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Script structure is an essential part of screenwriting. But there is no greater sin in screenwriting than writing a dull story. That’s the danger of dogmatically following screenplay structure. This seems obvious – no one sets out to write a dull script. But sometimes, in plotting out the mathematical structure of a screenplay, it can happen unintentionally.

Rewriting your screenplay sucks. It’s painful, exhausting work. You, as the screenwriter, already know what your movie should be. You’ve seen it in your head. You know what the final film should feel like, and you’ve put the roadmap on paper so other people can see it, too. 

What is an ideal concept? When discussing film budgets in business terms, it is a script that fits its potential cost. Balancing your concept to an appropriate budget can help save that script. As screenwriters, it’s tempting to shrug off the commercial considerations of your project.

Too many times, in my work as a development executive, contest judge, and script analyst, I come across scripts with great scenes or visuals or dialogue, that simply miss the 4 basic building blocks of a story.

 

Does your script need to have perfect punctuation? Yes!

As a screenwriter, there’s a certain level of professional pride that goes into what we do. And in assessing scripts that come in, be they to a production company, contest, or coverage service, readers can tell almost immediately if you as the screenwriter take that level of professional pride in your work.