As for the unproduced scripts. I have read one that I really enjoyed.  I have read a bunch that I really don't like.  I'll leave it up to you to decide.

But I do suggest reading the scripts for the movies you enjoy first.

Cheers,

tweak

Quoted from dogglebe Hey, leave Pia's scripts alone!  She works hard on those!

You talkin bout me Philly boy?

You sayin I suck? (don't comment on that)

Don't temp me or I'll drive up to yankeeland deflating your ass with my 5" stiletto heels.

Back on topic. I think you can learn almost as much from reading bad scripts as well as good ones. Read both and you learn what works and what doesn't.  

Can't one just read scripts instead of reading the same ones that everybody has read 300 times over. For all the mindless praise lots of people receive it never seems to turn into reads for that person by the one doing the praise or anyone else.

No names mentioned so no need to get all pissy.

I know it's hard for "writers" to review screenplays honestly around here but at least form your own opinions.

Quoted from Old Time Wesley Can't one just read scripts instead of reading the same ones that everybody has read 300 times over. For all the mindless praise lots of people receive it never seems to turn into reads for that person by the one doing the praise or anyone else. No names mentioned so no need to get all pissy. I know it's hard for "writers" to review screenplays honestly around here but at least form your own opinions.

When I start reading one, I have high hopes.  Then, the let down kicks in very quickly.  I experience the same with my own writing.  I will write something, come back later, and I will realize that I wrote something awful.  And if I put it up here, I would expect folks to say it's awful.

tweak

The Catch 22 in that is if you want someone to tell you your script is awful, you must first tell them their script is awful....if it is of course.  Basically read to get read.

I've seen a number of reviews from you, so I don't think it will be a problem once you actually get something up.  As far as reading produced scripts, it can help and hurt you at the same time since some of these scripts are either shooting scripts, or have been written by writers who can get away with quite a bit more than us when it comes to certain issues regarding format.

Nothing wrong with reading them, I used to read them myself back in the day just to see how they compared to the finished film.  I just never used them as an example of how to write something myself.

Maybe produced scripts are not always ideal to learn spec format, but surely you should be able to learn structure, through lines and plotting.

Quoted from tomson Maybe produced scripts are not always ideal to learn spec format, but surely you should be able to learn structure, through lines and plotting.

I like to learn from them what keeps the reader turning the pages.  If I find myself at the end of a script before I know, then I ask myself, how can I do the same thing.  I think there is something great about page turners.

And rules are made to be broken.

A good exercise is to take a movie you're familiar with (or a particular scene from that movie) and work out in your mind how you would write that scene.  Assuming the script is available for download, you can compare what you did with what was actually written by the screenwriter.

Works for me anyway.  And it's fun too.  

In response to "Rules are made to be broken", I'd like to use this line from Bull Durham....

"You think classy, you'll be classy.  You win twenty in the show, you can let the fungus grow back on your shoes, and the press will think you're colorful!  Until then it just means you're a slob"

Translation.  New writers shouldn't concern themselves with breaking the rules and introducing new ways in which to write things.  I suppose there are times when an interesting description can be gotten away with here and there, but for the most part it doesn't work.

You'd left a review of Thirteen Ghosts last week saying that you had enjoyed the script, so I popped it open and glanced through the first few pages just to see what you were referring to.  The writers definitely had an interesting way of writing things, but given that they were hired on to write a script for a remake, they were already a few steps ahead of the game.

I've actually done this myself when writing on assignment.  It's just an entirely different process than writing sheer spec, because you know who you're working with and that it's most likely going to end up being filmed.  Nothing so bold as camera directions, mind you, but a little more description to get inside the actor's heads.

Quoted from Shelton Translation.  New writers shouldn't concern themselves with breaking the rules and introducing new ways in which to write things.  I suppose there are times when an interesting description can be gotten away with here and there, but for the most part it doesn't work.

I meant that the medium can be used in new ways.  Look at Pulp Fiction.  One of the first movies to come out during that time, where the characters sounded different.  It was fresh and interesting.

How about "Inside Man," the opening is very powerful.  We see something all most like this with "The Prestige," which is an okay script.

My approach, and maybe it's not the right one, is to write stuff that I want to see.  At the same time, realize that actors and directors will tell your story.  This is why I love scripts that are all most all dialogue.  Maybe because the first scripts I wrote were plays.  But I love scripts, where the actors can do their thing and directors can do their thing.  Donnie Brasco is pretty brilliant this way.

tweak

P.S. Thirteen Ghosts is a remake?  I didn't know that.

Yep, the original was done in 1960.  Definitely a lot more toned down, but the storyline is the same.

The Prestige is based on a book, and Tarantino, well he's Tarantino.  He has a great amount of freedom in his writing because he's most likely going to direct it.

You're approach is the right one, at least I think so.  I think all writers write what they want to see when it comes to spec.  Sure there's the hope of selling it as well so you want to try and make it somewhat commercial, but I think you'd be hard pressed to find many writers who write specs that they have no interest in other than its commercial value.   I agree with you on the heavy dialogue, since I normally write that way myself.

Once you've made a name for yourself as a writer, you can write your script on toilet paper, using baby's blood for it (that's what Tarantino does, I hear).  Until then, you have to follow the rules.


Phil

Quoted from dogglebe Once you've made a name for yourself as a writer, you can write your script on toilet, using baby's blood for it (that's what Tarantino does, I hear).  Until then, you have to follow the rules. Phil

How do you stick out if you do the same thing that everyone else is doing?

You can still write a good script, following the rules.  If you don't have a good story and good characters, it doesn't matter how you write it.


Phil

Format isn't a limiter to the type, style, or originality of the story you are writing.  If you want unique sounding dialogue, write whatever you think that is into your script.  If you want fast cuts and psychedelic imagery, write that into your script. If you are a good writer with a good story the format will not prevent your brilliant piece of art from standing out amongst the garbage.

I read movie scripts, books, and wikipedia articles that are about, or have a similar setting to, the scene I'm currently writing. I call this my research reading. I find it helps me recall verbs, nouns, and phrases that will help me flesh out the setting and action.  Scripts are normally the least helpful, but they do offer an insight on how someone else would attack a similar problem.

Dethan