How much direction do you put into your screenplay or stage play? What is too much?
We've all seen the published versions of scripts with loads of italics, i.e., directions to the actors or descriptions of the characters or of the scenes. However, in those published versions, these are usually there for the readers, not necessarily there for actors and crews.
Many times, particularly with stage scripts, the italics describe the set and the movements made by the original cast when the play was first performed. These are not always possible to duplicate exactly, depending on the stage, the company's financial and physical resources, the actors' abilities, and the director's vision. But they do help the reader (actor, director, stage manager, or theater lover) to envision what is, or could be, occurring on the stage.
So when you're writing such directions and descriptions, how much is enough? Have you included enough? Have you written too much?
Unfortunately, for those looking for specific direction, the answer is, "It depends." I know that sounds vague and unhelpful, but there are reasons for each situation. And there are also different audiences to be considered.
Is this a reading or spec script, as opposed to a shooting or production script? If so, then your audience is probably a script reader, who may be some junior-level employee assigned to rate scripts against a specific set of criteria. If the script passes that level, then it's on to the next, and so on. Rarely does a script go straight to a director, producer, or editor.
When these readers are going through the piles of scripts that are submitted, some of the things they're looking at are:
- Does the script flow well? Is it an easy read?
- Do the characters stand out?
- Is the plot well structured?
- Does the script hold the reader's interest? Is it a page-turner?
And as they read these, they need to quickly identify if these criteria are met, and whether they should a) read the complete script, and b) recommend it up to the next level. It's not uncommon for a script to have just the first few pages read before being rejected. Having been on that side of the business, I have read many scripts where the first pages showed a lack of grammar, storyline, familiarity with the genre or subject matter, or many other aspects, and I did not complete the script.
This leads to a side note about the first 10 pages: They should be killer! They should knock the reader's socks off! Just as a cover letter's purpose is to get the prospect to read the enclosed material, the first pages of a script should capture the reader's interest and motivate them to continue reading.
In the next article, we will delve into the specific areas of actor directions, character descriptions, and setting descriptions.
