Neuroses

Ever since I started taking screenwriting seriously and reading script after script, I realize I've become a little neurotic. I find myself cringing at minor details that any normal person wouldn't even notice. But in this business, you kind of have to be neurotic, because everyone else is.

So here are some of the things that make me cringe, that most people would ignore.

1. The wrong font. Scripts should be in courier new size 12. Not in anything else. Just courier new. It is your friend.

2. Camera language. You don't look smarter for knowing what a Wide Angle is or a closeup. You look like you don't know what a screenwriter's job is and what a director's job is.

3. Underlined words. If we can't figure out the inflection in the dialogue from the words on the page, think about how to reconstruct the sentence so it's obvious. Again, you're a writer, not an actor.

4. Sluglines that aren't INT. LOCATION -- TIME or EXT. LOCATION -- TIME. Don't include extra info. Don't switch the order around. Don't forget to use a slugline.

5. Sluglines that say "INT. DARCY'S KITCHEN -- DAY" followed by, "Darcy is in her kitchen." Well, if she's anywhere on screen it's in her kitchen. We learned that from the slugline.

6. The wrong size brads. Now, I didn't know this a bit ago, and I panicked trying to find the right brads. They are Acco #5s, available special order from Staples or Office Depot or thewritersstore.com. They are not the same as Staples brands. I held both in my hand, and they are vastly different. #5s are 1 1/4 inch. And made of real brass. Use two of them, but punch 3 holes.

7. If you are submitting a script online, convert it a PDF. Not everyone has Final Draft or Moviemagic on their computers, and you don't want someone not to be able to open your script. A Word document will likely screw up your formatting. When I read scripts in Word, I know there are bound to be errors and pre-judge the script. Conversely, if there aren't any errors, I get thrilled that the writer really took the time to understand formatting and proofread, but that's not usually the case.

More to come later...but for now, those are things that drive me CRAZY when I'm reading a script.