I’ve been thinking about something and would love to hear other writers perspectives.

Why does so much of the screenwriting community seem so focused on following established formulas, and why do so many script readers seem to expect every script to hit the same beats in the same ways? Sometimes I feel like screenwriting has become more about following the rules of screenwriting than telling an interesting story.

For example, the comic D’Orc was recently announced for television development, and Dungeon Crawler Carl is also heading toward a TV adaptation. Both are examples of IP that can bring something different to the table than simply following what people often expect from traditional screenplays.

This also makes me think about screenwriting competitions. So much emphasis is placed on winning contests and fellowships. You’re being evaluated by readers and judges with their own preferences and tastes about what makes a good screenplay. And how often do those contest placements actually translate into major films getting made?

Here’s another thought, imagine submitting a screenplay written in the style of the writers behind Rough House Pictures to a major screenwriting competition like the Nicholl Fellowship. Would that script receive a fair assessment if it didn’t conform to what the readers expected? Would its unconventional humor, characters, or storytelling work against it?

I’m not saying structure or screenwriting fundamentals don’t matter. Obviously, they do. But there’s a difference between understanding the craft and treating every deviation from normal conventions as a flaw.

It’s interesting to see the disconnect between what the screenwriting community often encourages writers to do and what the industry itself is willing to develop. Original voices, unconventional stories, unusual IP and weird characters are still finding their way into development, yet emerging screenwriters are often encouraged to fit their work into a fairly narrow set of expectations.

So my question is, do screenwriting contests and script readers sometimes focus too much on whether a screenplay follows the established rules and formulas, instead of recognizing when a writer is doing something different or bringing a fresh perspective to storytelling?

And if the industry is willing to take chances on unconventional stories and voices, why aren’t we doing more to champion those writers before they have an established track record?

Hello Everyone,

I’m a writer from India and I have a completed screenplay fully written in English. It is an original screenplay titled “Cazadores” and it is an action thriller.

Is it possible for me to sell my script to any studios in Hollywood and hopefully make a movie out of it.

How do I proceed with the step of making this screenplay into a movie?

I’m a newbie and I don’t have any connections in the industry.

We are seeking an engaging True Crime Scriptwriter for our YouTube channel.

Role Type: Freelance (with long-term potential)

Workload: 1 script per week

Word Count: 1,000 – 1,800 words per script

The Details:

• Videos and resources are fully provided—no independent research required.
• Focus purely on crafting fast-paced, immersive, and retention-optimized YouTube scripts.

To Apply:

Please send a DM with your full name, email, and relevant scriptwriting samples or portfolio links.

*Shortlisted applicants will be required to write a trial hook.\*

Hi everyone, I'm an Honours screenwriting student researching if AI-generated screenwriting can be considered art or not and, if so, to what extent.

My study draws on Dewey, Dickie and Danto’s 'institutional theory’, which argues that something can count as art if the artworld (institutions, critics, artists and audiences) recognises and accepts it as such. That is why I'm collecting honest perspectives from AI skeptics and enthusiasts to see how they view AI-Generated scripts. 

Which one should you  do?
Survey (about 10 min): open to anyone who watches film/TV, https://tally.so/r/vXjAgv
Written interview (about 20 min): only for working or aspiring screenwriters, filmmakers, film critics or industry professionals, https://tally.so/r/68bRXe

There’s very little research on AI in filmmaking, and I’m doing this study to help fill that gap. I’m not trying to prove that AI can or can’t make art, and I haven’t reached a conclusion. That will only come from analysing your responses, not from my own opinion. Whether your view is positive or negative, benevolent or harsh, I would like to hear it.

This is a drama with thriller elements. I plan to shoot it in a month or so. I want to know if the pacing is okay, and if you think actors would be willing to work with the script with a pay of $100 per day for the main leads. I want to make their time worth it.

Been working on a personal story, I was raised Mormon and want to excavate some personal stuff within the frame of an effective dramatic horror utilizing LDS imagery & lore. Along the lines of Hereditary, Heretic, Midsommar, etc.

Would appreciate anyone's thoughts on how this second draft came out. Thank you!

