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Script Proofreading
Are You Using Naked Sluglines?
What's a naked slugline? Actually, even before that -- what's a slugline? A slugline is just another word for a scene heading. A naked slugline is a scene heading that has no action line(s) after it. It just sits there, exposed... then goes straight into dialogue....
Quick Tip: Use The More Active Verb Form
Use the more active (simple present) form of a verb Here's a way you can immediately improve the quality of your writing. Don't do this: Jeremy is sprinting down the street. Do this: Jeremy sprints down the street. Not only does using the simple present verb form...
O.S. or O.C. or V.O.?
What and When? For some reason, the different initials that can appear after dialogue cues trip up a lot of screenwriters. Let's have a look at what each one means and when the appropriate time is to use them. O.S. (Off Screen) O.S. is used when a character is...
Quick Tip: Page Breaks
Breaking Bad It's bad form to force a page break mid-sentence. That goes for dialogue and action lines. Some of the better screenwriting software programs will not even allow you to do this. They'll automatically force a page break after the completion of an earlier...
Top 10 Technical Mistakes British Screenwriters Make
You might be a U.K. screenwriter if... We have to cut the British some slack because their accents are dead sexy and they... well, invented English. But even so, when it comes to breaking into Hollywood -- where living too far away from Los Angeles can be an...
Secret’s Out – Proofreading Options!
Achievement Unlocked I've always been worried about becoming too bogged down with Scriptwrecked business to pursue my own screenwriting and filmmaking projects. As such, I've been secretly hiding a number services that I only provide to clients who specifically...
3 Ways You’re Using BEAT Incorrectly
(beat) it Sometimes you need your actors to pause in your script. One of the common ways to convey this action... or rather, inaction, is to use the word "beat." Here are three ways that people typically misuse BEAT: 3. At the beginning of a dialogue block Some...
Are You Punctuating Acronyms And Initials Correctly In Dialogue?
Screenwriting is Weird There are tons of "rules" in screenwriting that take a long time to figure out. Many of these so-called rules are shibboleths or leftovers from a bygone era that are handy at weeding out the amateurs from the pros. However, most of the standards...
Reader Question: One Or Two Line Spaces Before Scene Headings?
Scriptwrecked reader, Jenny, asks about line spacing: Final Draft allows you to manually adjust to either ONE or TWO spaces between each scene.Does it really matter?Increasing from one to two lines adds about a page per 120 pages script, so does it really impact...
Turn Your Script Into A Novel & Sell It – This Guy Did!
Interview with Paul A. Mendelson Paul A. Mendelson is a professional screenwriter and a super nice guy to boot! He was kind enough to give us some insights into how he's been able to take his scripts, turn them into novels, and get Hollywood's interest. If you're...
New Shot, New Paragraph
When do you start a new paragraph? One thing that tends to confound new screenwriters is the issue of paragraphs. Some scripts have longer paragraphs. Other scripts have shorter ones -- some as short as one word. So how do you decide it's time to start a new...
Quick Screenwriting Tip: Don’t Abbreviate In Dialogue
Quick Screenwriting Tip: Don't use abbreviations in dialogue. Abbreviated words like "Dept." and "Sen." are confusing in dialogue and force the reader to stop and think, however briefly... which is bad. Is it "Deputy" or "Department" / "Senator" or "Senior"? Just...