By Michael Schilf · April 4, 2010
Writing a feature film script has a very specific structure, with acts, sequences, plot points, scenes, etc. And all of these elements follow a defined form, in which our cinematic story must be told – a visual story between 90 and 120 pages. That’s not a lot of pages.
Therefore, we must be acutely concerned with screenplay management, a.k.a. script economy.
Sure, you’re telling a story, but you don’t have time to discover your way. You must know it. And you must be prudent as you go: start your story as late as you can, begin each scene at the last possible moment, get out of scenes as early as possible. Use spacing on the page for emphasis, pacing, and rhythm. Limit your description paragraphs to three or four lines. And pay homage to the coveted white space.
Michael Schilf · April 3, 2010
