Writers vs. Readers: How to make your screenplay appealing to those who will judge it

Script Writers vs. Script Readers
How to make your screenplay appealing to those who will judge it

By Michael Sweeney

My name is Michael Sweeney and I am a writer and professional script reader, hoping to share a bit of the wisdom and perspective I’ve acquired over nearly a decade of working with production companies, film festivals, and script coverage services. From the top I need to establish that these are in no way concrete rules and regulations as to how to proceed when getting your script read. The following pieces of advice are based around my observations of not only how I as a reader interpret and assess a screenplay, but how those for whom I’m working respond. 

DISCLAIMER: This is not a closed list, nor is it a guide for how to write, but rather a way for you to examine your script and see what changes you can make to better your chances of having it passed from person to person. 

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

During my time working at Netflix Original Features, I came upon an incredibly robust and cerebral thriller that consisted of a murder mystery mixed with the time traveling subgenre, a deep character study that was a page turner. To my surprise, after considering it and sending my review over to the studio executive, I received a response that was somewhat critical of my assessment, suggesting I look for more easy to make, action flicks in which a popular film star could be slipped in. It was here I realized, to my dismay, that this executive was willing to invest in work that fit more of the mold they were looking for rather than taking a chance on a potentially greater script.

I don’t say this to discourage, but rather as a learning experience. That being: if you are sending your script out into the world, or discussing it with others in hopes it lands at the right person’s desk, make sure you’ve done your research. If you’re writing something family friendly, perhaps the horror focused Blumhouse is not the right candidate. If you were inspired by television shows on the CW, a streamer like Netflix may not be interested, no matter how good the script is. Understanding why a certain company or organization is best suited to tell this story will also aid you in the pitching process down the line. 

THE FIRST 20 PAGES

The old adage in Hollywood that has been slightly tweaked over time is the importance of the first ten pages. Now, in all likelihood, if you’ve gotten your script in front of a reader, be it an independent contractor, studio representative, or even an intern, the odds would indicate that your entire script will be read. However, you should always treat a script you’re submitting as if it won’t be. Ensure that you not only capture the genre and tone within the first few pages, but that your character is interesting and that at least, even if the inciting incident hasn’t occurred yet, the framework of your story is established. In other words, the inciting incident shouldn’t be what makes the story intriguing. Everything proceeding that bears that responsibility. This can include the main character’s inner or external conflict that the narrative of the story will address, the nature of the world the audience finds themselves in, or the disruption of the norm. 

Take a film like Die Hard as an example. By the ten minute mark, our protagonist has established his separation from his wife and the tension that’s caused in her marriage (which will serve as the thematic undertone of the story), and by the twenty minute mark, the threat of the supposed “terrorists” emerges. Despite the appeal of a high rise, death defying, action flick, the story reels the audience in early with merely the set up of that premise. Many scripts I read have the issue of the writer concealing too much. They want to trick the audience. If they just “wait & see” they’ll be rewarded. The reader is not that individual. And, furthermore, you, the writer, will not be there in order to lobby for your script and assure the reader that “it gets more exciting over time.” The screenplay has to stand on its own from the start. 

PASSION

I am a big fan of passionate characters. In this section I will most certainly be exposing my own bias as a reader in quite a significant way, but I think it could be helpful. I always gravitate towards characters who are so passionately interested in something that I can’t help but take a similar interest. Or, on the flip side, someone so deprived of something or someone that they desperately crave that there’s a weight to how badly they need it. There’s a term I came across that I feel is relevant, and it’s the idea of mimetic desire. The idea states that people tend to imitate the desires of others, craving it simply because someone else does. Therefore, it doesn’t matter what the subject matter is, emphasize what the character truly cares about and how far they’ll go for it. 

It doesn’t matter if it’s a scientist whose sole focus is on their revolutionary robotics technology that they’ve worked on for years, or a pet owner with a pet that they treat like a child, or an extraordinary teenager obsessed with fungi growth and other biological matter. Just like a character or a world, you as the writer have the responsibility to make something interesting. Make me care about fungi. It doesn’t matter whether your topic could be perceived as boring or underappreciated; make the audience care. Remember that, no matter the popularity, the kind of script that’s interesting to you is not always going to translate what’s interesting to a random reader. Inject passion into the character and the audience may not understand what it’s like, per se, to (for example) get cut from a basketball team. But they will understand the weight of rejection if the story is written well enough. 

RESTRAINT

Now we’re getting into more suggestions than “rules” per se… but the shorter the better. Something of a superficial perspective, but if someone reading scripts all day long sees an 85 page script, their heads perk up. Perhaps your script may get a better chance at recognition. On the other side of things, if someone receives a script from an unknown/new writer that’s 135 pages long, a cloud is going to be cast over the reader, placing the writer at a disadvantage before they even start reading it. That’s not to say I haven’t read terrible 85 pagers and loved some 120+ pagers, but believe me when I say that the speed at which someone can read your script and understand the central focus and premise, the better off you will be.

DO NOT SEND YOUR MAGNUM OPUS

Let me explain. Readers are likely trying to sift through your script as quickly as possible and if you send an overly complicated science fiction epic that sets up a large franchise, or a slow moving slice of life affair that has very static characters, you might not impress upon your reader.

One of the worst things your script can do is require the reader to backtrack. No matter how great the idea could have been, any time I’ve had to reread pages I’ve already read because something wasn’t clarified, or a plot point was unresolved, I typically cannot recommend the script. Some concepts warrant explanation and exploration, and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, you are an undiscovered writer. Readers may not understand the complex jargon you want to explore, or the deeper implications of your vast world you’ve created. Detail is important, but not more important than reader comprehension. If a reader cannot convey a “gist” of what they’ve just read with ease, then you’re dead in the water.  

That’s not to say you should pander, but just remember that any reader, and certainly anyone reading your script in a position higher than a reader, is likely looking for any reason to put that script down. Do not give them a reason.

IN SUMMATION

While each piece of advice above might seem like a limitation, remember that limitations often breed creativity. Even if someone told you that everything I’ve just said is a concrete rule, could you revise and craft your script with said topics involved? How willing are you to adapt? 

However, at the end of the day, the ultimate goal is to write an engaging screenplay. The advantage you have is that readers are expecting to read a bad script. The majority of what I read on a day to day basis ranges from fair to terrible. If you manage to elevate a clear concept, or at least have the reader stop and pause, ponder the ideas you’ve brought up, then you have a good chance of a positive review. Remember to be humble; get in quick, get out quick, and leave it to the reader to take the time to positively question things about the script. But most importantly remember that people are looking for a great screenplay. They want to find one.

But prove you’re a good writer first.

Don’t be flashy.

Just be good.

-------------------------

ABOUT MICHAEL

Michael Sweeney is a professional script reader and analyst with nearly a decade of experience in development. Having worked with companies like Netflix, coverage services like ScriptHop’s “The Gauntlet,” and film festivals like The Austin Film Festival, he has a unique perspective on the vast and varying nature of how scripts are seen by readers and, more importantly, how they can get your foot in the door.

To learn more about Michael’s coverage and script consulting services:  https://msweeneycoverage.wixsite.com/mysite