Translate ideas into words, words into story, story into script.

Identify story themes and strengthen your story.

Write ‘muscular,’ credible dialogue.

Flesh out characters and restructure plot.

Increase humor, excitement, entertainment.

Meet and exceed the producer’s expectations.

Get your script sold or made into a movie.

Principles. Throw away the formulas. Learn and apply the principles.

Tension. The success of a movie usually comes from the tension between what we see happening in a scene and what the characters are saying. Never say with dialogue that which can be said with the camera.

Theme. The engine that drives a story is its underlying theme or themes. For example, the theme of ‘Little Red Ridinghood’ is, if you are too naïve for this world you will be eaten by wolves. Know and define your themes. Eliminate that which is not ‘on theme’. What is left is the ‘story spine’.

Plot. The purpose of plot is to test the mettle of character. The first act introduces characters and circumstances. In second act the protagonists are tested by the antagonists. The third act is the results of the tests. This is your ‘story arc’. Cut out all that is not on ‘arc’ as it weakens your story.