Screenwriting Tips for a Rejected Screenplay
Help & Advice for the Screenwriter on Being a Film Script Doctor
Jun 1, 2009
Rejection letters can be very disheartening for the novice screenwriter, and can get under the skin of even the most hardened writer. Before making any rash decisions, a few things might be worth consideration.
Critiquing Creative Screenwriting
Criticism and praise has a very subjective effect upon the mind. Criticism will have the effect of devaluating a work; praise will make it seem highly worthy, and yet the work remains the same. Numerous judges will gain something different from the same piece of work. The disappointment of an endless stream of rejection letters will eventually fade. In the end, the most important judge is the honest, objective view the screenwriter.
It is wise to collate rejection letters and look for a recurrent theme. Feedback of any sort is a good sign. When one considers that agents receive thousands of submissions every week, most do not give feedback unless the screenplay shows promise. Keep a note of each point raised before redrafting the script.
A Diagnostic Before the Final Draft
The best time to evaluate a screenplay is after three weeks or so of putting it away. This will help the screenwriter look upon it with fresh eyes. Areas requiring improvement will suddenly become obvious. When doing this, consider:
- The screenplay format
- The characters
- The dialogue
- The story arc within the plot
Making a judgement on a screenplay is often about gut feeling rather than dissecting each page. However, the following guidelines will be worth looking at.
Screenplay Format
- The script must be immaculate in presentation when completed. No dog-eared pages are allowed prior to resubmission.
- Look out for typos.
- When revising, keep in mind the ideal script length of between 90 and 120 pages.
- Ensure it is formatted properly by using the appropriate softwaresuch as ScriptSmart Gold or Final Draft.
Now for the screenplay itself. Keep a notebook handy for each area for development, including the feedback from the rejection letters.
Characterisation in a Film
- Are any characters superfluous? If so, consider combining two. Too many characters can often take the focus from the story.
- Are any characters stereotypical? If so, cut, or else add an unexpected characteristic.
- Are they unbelievable? If not, cut.
- Are they interesting? If not, cut.
- Do their desires drive the plot? If not, cut.
Cutting can seem brutal, but it can be liberating.
Creating Dramatic Dialogue
- Is the speech believable?
- Is the dialogue too overstated, wordy? If so, pare it down.
- Does each piece of dialogue serve a purpose? Does it, for instance, propel the story or define the characters?
- Is there sufficient tension between the characters, as in conflicting motives to galvanise the scenes?
- Is there enough subtext? Subtext is conflicting meanings between action and dialogue, such as signs of repressed emotions.
- In a screenplay, less dialogue is often more.
Making the Plot Work
- Does the first ten pages of the screenplay grab the reader? (This is important.)
- Does the screenplay make effective use of the three-act structure of screenwriting? This will help solve problems with pace, timing plot twists and with the climax.
- Will the story suffer if a particular scene is cut out?
- Is any part of the story contrived?
- Can the plot be tightened in some way?
- Does the story move along with every page?
- Does one scene lead irresistibly to the next, sometimes with unexpected results?
Once all these points have been addressed, it might be a good idea to look for a second opinion from an objective source. Putting the screenplay away for a few more weeks and reading it again will highlight areas for further improvement. Some screenwriters draft their script several times before submitting it to a film agent.
Writing a Second Movie Script
Every screenplay is like an apprenticeship for the writer. Even if that first screenplay never gets taken on and remains in the bottom drawer, writing it will have provided the writer with many valuable lessons on writing a film that “how to” guides cannot quite touch. The blueprint will remain within the mind of the writer for when screenplay number two comes along, and perhaps, even number three.
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