In this week’s subscriber exclusive post, I wanted to share some of the notes I gave during my 1:1 consults and script notes sessions recently. I think they’re universally applicable, and will help you on your screenwriting journey as much as they helped my clients!
This week, I gave notes on a drama feature, an hour long pilot, a half hour pilot, and a short film. I also had a 1:1 consult session where I helped a writer flesh out some idea nuggets to bring to the script stage.
The thing about most of the scripts I read? You can tell whoever wrote them is a good writer! The dialogue feels natural. The action lines are engaging. Everything’s formatted correctly.
BUT, the recurring thing I see in beginner scripts is that, while the writing is solid, there isn’t a good grasp on structure.
And when I talk about structure, I’m not talking about inciting incidents or falling action or the 8 sequence method. The way that I think about structure is very much the way that Craig Mazin describes it on this episode of the Script Notes Podcast.
Structure is all about CHARACTER WANTS and PLANS and those inform PLOT.
Script structure is what makes a screenplay sing… and what opens doors in the industry. Without it, scripts feel aimless. It becomes a collection of scenes—well-written scenes, yes!—where nothing really happens. There’s no propulsion. No obstacles. No antagonist.
If this sounds like your script, you’re in luck! Because, in my opinion (and in the opinion of some other pros below) it is one of the most teachable components of screenwriting.