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    Screenplay Writing

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    Karan Kumar
    This document provides guidance on how to write coverage for screenplays and other creative works. Coverage is a 3-4 page document that summarizes the story and provides an opinion. It includes key elements like a header, logline, synopsis, and comments section. The synopsis retells the story in 1-2 pages while avoiding editorializing. The comments section gives an opinion on the project and writing, addressing strengths, weaknesses, and whether it merits a pass, consider, or recommend. Specific criteria are outlined to evaluate the storyline, characters, and other elements of the creative work.

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    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Screenplay Writing

    Uploaded by

    Karan Kumar
    657 views4 pages
    This document provides guidance on how to write coverage for screenplays and other creative works. Coverage is a 3-4 page document that summarizes the story and provides an opinion. It includes key elements like a header, logline, synopsis, and comments section. The synopsis retells the story in 1-2 pages while avoiding editorializing. The comments section gives an opinion on the project and writing, addressing strengths, weaknesses, and whether it merits a pass, consider, or recommend. Specific criteria are outlined to evaluate the storyline, characters, and other elements of the creative work.

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    screenplay writing

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    This document provides guidance on how to write coverage for screenplays and other creative works. Coverage is a 3-4 page document that summarizes the story and provides an opinion. It includes key elements like a header, logline, synopsis, and comments section. The synopsis retells the story in 1-2 pages while avoiding editorializing. The comments section gives an opinion on the project and writing, addressing strengths, weaknesses, and whether it merits a pass, consider, or recommend. Specific criteria are outlined to evaluate the storyline, characters, and other elements of the creative work.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    657 views4 pages

    Screenplay Writing

    Uploaded by

    Karan Kumar
    This document provides guidance on how to write coverage for screenplays and other creative works. Coverage is a 3-4 page document that summarizes the story and provides an opinion. It includes key elements like a header, logline, synopsis, and comments section. The synopsis retells the story in 1-2 pages while avoiding editorializing. The comments section gives an opinion on the project and writing, addressing strengths, weaknesses, and whether it merits a pass, consider, or recommend. Specific criteria are outlined to evaluate the storyline, characters, and other elements of the creative work.

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    Screenplay Coverage A How-To Guide

    Form: screenplay, stage play, book, treatment. PGS: number of pages

    INTRODUCTION Everyyearthousandsofnewscreenplaysandbooksarewritten.Notsurprisingly,fewpeoplehave thetimetoreadallthematerialsubmittedtothem.Eveniftheworkisbrilliantitmayormaynot bewhatthefinancier,director,actor,orproducerislookingfor.Hencemostpeoplehirereaders tovetthemassivemoundsofmaterial.Readerswillreviewthematerial(e.g. book/screenplay/article/play/treatment)andtypeupa34pagedocumentcalledcoveragethat summarizesthestoryandoffersanopinion. Ifareadersaysascreenplayislousy,thereislittlechanceitwillgoontothenextstep.Ifareader saysascreenplayisgood,thatscripthasonlycrossedthefirstofwhatwillbemanyhurdles. Becauseascreenplayisonlyablueprinttoafilm,areadermustbeabletovisualizethemoviein his/hermind.Mostscriptsarentperfect,anditsthereadersjobtorecognizepotential. Coveragehasaformalstyleandformat.Itconsistsoffivedistinctparts: 1. Aheaderstatingthebasicssuchastime,setting,whosentthematerial,andwhat isitspurpose.Eachcompanyandagencywillhavetheirownheader. 2. Loglineonelinesummaryoftheplot. 3. CommentSummaryaonelinesummaryofyouropinion. 4. Synopsissummaryofthemajorplots,charactersandactions. 5. Commentsanopiniononwhetherornotthismaterialisworthpursuing. You evaluate the Project and the Writing separately. You choose either Pass, Consider or THEHEADER Recommend in each category.

    Status: Either a SPEC (which means you can purchase this material) or SAMPLE (meaning the script is already taken but the writer is looking for a new gig with you).

