1. The script is short – between 90 and 110 pagesIt could be longer if the story demands it, but generally, I agree. 90-120 is usually the sweet spot for me and many others, it seems. Also, any longer and chances to sell would drop.
2. The front cover is free of WGA registration numbers and fake production company names.
I agree.I'm not sure how the inclusion or exclusion of a WGA number is a sign that the script is going to be "promising." What's the logic there? As for fake production company names, well, yeah, that looks stupid and amateurish, not to mention that in the internet age, people can immediately look it up and tell if you're full of shit.
3. The first page contains a lot of white spacePure personal preference. I happen to agree, but that doesn't matter.
4. I know who the protagonist is by page 5Pure personal preference and I sorely disagree. If you want a cookie-cutter, by-the-numbers story, then sure. Otherwise, this is pointless advice. Hell, if you go by genre, it's actually
detrimental. How many Horror films, for instance, begin with the slaughter of a non-protag character? I'd argue that Scream is pretty good, and we don't even see Sidney Prescott until 10 minutes in (ish). In Star Wars, same thing, to an even larger extent: no Luke until AT LEAST 15 minutes (ish).
5. The premise is clearly established by page 10If this actually means "I should know what this movie's vaguely about in the first 10 minutes," then I'd agree. But the word "clearly" here makes me doubt that.
6. Something interesting/entertaining happens in the first five pages Something interesting or entertaining should happen in every page. I'd argue that this is pretty basic for every story in any medium. Oftentimes, though, the fruits of one page aren't immediately noticeable until the next one, so this isn't strictly true, I guess.
7. The first ten pages contain plenty of action This is the exact same thing as 6. Not action as in a shootout or stuff like that, just movement, advancement, etc. Sure, I guess.
8. I can tell what’s going on Um... sure.
9. The dialogue is short and to the point.LOL! No. Dialogue should be what the story and characters call for. What if it's a character trait for someone to go off on tangents? What if a guy stutters? If Tarantino and Aaron Sorkin had ever listened to this person, they'd be sleeping under bridges today.
10. The script doesn’t begin with a flashback It's impossible to begin anything with a flashback. If the article writer doesn't know that, I would question the validity of the entire article.
11. There are no camera directions, shot descriptions, and editing instructions All/most screenplays begin with "FADE IN:" and so this is inherently untrue.
Also, I highly disagree with this in general. I
do agree that using "we see" and such is amateurish, but for other things, sometimes there's just no choice. Text conversations, videos, etc.
always necessitate some form of insert or transition. You can justify it and excuse it by calling saying
"just use descriptive action" or
"it's not a transition/camera direction; it's just a mini slug!" all you want, but whether you admit it or not, the writer is inherently "directing" during those instances.
12. There are no coffins If I'm understanding this correctly, instances of this usually look pretty dumb IMO, but I wouldn't stop reading because of them.
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12 signs of a promising script
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