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  3-act structure act one adaptation character consultancy dialogue dramatic irony format formatting happy ending hero's journey high concept kuleshov layout mckee michael hauge mid-point outline pitching Point of View protagonist ratatouille robert mckee scene screenplay screenwriters screenwriting script script development selling slug line software step outline story consultancy story structure synopsis The Inciting Incident The Logline The Plot Point turning point

Zinneman called it a ‘necessary evil’ and wordsmith par excellence David Mamet says: “A good film script should be able to do completely without dialogue.“ I am not an expert, not even a native English speaker and I most certainly lack a deep knowledge of vocabulary. My passion is for story and structure. So much for the disclaimers.

But as you’re asking about dialogue, here are some principles that I have observed in great screenplays. And yes: more often than not when writers draw the attention to their dialogue, the story doesn’t work.

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The first step for many aspiring screenwriters is to purchase a piece of pricey screenwriting software.

Some call it retail therapy.

You are not a screenwriter until you have made that sacrifice, until you have invested money in your career, right?

I call it a waste of $250.

Your first draft should be a quick and dirty braindump. “Don’t get it right, get it written,” dixit Art Arthur.

Of course, it has its advantages to write your first draft in some sort of a script format. See it as an exercise in format and style, plus you have a rough idea of the screen time.

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