How many lines should an action/description block contain? I read scripts with four lines...
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- Thread starter victortiti89
- Start date
Here are two links that may guide you in the right direction:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CPHIb1RweeI
http://johnaugust.com/2011/writing-fight-scenes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CPHIb1RweeI
http://johnaugust.com/2011/writing-fight-scenes
In general 4 is the most. But the real key is stand back and squint at your script and see if each page looks different visually.
That may sound like a pathetic joke but the truth is that you need to break up your pages visually. Long paragraphs followed by short paragraphs followed by quick one liners.
...like this.
The sad fact of Hollywood is most people don't read scripts very well. Actors pretty much read their own lines. And execs pretty much read dialogue and skim through all the action descriptions. So if you have some crucial action that needs to be read in order for the script to work, try to break up the text visually.
Every page should look different.
If you're just writing for your own direction, then, duh, none of this matters. But I'm assuming you're sending your scripts out to industry people; and if that's the case, you need to do more than just PROPERLY format, you need to be CATCHY with your format. Sometimes you can use 5 lines in a row. Sometimes 6. But 3 or 4 is a good maximum. And, above all, don't be monotonous. Break things up.
Shanked
That may sound like a pathetic joke but the truth is that you need to break up your pages visually. Long paragraphs followed by short paragraphs followed by quick one liners.
...like this.
The sad fact of Hollywood is most people don't read scripts very well. Actors pretty much read their own lines. And execs pretty much read dialogue and skim through all the action descriptions. So if you have some crucial action that needs to be read in order for the script to work, try to break up the text visually.
Every page should look different.
If you're just writing for your own direction, then, duh, none of this matters. But I'm assuming you're sending your scripts out to industry people; and if that's the case, you need to do more than just PROPERLY format, you need to be CATCHY with your format. Sometimes you can use 5 lines in a row. Sometimes 6. But 3 or 4 is a good maximum. And, above all, don't be monotonous. Break things up.
Shanked