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SimplyScripts Screenwriting Discussion Board  /  Comedy Scripts  /  Brain Time
Posted by: Don, December 9th, 2009, 8:40pm
Brain Time by Ty Gwynn - Comedy - A hilarious wild goose chase in which a celebrity Clinical Psychologist who specializes in compulsive behaviors reveals that she is a life long compulsive liar.  Her husband, and psychiatric partner sets out on a quest to find her after she has a mental break down.  He is accompanied by his stoner brother,a eccentric and flamboyant artist, the artists personal biographer, a suspicious detective, and many other piles of human wreckage left by the compulsive doctor's web of lies. 121 pages - pdf, format 8)
Posted by: ajr, December 10th, 2009, 1:47am; Reply: 1
Your logline, though a bit long, is intriguing so I took a look.  You've got a lot of formatting issues in the first 10 pages which will make this a tough read for most people here.  

- You have to CAP characters when you introduce them;
- You don't need CONTINUED on the top and bottom of every page;
- Long blocks of dialogue and narrative; try to break them up.  For every individual shot you envision in the narrative you should have blank space in between.

Also you do a lot of telling and not showing in the narrative. For example:

"The host is a cheap knock off of Reggis with out the Kelly to make him more funny."

"She knew somehow the subject of her troubled youth in Bristol Falls would come out in the interview, she just wasn’t sure how he would bring it up."

The audience can't see "to make him more funny" or "she knew somehow", so don't write it in the narrative.

Things like that. There may be some funny here, it will just be hard to get to for most.  I'll try again tomorrow.

AJR
Posted by: ajr, December 11th, 2009, 12:23am; Reply: 2
Is the author still here? If so, please check in and I'll give this a read over the weekend.
Posted by: tygwynn, December 20th, 2009, 10:53pm; Reply: 3
Still here.  Thanks AJR, I was hoping you would have some imput.  I've read some of your other script analysis, you know what you're talking about for sure.  I'll take all the advice I can get.  The continued thing at the top and bottom of the pages is something that celtx does.  Not sure if I can remove it.  Thanks for the heads up about the narative, I'm gonna go through and strip it all out.  After reading it again, yea its allover the place.

TY
Posted by: ajr, December 21st, 2009, 12:24am; Reply: 4
Hey Ty,

I'm pretty low on the totem pole of "knowing my stuff", especially around here, but thanks just the same...

Now that I know you're around I'll try to finish your script over the holiday weekend, unless you feel you're going to take it back to the shop and re-post it - let me know. We can do an exchange if you like (my feature is a few below yours - Grand Avenue).

Also, I would remove the word "hilarious" from your log line; leave that one to the post-production people...  ;D

AJR
Posted by: tygwynn, December 21st, 2009, 8:53pm; Reply: 5
I'll check out Grand Avenue.  Yea I'm taking it back to the computer, strip it down, and write more.
Posted by: rendevous, December 22nd, 2009, 4:34am; Reply: 6
Ty,

There are forums for Celtx here.

They should sort you out. Alternately get Final Draft.

I'd say Ajr is right on most points, especially about the word 'hilarious' in your log line. That's for us to decide. Almost put me off.

There's a lot of overwriting here. Your opening paragraph is nine lines long. You could have said the same in three, tops.

I can see what you're trying to do within the story. It just reads more like a novel at the moment.

Break up that dialogue. Cut down and space those action paragraphs. Stick to the point.

If a pro reads a script you got ten pages to impress. Your opening scene is five pages long.

Ajr gives some good advice. Good luck with it.

Ren
Posted by: jackx, January 2nd, 2010, 7:54pm; Reply: 7
Didn't read it, but I had the same issue with Celtx.  When you go to type set there are two buttons on the top, save PDF and Options, or something to that effect.  Click options, then one of the tabs is 'mores and continues'.  you can make them go away from there.
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