    Elements: Mention anything like a director or Sub: Means submitted so either Submitted to (the executive at talent being attached, partial financing, etc your company) or Submitted by (the agent and their agency who This will be on the cover letter submitted with sent it). the screenplay. If you dont know, put N/A LOGLINE Theloglinetellsthestoryinoneortwosentences.Itsitsatthetopofthecoveragepageand, consequently,isthefirstthingonelooksat.Itsonlyafterreadingtheloglinethatanexecutiveor anagentwilldecidewhetherornothe/shewillreadfurther.Inshort,theloglinecanhelpsellor buryascreenplay.

    Coverage Guide Prepared by Karen Loop

    Page 2

    Learninghowtowritegoodloglinesisanimportantskill.Notonlyisitcrucialforcoverage,but alsoitwillhelpyoulearnhowtopitchyourideasquickly. Whenwritingaloglinedontmentionthecharactersbynameorgivespecificdetails:painttheplot inonebroadstroke.OnlyusenamesiftheyarerecognizablesuchasBatman,Jesus,MuhammadAli. Almostanyscreenplay,evenanepic,canbereducedtoonesentence.Forexample:Anegotistic SoutherngirlsurvivestheCivilWarbutfinallylosestheonlymanforwhomshecareswouldbe appropriateforGONEWITHTHEWIND. COMMENTSUMMARY Thisisthebottomline.Inonesentence,orperhapsjustafewchoicewords,telluswhyyouare passingorconsideringthematerialathand.Keepitshort&sweetandmakesurethestatementis supportedinyourcommentssectionatthebottomofthepage. SYNOPSIS Theactualsynopsisofascreenplayshouldbefromonetotwopageslongandshouldbrieflyretell thestory.Editorializingshouldbekepttoanabsoluteminimumhere,justtellthestory. Beforeyoustartwriting,thinkabouttheauthorstheme,aswellasthemoodandstyleofthepiece. Makesureyouhavetheentirestorylineinyourmindbeforeyoustartsothatyoudontwindup writingtoomuch.Manytimesanovicereaderwillspendthreequartersofhis/hersynopsisin settingupthestory,onlytorealizehe/shehastocoverthesecondandthirdactsinaparagraph. Evenifthescreenplayisdull,yoursynopsisshouldbelivelyandentertaining.Carefullychoosean openingsceneforyoursynopsis.Thismaynotalwaysbetheonethatstartsthescreenplay.Use adjectivesandadverbsthatcapturetheexcitementandthetoneofthepiece.Lively,dynamic phrasing,variedsentencestructure,andrevelatoryadjectivesarethemarksofagoodsynopsis,as opposedtotheplodding,colorless,clichriddenstyleofapoorone. Generalrules: 1. Writeinthethirdperson. 2. Usepresenttense. 3. UseCAPITALLETTERStointroduceacharacter,andthengotolowercase. 4. Introduceacharacterwhenhe/shebecomesrelevant.Ifahomelessbumsitsoutsideofthe 711intheopeningscene,butdoesnttakeactionuntilthethirdact,introducehiminthe thirdactandthencallattentiontothefactthathewaspreviouslyplanted.(e.g.ABUM, whowenoticedintheopeningscene,picksupaknifeand). 5. Spendsometimedescribingyourleads(age,appearance,characteristics). 6. Onlyuseonenameforeachcharacter.SoDan,Danny,Mr.BonaduceallbecomesDAN. 7. Avoidlargeblocksoftextusewhitespace. 8. Includeallmajoractionbeats&emotionalturningpoints 9. Spelling&grammarcount! COMMENTS Thefinal,perhapsmostimportant,partofscreenplaycoverageisthecommentspage.Itisalsothe mostfun.Inthissectionthereadergiveshis/heropinionofthescreenplaycovered.Itshouldbe clear,concise,anddoesntequivocate.

