Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Q. Once someone wants to read our script, should we include a 1 - 2 paragraph synopsis, and should we include any character descriptions? There are a couple of spots where certain jokes require that the characters look a certain way.

No synopsis. You don't want anything that will stop them from reading the script. If they don't have a synopsis, they'll have to read the first page. Which will really grab them. Right?

I try to avoid a big block of character description because I, as a reader, tend to blip over them. What I'll do is put a single sentence of memorable description the first time we meet the character: LARRY, 32, haggard, overweight, looks like he's been working at the same Wendy's ever since high school.

Then I'll drop more clues about the character wherever it seems to relate to what he's doing: Larry reaches one pudgy hand for the doobie. Then hesitates.

And I'll use the appropriate verbs: Larry waddles over to his crappy ten-year-old Ford Festiva... If he were skinny, he could scamper, scuttle, fidget, slink, etc.

Readers absorb info best when it is part of the story, so make sure the description is related to the story, and they'll pick it up easily.

Labels: craft

1:53 PM

4 Comments:

That's all well and good, Epstein, you sizeist bastard.
But what if your character is a total fucktard. What then?

By  DMc, at 3:31 PM  

"Larry giggles noisily. It's not a pretty sight.

Sandra winces. What a fucktard."

By  Alex Epstein, at 4:12 PM  

You call your movie F**ktard. The studio can change the title later, after they've attached an actor that makes focus groups think, "F**ktard."

By  Lisa Hunter, at 4:38 PM  

Did you actually use the word `doobie' in your blog? I haven't heard that word since high school. I think you might be dating yourself with that. Sorry if I'm being a bit of a fucktard.

By  Unknown, at 1:35 PM  

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