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SimplyScripts Screenwriting Discussion Board  /  Short Scripts  /  Apex
Posted by: Don, May 23rd, 2014, 6:52am
Apex by Nathan Hill - Short, Action, Adventure - In a post-apocalyptic world, the bulldog makes ends meet after a serious encounter. Part 1 of a short film series. 16 pages - pdf, format 8)
Posted by: DustinBowcot (Guest), May 23rd, 2014, 9:55am; Reply: 1
There isn't any need to place a character's name in uppercase after the initial intro. Not unless you are using the character name as a slug.

Drop the beat from the bottom of page one. You don't need it and it's US not British. Here, we use PAUSE.

Code

Camera cuts to a shot of his upper torso from behind. A ZIP
sound is heard, BULLDOG smirks, fiddling with his hands off
screen. The sound of liquid hitting the floor is heard,
BULLDOG appears to be urinating. He nods slowly, sighing in
relief.
BULLDOG (CONT’D)
Ah, christ, needed this.
ZIP! Is heard again, BULLDOG turns around, the camera
following him, still aimed behind his back.



There isn't any need to write things like 'Bulldog appears to be urinating' after describing him urinating.

Be very mindful of writing more than you need to. Describing the zip and then just say urine hitting the floor. There isn't any need to hint at it.

Code

The two men begin to wrestle


The two men wrestle. Or even... They wrestle.

Code

THE AMERICAN jabs BULLDOG in the ribs with a pencil,
grunting.


He's just attacked with a knife but has a pencil as back up?

Code

THE AMERICAN
I did. Back at the stream, you
know, you should of asked me
earlier.


Should have asked, not of. Unless you meant should've? It sounds like should of when said quickly, but it is in fact a contraction of should have.

Code

We see the abandoned living room


You do this all the way through the script, there isn't any need to write 'we see' or 'the camera does this', just write what we actually see without writing we see.

For example:

Code

INT. ABANDONED HOUSE- NIGHT
We see the abandoned living room, trashed and dirty with no
lighting, just the small natural light of the moon.


becomes...
Code

INT. ABANDONED HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Trashed and dirty with just the natural light of the moon.



Code

The two men walk along through the kitchen


They either walk along or through. I think 'through' would be best here.


I don't think you've nailed it with this story. You're young and it's hard to tackle adult themes without the experience to back it.

You'd be better off writing what you know to begin with.
Posted by: Nathan Hill, May 23rd, 2014, 9:59am; Reply: 2
Thanks for all the help, man! I just wanted to describe angles and shots, I just thought of a world and built on it, I'm planning on finishing the lore of the world off in upcoming scripts. Thanks again, I'm getting somewhere atleast!
Posted by: DustinBowcot (Guest), May 23rd, 2014, 10:28am; Reply: 3
Yeah, don't give up. You've got more courage than I have. I hid my work away for twenty years before having the courage to put myself out there. Writers tend to get better with age.

The trouble with getting older is you also get out of touch... and I do regret not sharing what I had going on in my twenties. So, if you can write about what's important to you now, some real drama. What do you know? What goes in your life, what messages do you have to share?

Anyway, good luck.
Posted by: Nathan Hill, May 25th, 2014, 11:12am; Reply: 4
Just uploaded a short western, hopefully you guys will enjoy it when don posts it.
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