On Language in Scripts (Part II)

Fade In:

On the first page…

From the very first moment, you — the writer — are responsible for what will appear in the frame of the picture of your film and in the imagination of your reader.

Starting right after the words “Fade In,” you begin to create a world in which your story exists. From the very first “Int.” or Ext.” in your first slug line, the reader is deciphering the clues of your script to create an impression of your universe in his or her head.

A screenplay is not a place to hear yourself write.

Your narrative description should be clever. It should have some “pizzazz.” It should be compelling, with wit and life and spirit. But it should never strive to dazzle the reader in and of itself.

You only have one chance to make an impression.

Unlike like a novel, but like a movie, the ideas and images in a script come at your reader fast. As the plot moves forward, you need your reader to ingest the information quickly and clearly so that they can focus on what’s coming next rather than on what they just read or learned.

Description must be clear.

Your description is information. It should be essential to the reader’s experience and understanding of the your story. To have…