Question 1

What are the 5 elements of a screenplay?

Anna Keizer · Accepted Answer

Regardless of genre or story specifics, a successful screenplay will generally have these five elements in common:
1. Interesting characters. Audiences want to cheer for a sympathetic protagonist and hate on a devious antagonist. They want compelling supporting characters who either help or hurt the protagonist’s chances of attaining their central want or need. In short, a great script will have interesting and dynamic characters.
2. Protagonist’s goal. But why are we following the protagonist for two hours or more? Spending that time just to watch them clean their house or run errands is not going to satisfy from a storytelling perspective. Instead, the protagonist must have a clear and compelling goal. To survive a shipwreck. To win back their high school sweetheart. To be the first woman on Mars. Make the goal one where there is a risk of failure. It should never be a sure thing.
3. Compelling plot. What’s the story that will be told as the protagonist attempts to achieve their goal? Scripts are very much a show and not tell form of storytelling. Dialogue is a critical part of a screenplay, but you won’t have a compelling script if you just have the characters sitting around and talking about what they want. Give them stuff to do. Include plenty of action – even if it’s not an action movie!
4. Strong script structure. Feature scripts generally follow a three-act structure. The first act introduces the main characters, the stakes for the protagonist, and the inciting incident that sets them on their path to hopefully achieving their goal. The second act largely encompasses the highs and lows that the protagonist encounters as they move closer to or further away from their central want. Finally, the third act has the protagonist confront their final and most significant conflict – the climax – as well as the outcome to it.
To some degree, Screenwriters can tweak what happens in each act, but often the mark of a strong script is one that relies on having a solid three-act structure.
5. Conflict and resolution. It’s great if you love your characters. After all, you’ll likely be spending weeks if not months with them. But you have to make life difficult for them. A story where the protagonist immediately achieves their goal with no struggle or heartache isn’t much of a story at all. They need obstacles – and lots of them. That’s what makes ultimately the resolution where they do or don’t get their want so satisfying for audiences.

Question 2

What is the format of a screenplay?

Anna Keizer · Accepted Answer

A screenplay’s format is unlike virtually any other form of storytelling.
A screenplay is not prose. Its purpose is to clearly and concisely describe what is going on from scene to scene so that should the script be produced, other professionals who are part of the filmmaking process can translate what is written on the page to what is shot on set or location.
For this reason, what is on each page is kept to minimum. If it’s a new scene, there will be a scene heading to establish location and time, as well as action lines to describe what the characters are doing in that scene. Should they be speaking, there will also be dialogue.
There are additional screenplay format elements that can be used with discretion, but again, the goal of a script is to vividly convey the location, action, and dialogue of any given scene with clarity and brevity.

Question 3

What are the 8 elements of script formatting?

Anna Keizer · Accepted Answer

The 8 elements of script formatting include:

Scene headings
Character names
Action lines
Dialogue
Parentheticals
Extension
Subheaders
More/Cont’d

Question 4

Do Screenwriters need Managers or Agents?

Sharon Soboil · Accepted Answer

Generally speaking, I’d say Managers are better than Agents. A Manager will go get you an Agent at some point. A Manager can help you get meetings and get to know people and help you to find your career trajectory in a macro sense.
An Agent is just there to sell you. They have 500 clients, whereas a Manager is going to have a little bit of time for you. They can read your material. They can give you notes on your material. They can send it to people. I would look for a Manager first if I were going to go in that direction.
I’ve gone through periods where I didn’t have a Manager or Agent, but I had an Attorney. Depending on how many people you know and how ensconced in the industry you are–like if your father’s a celebrity and can get you dinner with Marty Scorsese and you can get the script in directly–you probably don’t need a Manager.
Then you have an Attorney if Marty decides he’s going to option your material and that will be enough for you. As soon as he does option your material, every Manager and Agent will want to sign you and they’ll come after you, which is a better place to be.
One of the things I love that’s open to everybody via tickets is Sundance. Go to Sundance Festival–any festival. There are Agents and Managers there all the time and it’s a much easier place to meet people. Just meet them and socialize. You don’t have to sell yourself or anything but just keep in touch with them. That’s such a great way to meet Producers and Actors and talent. It’s a great place to go…and it’s fun.

Question 5

How do you sell a screenplay?

Thomas Bezucha · Accepted Answer

Most places won’t accept submissions unless it comes from an Agent. And then how do you get it to an Agent? How do you get started in the business?
I didn’t go to film school. I think people that go to film school are engaged earlier and have an advantage that I didn’t have.
My advice is you pick up a machete and start hacking your way into the jungle. Everybody I know has taken a different path. I think everybody knows somebody who knows somebody who’s in the business, and you sort of put it out there once you’ve got a script.
The other thing to know is, don’t ask people to read scripts unless you know that what you’re asking them to read is the best version of that script. Don’t submit professionally saying it’s a work in progress. You’re asking somebody to spend half a day with something.

Question 6

How long does it take to sell a screenplay?

Sharon Soboil · Accepted Answer

I have a movie that’s going into production that I wrote that’s been optioned over and over. I won’t even admit to you how long it’s been around. It’s finally getting made. The Queen’s Gambit took thirty years.
I just wrote two movies, After We Fell and After Ever Happy. I wrote the first one in March and the second one in June and they went into production in August. And it’s already done! There’s a trailer out for After We Fell. (I don’t think I’m allowed to tell when they are coming out.) That was a Writer-for-hire situation, so they went right into production.
The average amount of time it takes to get a movie made is seven years. It’s a marathon. Sometimes you just hit at the right moment and they need that movie and they have that money or they have an Actor on board. Or something happens that just shifts the dynamic of the project. Before you know it, it’s a year later and you’re going into production.
Find a Producer that really loves it. That’s what you’re looking for, no matter how long it takes. As you become more coveted as a Writer, you can charge them for an option. In my humble opinion, even if you’re not in the Writers Guild, I always feel like if somebody puts money down, they’re serious. Whether it’s $1,000 or $10,000, it holds them accountable.
I know newer Writers; you just want people to be excited about your script and take it. I get that. Give people a period of time and they’ll prove to you that they like it. If it’s a big Producer, then I would give them more flexibility. If it’s a smaller Producer, I’d ask them to give you a little bit of money because otherwise, they’ve got these projects that they’ve put out way more money for and those are going to be their first priority.
So it depends on who the Producer is, if they’re new or if they’ve been around. Is the Producer an independent Producer? Are they taking the money from their own pocket? Great. Get a shopping agreement or get an option.

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