Get an honest opinion from your true friends

If you’re working on a screenplay that you want an opinion on, the best people to ask are your friends. And I’m not talking about your friends from work or your classmate friends, I’m talking about your lifelong friends. The friends that you would get into a fist fight for. They’re the ones who will give you their honest opinions because no matter what they say, you’ll still be friends. The “other” friends will try not to hurt your feelings or burn a potential bridge.

And you as a screenwriter will know that they’re providing real opinions because you trust them. But just because your friends suggest something doesn’t mean you have to change things. Remember that you are the film maker and ultimately make the final decision but getting an outside, honest point of view may help guide you if you are experiencing writer’s block.

For a screenplay, a live read through is also helpful especially with dialogue. You’ll notice things you didn’t when someone is actually reading what you wrote. This is helpful to avoid “fake” dialogue … the type of dialogue that makes you go, “Why are the characters talking like that? Nobody talks like that in real life!” — something which annoys me a lot.

01/16/2008 | Screenwriting | Comments

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