Tuesday, August 12, 2014

First 10 pages are the most important!

Make your first 10 pages great!
Grabbing and holding your readers interest in such a short amount of time is a crucial skill to master.  Your screenplay depends on how well you establish characters we are meant to care about and the world they live in.  You have to introduce the central theme of the story, teach the rules and above all else, entertain.
Within the first 10 pages of a screenplay you have to make a promise to your reader.  “Stick with me and I promise you won’t be disappointed.”  Of course, there are screenplays with exceptional openings and fizzle in the end.  There’s nothing more frustrating than a broken promise.  That’s why it’s important to remember that writing 10 fantastic pages great merely hooks your readers in.  You still have to deliver 80-110 pages of cinematic genius worthy of a readers time. Every page matters.  Every word matters.
However, you have to gain the readers trust in order to convince them to give your 11th page a shot.
Below you’ll find a huge collection of articles to help make your first 10 pages great.  Read them all.  Then write!
The Secret to a Great First 10 Pages | Script Shadow
Your First Ten Pages Can’t Suck | The Bitter Script Reader
The First Ten Pages | Ruth Atkinson
Why Your First 10 Pages Count | Gideon’s Screenwriting Tips
The First 10 Pages | Danny Stack
Your First 10 Pages | Movie Outline
The First Act: Starting Strong | LA Screenwriter

No comments:

Post a Comment