“The more original a discovery, the more obvious it seems afterwards.” – Arthur Koestler
This list by screenwriting teacher Michael Hauge shouldn’t be necessary. His tips here are so obvious that anyone writing a screenplay should just know them instinctively.
Right. And Kansas was a lock to win this year’s NCAA Tournament.
Take special note of tip #4 from this list which is a close relative of the old screenwriting axiom – enter late, leave early. So many screenplays I read spend a great amount of ink on “hello, how are you?” lines. Instead of describing how two people meet each other, it’s more efficient to jump right into the conversation that necessitates the scene’s inclusion in the screenplay.
Of course, all bets are off on first drafts. I break many of these rules in the first draft or two, but when the screenplay reaches the point where I’m ready to expose it to other eyes, I’d better have eliminated all violations. If not, shame on me.
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