These Scripts Defy Screenplay Formatting
Where Caleb reveals what 'Modern' Screenwriting means to him
My name is Caleb Dillon. I am 43 years old, and I am a screenwriter.
I read a respectful number of scripts each year, well over a hundred. Reading scripts keeps your ego in check; when you read a writer that astounds you on the page, it humbles you. Reading also teaches you how screenwriting trends evolve over time.
Today I’m going to tell you about two scripts that changed the way I think about literally everything when it comes to what I call Modern Screenwriting, and why his phrase has merit to me. Modern Screenwriting isn’t just a catchy phrase; it’s a mantra.
In my writer’s group last night I casually heard someone say that they didn’t read many scripts. Don’t worry, this isn’t a lecture about reading more scripts (though for a minute, you probably worried it was). I do think writers should read more scripts. I think there is great value is reading how someone presents information on the page, instead of simply watching the finished product, i.e., the show or movie.
I also think there is incalculable value in reading a script WHILE watching the media it created, and trying to figure out how and why the material was altered, and if this made the script better or worse. TROY is one of my favorite historical epics ever, full stop. Watching the film while reading the script was very useful exercise in what was cut, what was trimmed, and what was moved around. Worth a few hours of your life.
I did the same thing with the pilot What We Do In The Shadows and learned what a terrible formatter Jermaine Clement is. You can’t learn that from watching the show, nor frankly does his formatting faux-paus have any impact on that delightful show.
The screenwriting medium evolves slower than most. While other mediums like art and photography seem to embrace change and evolve, Hollywood likes to keep things the way they are and readers prefer the ‘classic’ form of screenwriting. Nevertheless, trends come and go, styles change, and slowly but surely the medium has evolved.
FADE IN: isn’t used much anymore, neither is CUT TO: for that matter. Bolding slug lines was the flavor of the day a few years back, and, for a hot minute everyone was writing like Shane Black. Sometimes these changes lead to confusion, like the use of CONTINOUS, SAME TIME, and LATER in what used to be either DAY or NIGHT.
What script readers really want are three things:
A respect for the medium, and for them as readers
Consistency in your formatting
A clean, easy to read script: including but not limited to good white balance, a reasonable page count, good grammar as well as pacing, tone, and your voice.
In general, this is all good advice and not alienating your reader is a good goal. That being said, I am a firm believer that mediums should evolve to suit the needs of the creator, and that arbitrary, antiquated rules aren’t helping anybody. Rules make people feel safe, but scripts that break a few rules tend to stick with you. Case in point…
When I read the next two scripts, every thing I had come to believe about screenwriting went out the window, in a good way.
KATE by Umair Aleem is a 2017 Blacklist Script and more importantly, a 2021 film on Netflix. The film did not redefine media; like much streaming media it was a flash in the pan. It wasn’t terribly well received by the public either, with middling to low scores on sites like IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes. But don’t let the film fool you; this was one of the most brilliant, most engaging scripts I ever read, full stop.
The script really defies formatting conventions at every turn, refuses to use sluglines, minimal action lines, and yet the 121 pages just fly by. It’s brilliant. And while I definitely think they reformatted for the production draft, the reader draft is, to this day, my favorite script reading experience so far. The writer understood the medium enough to know just how to bend it, just how to flex it, and keep the story moving.
And while the final film differs significantly from the script (and I could argue to the detriment of the film), the script itself is as close to poetry or Haiku as anything I have seen in a script. The way the script played with format challenged me as a writer about how to think about writing. I challenge you to read just five pages and see how you feel.
Let the Evil Go West by Carlos Rios is a delightful blend of a supernatural thriller and a traditional western. It feels perhaps inspired by the Coen brothers, but it is it’s own thing. It burned one entire page to teach one simple format change, which I impart to you now:
This is how Rios redefined scene headings. This simple convention ensured you always knew what time of day it was, and more importantly, kept you immersed in the read. Slugs are, by default a sort of necessarily evil in a screenplay. Most readers would agree that immersion is important. It’s why, at it’s core, formatting is so important; anything you can do to keep the reader immersed is a good thing. Any sort of clunky formatting takes them out of the read faster. This scene heading change solved both problems- deceptively elegant, and completely immersive.
Both of these scripts are excellent reads, and had they been formatted in a more traditional way, they would have likely still been excellent. But would they have stood out? Probably not as much. And both of these writers have seen their careers grow as a result of these scripts.
So what’s the takeaway?
Well, firstly, READ. Good scripts, bad scripts, unproduced scripts, produced scripts, just read. You don’t have to read 100 scripts a year, read 10, or even just five! They’re literally everywhere on the internet.
Reading other peoples script is a great way to connect with other writers, build writers groups, and just see what is out there. Coverfly X has a great readership sharing platform, where you can literally earn credit towards having your own scripts read! Read about fifty scripts for Austin and guess what, you can go to the Austin Film Festival (read 100ish for all the perks). Read for an internship and you’ll literally see what’s out on the market.
The real reason to read is to get a broader understanding of screenwriting today, not screenwriting from decades ago. The medium evolves, has evolved, continues to do so. Staying current is the goal. Getting invested in a great story is a great perk, though.
You know how formatting evolves? By thousands of writers, just like you, slowly changing your script to emulate and surpass your peers. The more this happens, the more readers accept the changes and eventually, the more they become the new normal. It’s okay to play with format, just be consistent, be clear, and be bold.
Tell me about a script that changed your life! I’d love to find more of these raw gems.
My name is Caleb Dillon. I am a screenwriter seeking representation. Thanks for reading and happy writing.