Quoted from Dreamscale Just obey the rule and don't include it.

Yeah, cos' some script reader in Hollywood's gonna open up the script and go --
"OHMYFUCKINGGOD! HE PUT A 1 ON PAGE ONE! CALL THE COPS! CALL SOMEBODY! I CAN'T FUCKING HANDLE THIS! AAAARGHH MY EYES, MY BEAUTIFUL EYES, THEY HURT"
-- and bin it (or something like that)  

Jeff

No, I use software that works in conjunction with word so it doesn't do it automatically. I have Celtx but never bothered to get the grips with it as my current program works fine. Maybe now is the time to take the leap.

But yeah, having said that, my sentiments echo Robert's above: So what, fu?k em.

Frankly, I'm appalled.
Numbering your first page is just ridiculous and rather irresponsible.

Next thing you know you'll be looking both ways before crossing the road, blowing your noses in tissues (the very thought) and apologising after burping.

Oh my God...next...maybe they'll throw some color onto their title page...there's nothing wrong with that...right?

How about a really big, wierd looking font in the middle of the script?

Or even better yet, what about the complete lyrics to a song, printed out, right after teh initail FADE IN?

Yes!  That's it.  Do all of the above, combined.  All these things combined equals nothing.

Not to get away from the riveting discussion on page numbering, but i have a few non-numerical suggestions.  (I didn't quite read all the comments so sorry if i'm repeating)
The grammar is wrong with the wife in the second sentence.  Does she lie beside him? Or snore beside him?  There's no verb other than is.
page 4 'peter eyes on her purse'.  Should be 'eyes her purse' or 'Peter's eyes are on her purse'.
Does nora potter or putter at the bottom of page 4?
P7 'I'd to do'  I don't think you canor should contract 'I had' in this case.
P9 its open should be it?s open.  Also days should be day's
Other than the couple typos a pretty solid story.  Well written, and I did enjoy the descriptions.  I'm assuming the way your visualing it the camera would spend some time checking out the bookstore and such, so it works to use some space in the script.
I do agree with Astrid that there is a lack of punch though.  I think the first moment I was particularly interested in the old man was once he faked a heart attack.  That kind of using the junkies (and our) perception of him works great and shows an interesting character.  Up until then he just seemed like a boring old man.  Same problem with the wive I thought.  If you could spend some time showing their relationship, and whats at stake if one dies.  He's about to retire so they can go off on a cruise, they must be excited and remembering what it was like to be younger and such.  I always find it interesting to see an old couple and know that at some point they must have been madly in love.  Maybe show us some of that.
Def a good start, I would just develop all the characters a little more so we really care when something happens.

Jack

Thanks for the read, comments and most importantly getting away from that formatting discussion.

"The grammar is wrong with the wife in the second sentence.  Does she lie beside him? Or snore beside him?  There's no verb other than is."

-- A fair point, although I try to cut out the use of "is" and "are" in my work where possible. Basically Nora is beside him in bed snoring. I thought I had enough there to suggest this, it can always be changed.

"page 4 'peter eyes on her purse'.  Should be 'eyes her purse' or 'Peter's eyes are on her purse'."

-- Correct, I meant to say "eyes her purse". I actually had that changed since I posted this.

"Does nora potter or putter at the bottom of page 4?"

-- Putter. Ha, I always thought it was potter, thanks for the education on that one. I can't help thinking now how many times I've used that in conversation and nobody checked me up over it.

P7 'I'd to do' I don't think you canor should contract 'I had' in this case.

-- True, but this is just a colloquial thing, as it describes how I would imagine her saying it. Take the Coen Bros script for "Fargo", it has lots of examples of this. Not correct spelling or grammar but its how the people spoke, so its pragmatic to write it that way.

"P9 its open should be it?s open.  Also days should be day's"

-- I'm always a little unsure concerning the application of "its" and "It's". As when I put in "It's" in this case Microsoft Word underlines it with green and tells me to write it as "Its" which is why I left it like that. I'm of the belief the apostrophe denotes the ownership of something, such as "David's car" or in this case "day's earnings", good call again on your part with that one, cheers.

I see what you’re saying about developing the relationship between Nora and Jim, you're not the first to say that. However I wanted to quantify their relationship between one another gradually over the course of story until the final reveal when we find out the medication is in fact for Nora, not Jim, thus really driving home the dependency and reliance in their marriage.

