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SimplyScripts Screenwriting Discussion Board  /  Simplyscripts Collaborative Effort  /  script key info insertion problem.
Posted by: Falcon (Guest), August 27th, 2011, 9:31pm
Hello Fellow Writers !!!
   I am writing a true story, and it is an extraordiary one at that. It envolves an injury and a specific state law for dealing with this injury. And throgh corruption and shady persons over 45 of these statutes were broken. It's an important element to the story.

QUESTION: would it be better to have a narrative voice over of this law at the beginning of the script? ...Or just deal with it individule law break one at a time with the explanation worked into the dialogue.

I want to bring the viewer into the story right away for the theme, but I don't want to overload them with information at first, and lose the value altogether.

any ideas on this...Please?
Posted by: TheBoyWonder, August 28th, 2011, 12:37pm; Reply: 1
In my honest opinion, I think that you should have the narrative voice over of the law at the beginning of the screenplay. Others may disagree with me on this one but try to imagine this from the audience's point of view. You are talking about over 45 statutes. If you mention even a decently sized numbers of these statutes throughout the script you may be forcing speed bumps into the pace of your story. These statutes are most likely integral to the story so you should include details of these statutes when necessary and in situations in which it flows into the overall pace bu other than that the law and its statutes should be generally introduced in the beginning. Exposition is a tricky aspect of any story writing because it usually bores your audience.

From what I can tell, the law behind this story is central to the plot so introducing it right away won't be out of place for the story. I think your audience would appreciate it if you get rid of all the fat of the exposition as quick as possible because then they won't be distracted with long-winded explanations later on.
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