WRITING YOUR SCREENPLAY: DESCRIPTION
Should screenplays be considered literature?
The general consensus in the filmmaking community seems to be that if you want the focus to be on your words and your words alone, write a novel, a poem, a play. A screenplay is a blueprint, a game plan, a sketch to which other artists and collaborators are invited to complete the picture.
True, a script is meant to be rough, sparse and functional.
But rough, sparse and functional do not mean unimportant.
If you’re reading this, you know: The script is arguably the most critical element in making a good movie. You can’t really bake a cake without a recipe — and if it ain’t on the page, it ain’t on the… er… screen.
Screenplays ARE literature. They’re just a different kind of literature.
To write a movie is to clearly and compellingly express to a reader what they’re seeing, hearing and experiencing when they watch this movie on the screen.
Vivid, evocative language helps to create that picture and those feelings in the reader’s head. More than that, good prose makes a script enjoyable to read and can add a sense of gravitas and appeal to a project.
Writing with flair AND economy is a carefully cultivated skill. In this post, we’ll look at how screenplays across genres and styles pull it off. The aim is to give you tactics and inspiration in your own descriptions.
If you're looking to make the description more dynamic in your script, remember, good screenplay description:
Is sparse, free of clunky extra words
Brings the eye down the page with new lines being new actions or beats in the film (think: poetry, not detailed prose)
Sets the tone for the film (e.g. - if the film is a comedy, the description should make us giggle)
Hints rather than overly explains; emphasizes ONLY what we see and hear as we're watching this film
If you have questions about these or other scripts, as always send us an e-mail at library@wgfoundation.org.
Until next time, happy writing!
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