling plot that moves.
THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS: Rather then delivering a boring historical drama or tedious adaptation of a classic novel, the writer keeps the action and romance igniting at every moment.
THE SIXTH SENSE: Instead of fading into a familiar thriller, the gripping plot entices the reader to keep guessing on every page.
THE AVIATOR: Despite the long page count, this script avoids becoming a by-the-numbers biography by flying through the details and life of an infamous man with speed and intrigue, and with scenes that abide by the rule: “Arrive late, leave early.”
Essays: Cause and Effect (April 2003), How to Develop Your Premise Into a Compelling Story (July 2005)
3. Fresh premise or new twist on an old theme.
BEING JOHN MALKOVICH: All of Charlie Kaufman’s scripts are notable for their original concepts.
THE TRUMAN SHOW: Basically a “Twilight Zone” premise, but as a film story it seemed new.
TEN THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU reinvents Shakespeare as a teen comedy.
TRAINING DAY serves up tension and revives the tired cop drama.
RUSHMORE delivers an offbeat twist on a stock coming-of-age tale.
Essays: Avoiding clichés in Story (September 2002), Reinventing the Wheel: How to Transcend a Genre (October 2002).
4. Sharp, witty dialogue.
BUGSY: “Why don’t you go jerk yourself a soda?” The film is remembered for the sexy repartee between stars Warren Beatty and Annette Benning.
THE USUAL SUSPECTS: Benicio del Toro’s mumbling crook proves that incoherent dialogue can be hilarious when it connects to character, and is supported by smart quips from the rest of the ensemble.
DIE HARD: Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman’s lines mix clever humor with non-stop action.
Any Nora Ephron comedy: Smart banter that feels natural.
No essays yet! But obviously an area to address in the future.
5. Surprises that make sense.
This can be an unexpected plot turn, a character twist or a play on the reader’s expectations.
THE SIXTH SENSE: Instead of seeming cheesy, the final reveal holds true.
MY BEST FRIEND’S WEDDING: The heroine doesn’t get the guy, but the ending feels right.
LEGALLY BLONDE: A blonde sorority queen turns out to be a clever lawyer.
Essays: When to Let Your Audience In on the Secret (February 2003).
6. Plays with convention yet doesn’t alienate.
ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND: The narrative jumps between the past and present, and alternates reality and memory, yet the reader/audience never becomes confused or lost because Charlie Kaufman sets up the rules of the fantasy and makes every moment intriguing.
MEMENTO: Christopher Nolan does the same thing with a thriller edge, disclosing just enough clues to hold the reader/audience’s attention.
GROUNDHOG DAY: Instead of becoming repetitive and tiresome, the unusual structure invites the reader/audience to be active and involved in the story as variations on the same day repeat over and over.
Essays: another area we need to cover!
None of these elements can really succeed without a sense of magic in the writing, and passion on the part of the writer. We frequently read scripts with inventive premises or interesting characters, but which feel mechanical or artificial in their execution. The scripts that create buzz, that get executives excited, are those that make the reader feel like the story matters to the writer.
Passion alone is not enough for a story that is too small or noncommercial or formulaic. However, when passion is combined with some or all of the elements listed above, it makes for a superior screenplay that we remember for years after we read it. Although writers may think readers want to “pass” on everything, there’s no better turn-on in our work than the joy of reading a great script.
