Presenting a Script to get it Read

Pitfalls to Avoid Outright Rejection of a Screenplay for Film

Apr 3, 2009 Rachel Wills

A few basic guidelines in screenwriting will help the aspiring screenwriter increase their chances of getting the script read.

Completing a screenplay is not the end, but only the beginning, and the next phase can be very rocky, and full of pitfalls. Even getting a script read can be difficult. The following guidelines will help overcome the mistakes a novice scriptwriter might make.

How to Present the Screenplay

This might seem obvious, but presentation is everything. Every package that the reader opens is like looking into a shop window, and if a shabby or handwritten script or one that is ready to fall apart graces their eyes, the chances it will be read will be severely dented. Yet this does happen quite often.

How to Please the Reader in a Film Production Department

First impressions stick, and if the reader opens the covering letter and finds that the scriptwriter has written reams of passages explaining why they think their screenplay is good, they are unlikely to take your screenplay seriously. For the same reason, avoid fancy letterheads and gimmicks. Every screenplay must stand on its own merits. For this reason, a brief covering letter containing the screenwriter’s contact details is more professional. Be sure to enclose return postage if return is required.

How to Make the Screenplay Look Good

The pages in a script should be fastened securely together to a stiff folder, with the title page at the front, containing the scriptwriter’s contact details. If any pages appear dog-eared, replace them, especially the title page. Crisp, clean pages with sharp printed text shows that the screenwriter has taken care with their work, and therefore what lies within is likely to show the same care.

Formatting the Screenplay

Readers are insistent that a screenplay should be properly formatted. There are downloadable packages available that format the script for you, which takes away the headache of doing so manually. ScriptSmart Gold is an excellent recourse for aspiring screenwriters. This tool will format film, TV drama, sitcoms and radio for the UK and the US markets.

How Not to Write a Screenplay

A screenplay is a different medium to a literary novel. It does not allow for background information or lengthy descriptions of the characters. The screenplay means show don’t tell. A reader will be immediately put off by reams of prose. Ideally, a screenplay must consist of lots of white page, punctuated by short paragraphs describing action and snappy dialogue.

What Will Turn a Reader off a Screenplay

According to Ray Frensham’s Teach Yourself Screenwriting (Hodder Education, 2003) the first thing a reader will do is to flick through the pages to see how long the script is and how much text per page it contains. An ideal script should be between 90 and 110 pages long. One page roughly equates one minute of screen time. Anything outside of this is not good. Reams of text is also not good. In this case, less is more, and lots of white spaces on each page will be looked on with approval.

Getting a Screenplay Read

Literary agents and production departments receive a huge influx of screenplays every day. For this reason, their readers will look for every reason to reject your screenplay. It is good exercise to imagine a tired, underpaid reader in the production department when you consider the first ten pages of a screenplay. For this reason, the first ten pages of a screenplay are absolutely crucial.

Giving the Script a Good First Impression

Presentation is important. Ensure the script is formatted properly and includes contact details and (if appropriate) SAE. The first ten pages are crucial and must grab the reader.

The copyright of the article Presenting a Script to get it Read in Writing for Stage/Screen is owned by Rachel Wills. Permission to republish Presenting a Script to get it Read in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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