Script Lab is dedicated to developing great screenplays!

But what is a great screenplay?

One that gets the movie made and guides the cast and crew to produce a fabulous film that is seen and appreciated by hordes of movie lovers.

While a script’s value is often discounted by the movie-going public, as well as critics, filmmakers are aware that the screenplay is a key element to making a viable film.

For one thing, a film is often financed on the basis of the script. It’s the script that entices name actors to commit to the project, and perhaps the director too.

For me, a great script is one that informs the filmmakers to such a degree that they can see the movie in their minds. If by some mischance all copies of the screenplay were lost, the filmmakers should still be able to go out and make a great film, once they’ve read and digested the script. Sure, the dialogue would be different, and probably not as good, and some of the scenes would change as well. But a great screenplay creates a sense of shared vision that informs everyone working on it, from the investors to the distribution team.

Over recent years there’s been an emphasis on script development, especially in the US, UK and Australia, where I am based. The idea that screenplays need to be nurtured and developed has taken hold – which is great! But we must never lose sight of the central aim of a screenplay, which is to be turned into a completed film. For some screenwriters, that means letting go, allowing the film to morph into a different beast (particularly if the writer is not the director.)

As has been said many times over, nobody is born with the innate ability to write a screenplay, in part because it is a technical document. And these days script readers are looking for an excuse to stop reading – so that means you can’t have typos, confusing descriptions, florid dialogue, or excessive length. Some assessors even insist that the inciting incident is on page 5, the first act concludes around page 25, and so on. The challenge for a writer is to remain true to your creative urges, obey your muse, while working within a restrictive set of technical requirements. No wonder people find it tough!

Script Lab aims to help writers, be they writer-writers, writer-directors or writer-producers, to advance their project on the page, in order to create the best possible outcome. To achieve this aim, Script Lab offers a range of development services to  screenwriters and screenwriting teams who are focused on improving their work.

For more info, please contact us at info@scriptlab.com.au. We look forward to hearing from you!