    Coverage Guide Prepared by Karen Loop

    Page 3

    Asageneralrule,beginandendthecommentsummarywithabottomline.Intheheaderwhenit askedforyouropinionofthescreenplayandthewriter,youhavesaid,Pass,Consider,or Recommend.Thisisthesectioninwhichyoubackupyourstatements. (Pass=nooneelseneedstoreadit;Consider=worthasecondlook;Recommend=itshouldgoall thewaytothetop). Youareevaluatinghowwellthematerialworksasafeaturefilmandhowwelltheauthorhas succeededatwhathe/sheattemptedtodo.Commentsshouldaddressthestrengthsand weaknessesofthematerial,plot,characters,dialogue,structure,toneandpremise.Youarenot tellingthewriterhowtorewritethematerial,justpointingoutstrengthsandweaknesses! Specificpointstoconsider: STORYLINE Arethedramaticstakeshighenoughforafeaturefilm? Isthisanoriginalidea?Oratwistonanoldidea? Isthereconflictandrisingtension?Orisittiredandderivative? Isthestorylinewelldevelopedw/relatedsubplots?Doesitmaintainitsfocus? Doesthestoryworkwithinitsgenre? Doesthestructurecomplementthestory? CHARACTERIZATIONS Dothemaincharacterschangeandcompletetheirarcs? Arethecharacterslivelyandcompelling?Oraretheyclichanddull? Aretherelationshipsbetweencharactersconsistent? IsthestorytoldfromtherightPOV? DIALOGUE Isthedialoguerealisticandinteresting?Orisitmundane? Doactionspropelthescenesorlongspeeches? Dothecharactersspeakwithspecificvoices? Arethevisualsinterestingordoesitdependtooheavilyondialogue? Attempttobeginyourcommentswithanoverallstatementaboutthematerialandthenmoveonto morespecificpoints. Therearethreetypesofcommentswhichareespeciallynothelpful: 1.TheAllPurpose:Thisiswherethereaderdismissesthestoryinafewstocksuperficial phraseswhicharesogenerictheymightapplytoanypieceofmaterial.Ittellsusnothing. 2.ThePreJudging:Herethereaderclosesthedooronastory,despiteadmittedmerits, becausethereaderdecides,withoutsufficientanalysis,thathe/shejustdoesntlikethepremise. Thisbringsupapointofutmostimportance:everystoryshouldbegiventhebenefitofthedoubt. 3.TheFenceSitting:Thisiswherethereaderisafraidtocommittothematerialoneway oranotherandwindsupgivingthesameemphasistostrongpointsandweakpoints.Without expressingafirmopinioneitherway,thereaderhasfailedathis/herjob.Bedecisive!

    Coverage Guide Prepared by Karen Loop

    Page 4

    Generalrules: 1. Neverwritethecommentsinthefirstperson(e.g.Ithink,Ifeel)! 2. Committoapositionandthenbackitup. 3. Bespecificinyourreview.Avoidgenericphrase.Useexamples! 4. Avoidsuperlativeslikebestorworst. 5. Reviewthematerialathand.Dontlambastethewriterand/ortalentattached. 6. Donttrytofixthescreenplay. 7. Alwaysstartthecommentsonanewpage.(Oftenexeswillripitoffandnotshowthe author). Ifyoudontlikethescript,giveconcretereasonswhyyouarepassing.Inalllikelihood,someone maypassonthematerialhavingonlyreadyourcoverage.Givethemalotofammunition.Whyis thematerialbad? Ifyoulikethematerial,becomplimentarybutpointoutsomeobviousflaws.Again,useexamples. Coveringscreenplaysneednotbeconsideredaheinouschore.Itisoneofthefewjobswherein peopleofpoweraskforyouropinionandactuallylistentowhatyouhavetosay.Ifyouarelooking foranIndustryjob,coveragesamplesaremandatory.Itfact,wellwrittensamplescanbemore powerfulthanyourresume. STANDARDPRODUCTIONCOMPANYTEMPLATE:

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