HOW TO WRITE A SCREENPLAY (SCRIPT) PT. 9

THE READER'S CHECKLIST
With a fancy script editor now in your hands, you're ready to write the next best screenplay, one that friends, family, and anyone else you can force this on will actually read, and you want a good reaction. Face it, the second best thing to completing the script will be if someone tells you it's great, and that they think this is your calling.

We've covered all of the major topics but there is still much we could elaborate on. My mentor, TERRI ROSSIO, has fifty-two columns posted on the craft and profession, and I don't even think he is done writing about the subject.

From all of his posted articles, which are all great and extremely funny, his take on readers and what they are looking for in a script might be the most important piece of information. A reader himself in between writing gigs, Rossio developed a sixty-point checklist in order to "grade" a script, if you will.

Today we will be touching on his article in order to help you create the right recipe. The guide is subdivided into three main categories:

A. Concept & Plot
B. Technical Execution
C. Characters

CONCEPT & PLOT
Just having this at the top of the list shows how important it is to a film. A quirky character is nothing without being set into a great concept and plot.

He asks us if we can imagine the trailer and if the concept is marketable. Everyone, when asked about your script, will be giving a snapshot of what they have read, and we hope it's an intriguing one. This boils down to our LOGLINE and SYNOPSIS, as well as our OUTLINE. It's much easier to tweak a script in those phases rather than later on, once written. Stick with the fundamentals and create a realistic, unique concept, something that you believe has never been done in its own, special way.

"Who is the target audience?" is another great question. A film with mass appeal is often referred to as "High Concept" in the trade. A recent example is "Gamer", which appeals to the gaming fans, many of which are teens and number in the millions. Although you may not be creating something so defined, you should be able to categorize its appeal to certain viewers. The romantic-comedy of "Moving With Monique" that I used as an example might be considered a "chick-flick", having mass appeal to women.

TECHNICAL EXECUTION
Deals with everything technical, of course. Readers will overlook typos if there is a good concept and plot, but it won't make them love you. If you really care about your piece of art you should go to extra lengths to make sure that is presented in a professional and accurate format.

In addition, this part of the list talks about STRUCTURE and MOVING THE STORY FORWARD. Again, one of the easiest ways to check or resolve problems in these matters is by creating a good OUTLINE.

CHARACTERS
It asks if the roles are "castable" and if they would be appealing to actors. Maybe that was the last thing in our head when we did the outline, but it's the bottom line if we're to ever see this on a screen. You don't have to vision a particular actor when creating a character, but it is important to give them interesting CHARACTER TRAITS as we discussed before, and to make them unique from other characters in the script. Each one should have their own special "voice", recognizable from the others.

He says to "run each character through as many emotions as possible", a great tip. But, do it within the context of the character, nobody want to listen to Darth Vader crying from under that mask, but they do want to hear his anger when he is defeated. They love it when he chuckles at someone's demise. They love the sound of his breath, even if there is no other discernible emotion taking place.

I encourage you to visit Mr. Rossio's site, WORDPLAYER.COM, and to run down his list while looking at your outline and thinking about your script. It's a large puzzle, and he is showing us where the pieces should go and how they fit.

Have a good read, and write!

CLICK HERE FOR "DEATH TO READERS", SCREENWRITING COLUMN #5 by TERRI ROSSIO