The Game Plan

The market for banger scripts is peaking because streaming services are ravenous. About 10,000 flicks get made globally every year. In the States, the WGA clocks 50,000 scripts annually, but only around 200 actually make it.

You have to serve three masters: The Money, The Talent, and The Public. You also have to ghost the bouncer—the coverage reader. They can't greenlight your flick, but they can kill it before it's even born. Rejection is 95% of the game; find your unique voice and don't be a hoser.

All story logic should spring from character, not plot. Conflict is the engine of all narrative—without it, you've got zero story. The equation is simple: Define the need, create the obstacle.

You need stakes, tension, and emotional investment. A protagonist needs a goal, and an antagonist needs to be the bouncer standing in the way. If you don't hook the audience emotionally, your script is a dud.

Ideas rarely show up fully formed. Don't stress finding a "STORY"; look for a "narrative springboard" like a crazy character or a mental location. Observe, listen, and read for conflict.

Ask the choice question: "What if?" You need to be passionate about the idea, or the audience won't give a toss. If the ending is too easy for you, it'll be boring for the viewer.

Nail your signposts: Starting, First Act Break, Midpoint, Second Act Break, and the End. Hook the reader in the first 10 pages. By page 17, your protagonist needs to make a decision that irresistibly pulls them down an unalterable path. Aim for 100-105 pages of gold.

Theme is the underlying idea that unites the plot and character. It’s what your film is actually about emotionally. It serves as a compass to keep your story pointed true north. Don't preach it through characters; let the audience find it through the plot.

Moments make the movie. Every scene needs an objective and should move the story forward. A pro tip? End every scene with a "but" or a "therefore" to maintain forward motion. Sequences are just a series of scenes joined by a single thought.

Character becomes story. Don't just make them serve the narrative; let their actions create the plot. Give your protagonist a defining entrance that speaks to who they are instantly.

Use the Physiology, Psychology, and Sociology model to build them out. You should know your character so well you know how they'd make a tuna sandwich.

Dialogue is character in action. Master subtext—the meaning underneath the words. Exposition is the enemy, but it's necessary; learn how to lay "pipe" without being obvious.

Read your dialogue out loud, bro. If it sounds like a hoser wrote it, fix it. Don't be afraid of silence or awkward beats—they can be more powerful than words.

Whose eyes are we seeing through? POV is crucial for revealing the plot and connecting emotionally. Whether it's omniscient or subjective, your decision should prioritize the most effective way to parse out information.

Comedy is just tragedy plus time. The narrative needs are identical—define the need, create the obstacle. Don't be scared of taboo topics; flaws are funny. Ground absurdity in reality so it hits.

High concept is a premise you can pitch in one sentence. "A lawyer who can't tell a lie." Choice. Understand your genre's tropes so you can advance them with your own voice. The concept is the star.

Presentation is everything. Typos and munted margins tell the bouncer you're an amateur. No one ever lost their job by saying "no" to a script. Write visually, make the scenes flow, and don't be afraid of discipline and routine.