Instead of having a scene between the two in the morning, showing some kind of bond I tried to convey the value and state of their relationship through Jim's last day at work and his interactions with other people, like Chris and Mary, whilst cutting back to the house to show Nora making a special retirement dinner for her husband. Between Nora making the sign, Jim's surprise to take her away on a cruise and Mary talking about the times when she was babysat by Nora I attempted to conjure up this idea of a long, happy, fulfilling marriage. I find it less direct, less obvious but hopefully still getting the point across. I see it worked for some but not for others.

Also, the fact that Nora and Jim actually don’t have a speaking scene together further emphasises the tragedy that these two will never get a chance to speak to one another ever again. It’s the pain and regret of those things left unsaid between two loved ones, the planned cruise being an example, which Jim won’t get a chance to tell her about now, least of all actually go on it together.

Because it’s Nora who has the health troubles, I had her stay in bed at the start. Its Jim who is the sole provider, he is the one who has to put in the early mornings and work the hours. The extended morning scenes of Jim by himself going about his routine were to highlight this.

Thanks again for your remarks, Jack. If you have anything on here, let me know, I’d (there it is again) love to take a look.

Cheers

Col.

Hi Col

As you have been good enough to read my work, I thought I'd respond in kind. This appears to have been your most recently posted work - and it is fantastic. A real gem of a story.

Now, from the start, I knew someone was going to die. It's a taken that when someone says "I'm going to do this or that when I retire" they ain't going to make it - but I loved the way you played with this expectation, so that when Jim seems to have a heart attack, the reader will think they're assumptions will be proven correct - only for you then to pull a double bluff on us and catch us with this ending.

Really great work.

It doesn't make sense to number the first page. The focus should be on the story but just for the record, some books, scripts etc number the first page.

It's a personal/publisher's choice. Yet it goes without saying that no reader will throw out your script just because you numbered the first page.

I have had this problem with my script. I couldn't figure out how to start numbering on the second page.

BTW I haven't read your script yet, I will tonight. Based on the reviews it should be good.

You should number every single page in GIANT red font.  Every 10th page should have a row of yellow stars on the top and bottom margins.  And of course, don't forget to have a picture of a Polar Bear cub somewhere inside your script.

Do you really think that's gonna help? What about my beautiful eyes?

Sorry Col, still, bumps it back to the top of the portal so everyone wins.

Quoted from Dreamscale You should number every single page in GIANT red font.  Every 10th page should have a row of yellow stars on the top and bottom margins.  And of course, don't forget to have a picture of a Polar Bear cub somewhere inside your script.

My title page is in giant red font! I'm not so sure about this Polar bear business but the yellow stars can stay.

Niles

Thanks for the read, man, happy you liked it. On the basis of the two pieces I read from you, I rank your opinion very highly. I'm glad you appreciated the significance and irony of Jim's feigned heart attack and the implications it ultimately bears in the end.

Thanks again for taking the time to read this.



Dreamscale, Rv, Inquiringmind

I see the page numbering issue has arisen once again.

I've actually made a point of looking at any new book I read and lo and behold!, the first page is not numbered. Even so, I'm not too pushed in fixing it in my scripts, as already mentioned, its not going to make or break your work getting picked up for production.

I'm liking the artistic flourishes at 10 page intervals though, DS, keep em coming.

Col.

Funnily enough, I was talking today to a couple of Directors I know, and they expressed the opinion that, in general, they couldn't care less about minor formatting points such as page numbering, scene headers and so on. It's not what matters to them in a script - they are interested in the story and it's structure. Everything else is incidental to this.

I have read of Producers who will not read screenplays that have, for example, (CONTD) on the bottom of the page - but you have to ask yourself, if they are that stupid, that they'd possibly pass up the next "American Beauty" or "Fargo" because of a slight mistake in formatting, would you want them producing your movie anyway?

Yep, I completely concur with you on both points, Niles

But let's keep in mind that rarely are these Directors the ones who are screening scripts from unproduced writers.  Directors come into the picture after an agency, ProdCo, Producer, or whatever entity it is, makes some decisions and forks over some dough.

Obviously, numbering or not numbering Page 1 of a script has nothing to do with the quality of the script or the writing in general.  But why buck the system for no reason?  Why not format your script exactly the way it's supposed to be?

My take on the whole thing is this...the better, more professional, and "correct" your script is, the more obvious it is that you know what you're doing and should be taken seriously.  That includes typos, spelling, grammar, formatting, passive verbiage, and use (hopefully non-use) of unfilmables.  Kind of like going on a job interview...you want to look your best and come across as professionally as you can.