Thursday, October 18, 2012

The Bitter Script Reader: What screenwriting style or voice should ...

?Adam writes in with a question:

With screenwriting as a hobby, I read screenplays online. One thing that stands out to me is the prose or voice that the writer uses. I know it's really down to writing style, but when I'm reading a script (like DOOM) which has this arrogant, douchebag prose, it's fairly annoying to read. For example, the Social Network screenplay has this simple, descriptive style shot through the description. Yeah, the latter was written by Aaron Sorkin himself, and it's a lot less action oriented than the former, but do you have a professional opinion on the writing style to use?

Another easy one - whichever voice comes to you naturally. If you're uncomfortable with a particular writing style, don't try to emulate it because your own voice will never come through.? It'll feel forced and hackneyed and it'll be harder to figure out what YOU bring to this script.

Every reader probably sees dozens of scripts a year where the writer has tried to ape Shane Black's style of talking to the reader and failed miserably at it.? It's sort of like when you read a story from someone trying to evoke '30s pulp novels with detectives and gangsters.? The prose all reads as purple because the best the writer can do is imitate rather than immerse.

And frankly, some of this will also depend on the tone and the style of the movie.? A balls-to-the-wall action movie like DOOM might benefit from an in-your-face style of writing that is in the spirit of the film.? I doubt you'd want to use that tone for a more intimate drama like SMASHED, though.

Source: http://thebitterscriptreader.blogspot.com/2012/10/what-screenwriting-style-or-voice.html

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