You write the script… But Get Feedback!
If you write, then the answer is easy… write the script yourself. But try to get feedback on it from outside sources before you start to produce it because sometimes when you are really close to the material, it’s hard to spot major problems.
Just be sure to bring your script to people who are generally encouraging to your success. Negative people will shoot down everything, even if it’s great.
EXAMPLE: Someone in Hollywood recently sent out the script to Casablanca under a different title to studio execs and every one of them returned it with a rejection note saying that the story was bad and the dialogue was corny. I’m not saying that studio execs are negative, but it is their job to shoot bad projects down. Unfortunately, they often shoot down the good ones, too.
If I am considering investing money (my own or other people’s money) into a creative idea or project, I bring it to people whose opinion I respect and trust and request that they gently give me information like:
- “What DOESN’T work in this script, reel, picture, etc?”
- “What do you think WON’T work?”
- “Where do you foresee problems?”
I like to form the question in a way that welcomes negative feedback.
This allows my ego to not feel so bruised when someone DOES tell me what doesn’t work, which is valuable, as long as the comments are specific and intended to help.
An example of BAD feedback would be: “It Sucks. Don’t use the script. I don’t like it and it’s terrible.” There’s nothing in this statement that would allow you to improve and it sound pretty hurtful.
Phrasing questions in negative form also gives the person you are requesting information from to speak honestly and give real feedback. They feel comfortable giving truthful, honest, not-always-positive feedback, and frankly, I would rather hear it from a trusted friend BEFORE I invest time, money, emotion and energy, than to put my resources toward a project that is sub-par, or could have been better if I had foreseen the road bumps beforehand.
You will find that once you start producing, people will say “the script is great” even if it’s not because these people don’t want to discourage you. They want to be nice. And they don’t want to miss out on a chance to possibly join in on the project, or be “That Guy” that said that the script for the next Casablanca (your script) is terrible.
On the other end, there are a lot of writers who can’t handle constructive criticism and take personally, so it’s just easier to say, “I liked it…” and to leave it at that, instead of continuing the statement with, “I liked it… but…”
A lot of writers also argue with the criticism and justify what is in the script. I think this is not helpful because the script should be able to stand on its own without the writer standing over it saying, “Well, what the mirror on page 5 really meant was that the woman was reflecting on her life as a dancer…”
In the instances that I am working with a more sensitive writer, I am still honest with my feedback, but I am kind in the way I say it. This is how I would want to receive feedback.
My point is that I think its great that you are writing the screenplay. Check in with others and get feedback because sometimes it can be challenging to objectively assess our own work. If it goes over well with a few people, then you’re good to go!
