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6 Reasons Dialogue Is Your Enemy

So, whenever I say dialogue is overrated (which, let’s face it, is A LOT), hordes of indignant writers holler at me over social media, “Nooooooo! How can this BE????”  You might love your dialogue. You may think it’s your friend. But believe me, Bang2writers when I say dialogue is actually a wolf in sheep’s clothing! Dialogue is the worst kind of frenemy you can have, for it will literally HARPOON your spec’s chances in the marketplace (or of even getting written in the first place!), like an unsuspecting and defenceless whale in Japanese fishing waters, first chance it gets.  100%… Read More »6 Reasons Dialogue Is Your Enemy

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How to Write Your Script to A Microbudget (And Not Make It Look Microbudget On Screen)

Everyone’s looking for that micro-budget breakout project. The next Following, Paranormal Activity or Blair Witch Project. But how do you make yours stand out? And how do you turn your script into a micro-budget film? We’re midway through filming our debut feature project Kidnap Me, for a budget of virtually nil, so I thought I’d share some thoughts and lessons from its development and production.  1. Have a USP Kidnap Me is a comedy. An edgy black comedy of love, sex and mistaken identity. With spanking. In a marketplace packed full of zero budget horrors, rape-revenge thrillers and Richard Curtis knock-offs, ours… Read More »How to Write Your Script to A Microbudget (And Not Make It Look Microbudget On Screen)

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5 Reasons Why Theatre Is A Writer’s Best Friend

If you’re feeling frustrated about rejections or getting a “way in” to the industry, then today’s short but VERY sweet post from Carla offers some GREAT food for thought on getting a foot in the door via writing for theatre … Also, make sure you check out the new playwriting award from Theatre503. Enjoy! Theatre is a great way to get your work out there and there are some fantastic opportunities for emerging writers. Over the past two years I have been developing a play with Theatre503, a new writing theatre in south London and found the experience invaluable. Here… Read More »5 Reasons Why Theatre Is A Writer’s Best Friend

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7 Things Readers Can Tell About Your Script On Page 1

Page 1 Is Everything I can’t stress this enough … what’s on page 1 of your screenplay could sink your chances of getting a full read. I’ve lost count over the years of how many writers have told me readers *can’t* know their story from the first ten pages. Those writers complain it’s not enough time and that readers are nasty creatures who form premature and false assumptions about the writing in front of them. It’s not fair, etc. Well I have news for you. Readers don’t just form a judgement in ten pages – they form it in ONE… Read More »7 Things Readers Can Tell About Your Script On Page 1

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Novels Vs Screenplays: Differences Writing Them

Many thanks to Mya, who asks about writing a screenplay when one is used to writing novels. I was a novelist after writing my own screenplays, but I feel I can answer this question from my script reading experience, as I have noted some significant pitfalls novelists *may* fall into when I’ve worked with Bang2writers trying to make the switch: Too much scene description. This is the obvious one. Used to writing lots of prose, the average novelist is often easy to pick out in the script pile because they write OODLES of scene description, often in big black chunks,… Read More »Novels Vs Screenplays: Differences Writing Them

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My Thoughts On The Final 50 of “50 Kisses”

It was always going to be difficult, honing a list of 1800+ scripts down to just 50. It wasn’t just a case of picking only the “best” writing either, but balancing the “best” with the “right” subject matter too – we didn’t want 50 smoochy-smoochy scripts, or 50 outlandish ones either. The reading team needed to keep that end outcome in mind of “50 Kisses – the movie” as well! NOT easy. And I for one think the reading team did a fantastic job again. I wasn’t able to head the team this year because of other work commitments, but… Read More »My Thoughts On The Final 50 of “50 Kisses”

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#scriptchat @Londonswf 50 Kisses Comp #5: Scene Description

The “50 Kisses” contest is NOT just a writing contest – potentially, your script could be made by filmmakers. If you want your script to be picked first by the reader, then by the filmmaker, yours has to STAND OUT and one really easy, quick-fire way of doing this is to ensure your scene description ROCKS. Most scene description is bland at best, yet good scene description knows it is SCENE ACTION. Everything you write as scene description should be about moving the story forward and revealing character. A lot of writers get uppity and say the above cuts out… Read More »#scriptchat @Londonswf 50 Kisses Comp #5: Scene Description

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Guest Post: Raising the game – How Fluid Descriptions Can Fuel Your Script

Here’s a guest post by the lovely Michelle Goode of Writesofluid – helping you write so fluidly! Since launching proofreading services alongside script reading services, I’ve begun to appreciate format and style on a whole new level. It’s about more than just spotting a few typos and correcting a few misplaced apostrophes; proofreading your script can highlight some really interesting issues.Repetition. For example, you may not be aware that you are repeating words or phrases throughout your entire script. Your characters may have a penchant for picking up their bag or sitting down. Sure, picking up a bag may be… Read More »Guest Post: Raising the game – How Fluid Descriptions Can Fuel Your Script

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Screenwriting Tip: Audio Description For The Blind By Eleanor Ball

I’ve just discovered a brilliant new source of writerly inspiration. And if you’ve not already discovered it yourself, I recommend you plunge right in: Audio description for the blind.It happened the other day when I was checking out old episodes of The Apprentice (yep, I’m still livin’ large and workin’ hard). The recent series is the first I’ve ever seen, and I’d noticed no sign of Alan Sugar being anywhere near as abrasive as people warned me, so I thought maybe he was worse in previous series and wanted to sample this for myself. Anyway, it took me a few… Read More »Screenwriting Tip: Audio Description For The Blind By Eleanor Ball

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4 Big Non Linearity Mistakes In Screenplays

Non Linearity is big news I’d venture for every ten spec screenplays I read, at least three will feature non linearity. Renowned non linear movies include Pulp Fiction, Memento, Twelve Monkeys, The Bourne Supremacy, Slumdog Millionaire, Groundhog Day and Premonition. Non-linearity sometimes finds its way into TV spec screenplays too  – particularly of the supernatural genre – usually in the form of flashback. (For the purposes of this post, note that when I say “non linearity”, I mean the “beginning, middle, end” will not necessarily be in *that* order). I love non linearity. Done well, it can really add a new… Read More »4 Big Non Linearity Mistakes In Screenplays

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Scene Focus 3: Readers Versus Writers

As my final word on this series, I thought I would take a look at the decisions we make in pushing the story forward with our scenes throughout our scripts. Very often scenes are good in the spec script: the dialogue may be well-drawn, the characters interesting – yet the scene does little to move the story forward. But what does this mean? Well, as a reader, very often I will read a scene and wonder how it “fits” in the bigger picture of the script itself. It’s as basic as that. It appears to me as a reader (rightly… Read More »Scene Focus 3: Readers Versus Writers

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Scene Focus # 2: The Literal Versus The Universal

I read a lot of scripts that essentially retell people’s personal experiences. This is really interesting to me because I am in actual fact one of the nosiest people in the entire world. I want to know everything about everyone, whether it benefits me or not. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not the net-curtain-twitching-type and nor do I spy on my neighbours with the aid of a telescope or binoculars. I’m nosy, not freaky. However, I figure that if you’re actually talking to me, you’re fair game. So, if you’ve ever had a conversation with me in real life, whether… Read More »Scene Focus # 2: The Literal Versus The Universal

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