Infographic --> http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/19efaoufybth9png.png

http://io9.com/infographic-shows-the-most-common-problems-in-screenpla-1514229773

Thanks for the links.

Saw this on reddit a while back. Here's the post with some commentary from the author of the graph:

http://www.reddit.com/r/Screenwriting/comments/1r5y6l/ive_covered_300_spec_scripts_for_5_different/

Really interesting and useful for a lot more than just the common problems part of it.

Quoted from The person who put the infographic together But the best was when the writer presented an unspoken assumption that every character is white, until it was specifically noted otherwise (e.g. "...where we meet JOHN, a skinny black man, who..."). Since, apparently, white is the norm for society.

I've seen this in a lot of scripts on Simply. Always sticks out to me and interrupts the read.

Ha!

Sure, mistakes are mistakes. But whose to say when should happen, why and when? This is why films are so predictable... they stick to "the formula".

A story should unfold naturally. Until it becomes a screenplay.

I'm not disagreeing with the points, I agree and see most of them as reasonable, and I even go along with them, but at the same time -- you're kinda asking for something to fit within constrained perimeters. That quashes any hopes of original storytelling... which script writing is anything but.

Screenplays are predominantly boring reads because they stick to the damn rules and regulations of previous successful writers. Page 12 needs this, page 21 needs that... blah, blah, blah.

It's the same in all forms of writing, you need a structure. But of course you're gonna find repetition. And you're gonna find writers who are new that don't know the course and just write free. If I was a producer, I'd pick a newbie with potential.

Regarding the points, yeah, well it narrows it down to "the formula" that Hollywood wants.
I might actually enjoy a movie that wasn't a carbon copy of the film I saw last week.

I'll mention race if it's important to the story. That doesn't mean that every character not mentioned has to be white... just that a specific character should be black. Usually because I'm pushing agendas... but even, in one script, just because I don't see enough black people playing those roles.

It only interrupts the read for the reader to ponder the significance of that choice. Interrupting reads is not always a bad thing.

Quoted from DustinBowcot I'll mention race if it's important to the story. That doesn't mean that every character not mentioned has to be white... just that a specific character should be black. Usually because I'm pushing agendas... but even, in one script, just because I don't see enough black people playing those roles. It only interrupts the read for the reader to ponder the significance of that choice. Interrupting reads is not always a bad thing.

I do the same.

If I don't mention it, it is because I consider it immaterial...if I do...there's a reason I think this guy/gal needs to be from a specific culture.

Is the standard that you have to describe everyone's race now? Or do you mention no-one's race? The former seems too limiting, the latter absurd.

Quoted from Scar Tissue Films Is the standard that you have to describe everyone's race now? Or do you mention no-one's race? The former seems too limiting, the latter absurd.

I hate writing character descriptions. I used to describe a character's look by mentioning race, hair, height etc. Nowadays, I try to describe the personality instead. These are the descriptions of the main character in Scarred (being played by Michael Pare' btw and the other one is from my sci-fi Deadly cargo.

BILL HUNT (50s), a veteran cop who wears his uniform with military precision, exits with a coffee in each hand.

LIEUTENANT HARRY BRIGGS (50s) twenty-five year corrections vet. Absolute ball breaker. Special Forces wannabe.

I think those types of descriptions work better. It tells us more about what kind of person they are.

Also, in my second feature, I had a black skinny man that tended the apartment garage. In the film, he was played by a heavy white man and had almost no dialogue...

One of the main characters was white in the script, but was played by a black guy. If race doesn't matter to the plot, most likely the producers will use whomever they have available to play the role.

Quoted from Grandma Bear I used to describe a character's look by mentioning race, hair, height etc. Nowadays, I try to describe the personality instead... I think those types of descriptions work better. It tells us more about what kind of person they are. Also, in my second feature, I had a black skinny man that tended the apartment garage. In the film, he was played by a heavy white man and had almost no dialogue... One of the main characters was white in the script, but was played by a black guy. If race doesn't matter to the plot, most likely the producers will use whomever they have available to play the role.

Yup.
Lotta stuff really doesn't matter script-to-screen, even by writer/directors.

Quoted from RayW Bones. Write good bones to your story, because that's all that'll remain after the screenplay pig goes through the production python.

Quoted from DustinBowcot It only interrupts the read for the reader to ponder the significance of that choice. Interrupting reads is not always a bad thing.

To clarify, totally agree with this. I was thinking only of instances where the significance is non-apparent and one gets the sense that "black" or whatever is being used as an easy character trait, or when the significance turns out to be that the writer wants to try out their tough black guy slang.

Sorry but IMO if you didn't mention that a certain char was black then I reckon that's lazy writing. You would do the same if they were Asian, a Native American Indian, etc.  my rule is they are white until otherwise stated.

Quoted from Grandma Bear I hate writing character descriptions. I used to describe a character's look by mentioning race, hair, height etc. Nowadays, I try to describe the personality instead. These are the descriptions of the main character in Scarred (being played by Michael Pare' btw and the other one is from my sci-fi Deadly cargo. BILL HUNT (50s), a veteran cop who wears his uniform with military precision, exits with a coffee in each hand. LIEUTENANT HARRY BRIGGS (50s) twenty-five year corrections vet. Absolute ball breaker. Special Forces wannabe. I think those types of descriptions work better. It tells us more about what kind of person they are.

You know, I always find the types of descriptions you cited (above) to be far more interesting and compelling than the standard character description.

I'm a rookie here and have not done character descriptions in that manner out of fear of breaking the  “show it, don’t tell it” commandment. In your example of HARRY BRIGGS - I can see someone saying don't tell us he's a ball breaker - show us through action or dialogue.  How am I suppose to know what a ball breaker looks like, etc. But the fact of the matter is that the minute I read "Absolute ball breaker. Special Forces wannabe." I had a complete picture in my mind of what Briggs looked like right down to a having the posture of someone with a steel rod in their spine. So, thanks - I'm going to change my style in this area simply because it's a better way to achieve the objective of character description (me thinks sometimes I have become too dogmatic).

Yep, you're right Dave, as is Pia. A ball-breaker conjures an image instantly doesn't it? As does a common Oz one - builit like a brick shithouse - the latter probably overused now.

I suggested one recently to a fellow scribe - part of it was something like: 'more comfortable in a Kevlar vest than a cocktail dress' when describing a woman who was part of a swat-team or equiv.

'Show, don't tell' doesn't apply if you ask me, when writing character descriptions.  

Got it - very sound advice

You'll still get other writers telling you that you shouldn't do it... just ignore them.

Does this explain the Human Torch in Fox's newest fantastic Four movie???? Lazy writing?