John August

QandA

How to write romance

Genres, QandA

questionmarkI’m writing a romantic movie, but the last days I have been thinking if the story is credible or not. What do I have to do to write a credible romantic story?

— Stefano Vettorazzi Campos
Uruguay

You have to make us care whether the two lead characters end up together, which is really two requirements:

1. **Characters we give a shit about.** They don’t need to be likable, necessarily, but they need to be compelling. We need to be curious about what they’re going to do next.

2. **A credible reason to keep them apart.** This could be almost anything — war, prejudice, a sinking boat — but if we don’t buy it, you’re toast.

I’d argue that #2 is actually more important than #1.

Cast some attractive actors and we’ll want to see them kiss. But I get angry watching romances in which the hurdles are set too low. If there’s nothing stopping the characters from running off to live happily ever after at the midpoint, why bother?

What belongs on a title page?

Formatting, QandA

questionmarkI have a spec script I would like to send to some producers. I have read conflicting information online as to what should be included. For those of us who don’t have an agent, definitely include an address and a phone number. But what about an email? And WGA registration information? A copyright notice?

I read that it looks amateurish to put WGA information on the title page. If not there, where would it go? Thanks!

— Mike
Fargo, ND

You never need to put WGA registration numbers on the title page (or anywhere else on the script). And while legally it could be helpful to include a copyright notice, no one ever does this.

Check through any of the .pdfs in the Library, and you’ll see that title pages are kept minimal: the name of the script, your name, based on (if any), and the date. ((It’s common practice to bump the dates on spec scripts up so that they don’t appear “old.”))

If it’s truly a spec script — and you’re not sure who will ultimately be reading it — then add contact information in the bottom-left corner. To me, an email address is plenty, but add a phone number if you like.

I don’t see the point of including a street or postal address. Are you expecting guests or flowers?

There has traditionally been a bias against phone numbers outside LA’s traditional 213, 323 and 818 area codes. I think that’s fading as people hold onto cell phones and Google Voice numbers. But I’ll always harbor doubts about anyone with a Hotmail, AOL or RoadRunner address.

If you have an embarrassing email address, get something staid and boring at Gmail.

Discover the basics of title page formatting here!

How to write on the spine of a script

Film Industry

Back in my ramen days as a young screenwriter, I used to marvel at colleagues’ script libraries, shelves of brass-bradded screenplays generally organized by writer. They were a status symbol. “Oh, you haven’t read POINT BREAK?” they would ask, finger hovering by the title. “You know James Cameron did a rewrite.”

Screenplays were a physical *thing* to be borrowed and traded and photocopied. Moving from one apartment to another — young Los Angelenos generally relocate annually — meant hauling file boxes of scripts. Reading meant heavy lifting.

Now, of course, in the age of iPads and .pdfs, printed scripts are much less important. A shelf full of old screenplays feels quaint, bordering on out-of-touch, much like boasting about one’s CD collection.

I’ll gladly take convenience over nostalgia.

Still, there are times you do need a printed script. For example, production drafts are increasingly only distributed on paper, in order to reduce the chance of leaking on the internet. Or you may have so many hand-written notes in a script that it’s important to retain the physical draft.

Based on some printed scripts I’ve seen recently, a related skill may be on verge of being lost forever: writing neatly on the spine of a script.

Here’s a quick tutorial.

1. Remove any brads or binder clips.
2. Hold the script by the top and bottom.
3. Slam it hard on its left edge. Do it twice or three times if you need to let out some steam. You want every page to be absolutely flush.
4. Put the script near the edge of the table.
5. Pushing down with your non-writing hand to keep the pages pressed firmly together, write the title on the edge with a Sharpie. Include date or draft if applicable.
6. Restore brads or clips.

YES:

proper spine writing

NO:

bad spine writing

If you’re pretty sure a script will go from your hands to the recycling bin, don’t bother labeling it. Any script that is going to be stacked, shelved or filed should be labelled on its spine.

Screenplays are now often printed two-sided, which means they’re half as thick as they used to be. That’s okay. Same technique still works — just write smaller.

Advice for Canadian criminals

Film Industry, International, QandA

questionmarkI’m a Canadian screenwriter with a criminal record, so I can’t go to the U.S. Is there the slightest possibility I could still sell specs in Hollywood without ever setting a foot there?

— Gaetan

Nothing’s impossible.

Thirty seconds of Googling suggests your criminal record is probably more akin to civil disobedience than, say, punching orphans. I wouldn’t count out the possibility of your coming to the U.S. at some point. With the right (expensive) legal assistance, many problems can be resolved.

In the meantime, yes, you could write and sell a spec from Canada. You’re at a disadvantage to be sure, but you’re really no worse off than the budding screenwriter determined to stay in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Remember that specs are not a screenwriter’s bread-and-butter. Landing assignments and setting up pitches requires meetings. It would be hard to develop an ongoing screenwriting career without being able to meet face-to-face.

Screenwriters are ultimately part of a larger filmmaking community, and if you can’t live in Los Angeles, you would be well-served getting involved with the French-Canadian productions shooting near you.