Writing Your Thriller Screenplay
If you’re writing a thriller screenplay, there are some pitfalls you might want to avoid. Ready? Let’s go …
1) Unclear concept
Not sure what your concept in your thriller screenplay is? Congratulations, then no one else does either! A clear concept is a must for ALL writing but *especially* Thrillers, as typically the narrative is driven by the antagonist’s “evil plan” which sucks the protagonist in. MORE: 4 Reasons Your Concept Counts Above All Else
2) Copycat concept
Reckon audiences will like your spec because they liked X produced Thriller? Great … AS LONG AS it’s not a rehash of the same story! Make it YOURS. MORE: 7 Steps To Road Testing Your Concept
3) Crappy cliché characters
Everyone is bored of “the usual”, but this DOESN’T mean your characters should be totally off the wall either. Balance is key! MORE: 6 Stock Characters That Need Retiring By Writers NOW
4) Derivative dialogue
We love Joss Whedon, okay? But stop mimicking his dialogue! Do your own thing. But don’t let your dialogue take over, either, think SCREENplay, not screenPLAY! MORE: 6 Reasons Dialogue Is Your Enemy
5) Boring storyworld
PUHLEASE stop writing the SAME STUFF I’ve seen in a dozen movies already, especially if your Thriller is set in the future. Be original. MORE: 7 Tips On Sci Fi Arenas / World Building In Your Screenplay Or Novel
6) Muddled genre
As I say in my book, Writing And Selling Thriller Screenplays, scribes just don’t “get” Thriller *enough*: too often they will end up writing drama with a lot of running about! LEARN the genre and its conventions.
7) Terrible tone
Thriller thrills, so you need your tone to match this and build up that all-important tension, otherwise it’ll misfire tonally. MORE: What’s The Difference Between Horror & Thriller?
8) Problematic plotting
Thrillers frequently focus on a mystery and/or problem a protagonist must solve: convoluted is good; complicated is NOT. Know the difference! MORE: Writing, Selling & MAKING Thriller Screenplays
Concluding …
You need to mug up on the Thriller genre; identify what’s gone before; find out how your screenplay is different and make sure you grab us with a killer concept, cracking characters and a sizzling story … Easy, right?!
Thanks for such a clear, informative post.
These insights can be applied to the horror film genre, as well.
I got so tired of all these wacky, silly werewolf movies, I went
and wrote a script of my own to reinvent them entirely.
You’re welcome, best of luck with your werewolf movie!
I like all your points. Watching classic thriller movies could be an inspiration to write our own, but our work should be completely unique. If we as writers write the same cliched scenes, we are cheating our readers.
Very true Neil, though we can’t break new ground without knowing what’s gone before either. It’s a fine-tuned balance!
Man, wish I had read this before I wrote and re-re-re (you get the idea) wrote my thriller…
Nightmare! You can do it — onwards!