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Reality: The Avoidance of Melodrama

Reality: The Avoidance of Melodrama
A consistent differentiator we see at ScriptArsenal between pro and amateur screenplays is the inclusion of melodrama. This can manifest itself in various ways, but most typically shows up as overreaching. If your characters are screaming, “Noooooo!!!!!!” a half dozen times in a script, that’s one sign you may be indulging in too much melodrama.

A film that nails this, and a worthy example for screenwriters to study, is the Best Picture winner SPOTLIGHT. Late in the film, SPOTLIGHT dances nimbly around a scene that, in most scripts (and produced films) would probably tip over a bit into melodrama.

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