"That's good screenwriting!"
The Wow Factor
Want to know a surefire way to impress someone reading your script? Surprise them!
That doesn’t mean coming up with a twist ending. That means ensuring there are surprises in every scene. Yes, EVERY scene.
Surprises can take on many forms:
- Actions that contradict a character’s intent
- Dialogue that contradicts a character’s actions
- Humorous exploits
- Payoffs to things setup earlier in the script
- Snappy comebacks
- Shocking imagery
- Reveals that change what we thought we were looking at
- Beginning a scene in an unexpected way
- Ending a scene in an unexpected way
- New complications
- Thought provoking predicaments
- Character mishaps
- Clichés turned on their ear
… and the list goes on and on.
Sometimes we get wrapped up in the function of a scene (e.g. “I just need my characters to fight so one will leave”). The result? It falls flat.
In your spec script there should be no such thing as a “standard scene.” Throw in a surprise (or two or three) in every scene and you’ll dramatically improve both your story and your chances of receiving a “recommend” rating.
What the…?
For some surprising inspiration, here are two bizarre videos that take you in entirely unexpected directions.
An important (and hilarious) announcement from Ronald Reagan… In Spanish of course. Keep watching this one, it’s worth it.
“First these giant teddy bears started crossing the road… and then things got weird.”
