Twitter Screenwriting Tips: Opening Scenes that Grab You
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Grab the reader by the throat. That's what you want, especially on page one. Those first few pages make all the difference in giving the reader confidence to keep turning the page.
Scott Beck and Bryan Woods @beckandwoods, writers and producers of A Quiet Place, tweeted out an image of the first page of The Sixth Sense, written by M. Night Shyamalan. (We have a great interview of Beck & Woods here.)
We zoomed in on the scene they were referring to:
Awesome example!
The lesson? There are two.
1. Write an amazing opening. One the reader can't resist.
2. Read scripts written by talented writers. If you aren't sure how to find scripts to read, I share tips in "How to Find Professional Scripts to Download."
Try to read as often as you can. I promise, seeing how the pros do it will improve your writing. You should read scripts from bad movies, too, then analyze why you think it didn't work.
The other value in reading scripts that have been produced is seeing how the director and actors interpreted the words on the page. I even read a script while I'm watching the movie. A great lesson in production!
If you want more tips on writing opening scenes, Danny Manus wrote a great article here.
Make sure to follow our growing list of Twitter accounts that inspire us... but don't spend all day on Twitter! Get your ass in the chair to write!
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