January 2, 2009, Newsletter Issue #97: Read Other Scripts
Tip of the Week
No serious writer would compose a novel without having studied and learned from dozens of novels. So why do so many beginning screenwriters neglect to study scripts of produced movies? Reading scripts is one of the best ways to learn the craft of screenwriting. Don't skip this vital step!
Download scripts of your favorite movies from the Internet. Read as many different kinds of scripts as possible, and then watch the movie while following along with the script. Notice the differences. Perhaps a scene was cut, or some dialogue was changed. See if you can figure out why. Do you think the changes improved the movie or not?
If you do this exercise, you'll be able to answer many of your basic formatting questions, and you'll begin to see how screenwriters structure their stories.
Online resources for scripts:
Free downloads:
http://www.script-o-rama.com
http://www.simplyscripts.com
http://www.iscriptdb.com
http://www.movie-page.com
Classics, new releases, and hard-to-find scripts at reasonable prices:
http://www.scriptcity.com
About LifeTips
Now one of the top on-line publishers in the world, LifeTips offers tips to millions of monthly visitors. Our mission mission is to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Expert writers earn dough for what they know. And exclusive sponsors in each niche topic help us make-it-all happen.
| Guru Spotlight |
| Alexis Niki |
