Like in any other piece of writing, having errors in your script can be annoying, and if your hope was to receive a call from one of the producers you presented your work to, that might never happen. You could have had a great screenplay, but a few mistakes here and there put off a proofreader who thought you didn’t take your time to look at your final work. If you want to take your screenplay to the next stage, which is production, here are the most common screenwriting mistakes that you should avoid.
Exceedingly Elaborating the Characters
Giving too many details about a character such as race, height, his/her eye color, to list just a few, doesn’t add so much value to the script. Don’t restrict some of the details to a certain persona unless that is what will drive the story. Some of the things are better off done by the costume designer. On the other hand, giving your characters androgynous names doesn’t also work in scripts. Giving a male character a feminine name might not be a good decision. Remember, the reader doesn’t know much about the character, they might get confused, which should never be the case.
A Scene Beginning With an Exchange
Don’t be tempted to begin with an exchange right from the start of a scene. You are better off introducing the scene mid-conflict, but also be careful not to lose your audience. Introducing and ending a scene requires skill to ensure every bit of the story is flawlessly connected to each other.
Typos
If you want readers to reject your script as soon as they get hold of it, typos will help you achieve that. Typos are a great put off, and they expose your weaknesses as a scriptwriter. They might not make your script less captivating, but they don’t inspire anyone having trust in you. Before submitting your work, it is always good to proofread it. If you have to make proofreading software, your friend. Don’t ruin the potential of your script being adopted for production through mistakes you could have avoided.
Failing to Make the Actual Scene Clear
Every bit of the scene has to be precise. Let whoever is reading your script visualize that particular event taking place right at that moment. Let him/her have a feel of what the film is going to look like just by reading the script. If the scenes aren’t described as they happen, it beats the whole purpose of having a script.