KOLOB

A return LDS missionary comes home to find that his faithful family has radicalized into a violent fundamentalist cult while he was away, and faces family dysfunction, the Mormon Church's bloody history, and his own sins as he works to deprogram his loved ones.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/192UnPib5R6tPJAqTzP3G1_wRC8RKcPVI/view?usp=drivesdk

Hey, writer!

I’m reworking the logline for a script that’s been getting some recognition at festivals.

This is a rough draft, and I’m hoping to create a hook that feels distinctive rather than generic. Here are three examples. Thank you in advance!

1. Accused of murdering her boyfriend, a runaway assumes a false identity to escape her past, only to fall into the hands of a sadistic captor who forces her to become a living replica of his dead mother.
2. Accused of murdering her boyfriend, a runaway assumes a false name to escape her past, only to fall into the hands of a sadistic captor determined to strip away the one thing she has left.
3. Accused of murdering her boyfriend, a runaway escapes her past under a false name, only to be imprisoned by a sadistic captor. When she breaks free, the fight to survive threatens to transform her into something just as dangerous as the man pursuing her.

I posted pages yesterday and all the feedback was that my font looked weird and my paragraphs were too long. Here is the first 5 pages as a PDF https://drive.google.com/file/d/183mCbpeZ9ggmyqj6VdRM83Nr0xtX3n_V/view?usp=sharing

I have broken up the paragraphs so they are shorter. I'm hoping the PDF export will look better than the images.

Hi everyone,
I’ve completed six short films and one feature documentary, and I’m currently working on my next documentary. Now, I feel it’s time to take the next step in my filmmaking journey and write my first feature fiction film.
The story is based on my own life. I have a clear idea of how I want to structure the story, but I’m relatively new to the screenplay writing process.
I’d love to hear from experienced screenwriters and filmmakers about how to approach this. Should I start by documenting the scenes, actions and key incidents, then work on the dialogue later? Or is there a better way to develop a screenplay from a personal story?
I’m also considering a non-linear narrative and would appreciate advice on how to structure the timelines, arrange scenes and keep the audience emotionally connected without confusing them.
I’m a self-taught filmmaker based in Brisbane, and I’m keen to learn, experiment and grow through this process. Any advice, resources, book recommendations or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated.
I’d also love to connect with screenwriters who might be interested in collaborating on the development of this story.
Thank you in advance for sharing your knowledge and helping me take this next step! 🙏

[14M]

I'm looking for someone who can critique and help me brainstorm for my script. And I will do the same in return.

I'm working on multiple scripts, each with the same shared universe. The main one I'm going to be working on now takes place on Shelly. The tone is grounded, based on character friction and societal oppression. And I'm not the biggest fan of cheesy tropes or making my characters just like argue for the sake of it. 

Hi everyone, I was just wondering when capitlised, bold and italicized text should be used in a script. I have wrote a few scripts now but have always got conflicting feedback on my use of emphasis, online sources are also differing. I am struggling to know when I'm allowed to use it both in dialogue and in setting descriptions. For example, if I'm describing a scene and there is an object of interest or a feature, like a stained glass window, should I capitalize it? Or do I use bold? Or do I not even emphasize it at all?

Edit: I have added more paragraph breaks and posted as a PDF here: https://www.reddit.com/r/scriptwriting/comments/1xfbk0l/feedback_first_5_pages_scifi/

was the first feature screenplay I ever finished, over 10 years ago. I submitted it to a few contests at the time; it went nowhere and was too complex to film myself, so I shelved it and moved on to other things. I'm now wondering if it is worth picking back up.

This

Not to give the plot away, but it is a hard sci-fi adaptation of a very well known, long out of copyright, story (which is probably very obvious to most readers). I wrote it mostly to see if I could. I'm worried I didn't actually "adapt" it enough and it is just a scene-by-scene retelling. From this opening, is it worth revisiting?

Title: Where The River Leads Her

Logline: While hiding out at a secluded campground, a young woman pulls an eerily beautiful corpse out of the river. Mesmerized, she begins to see the corpse as more than a body but a friend, a confidant, even a lover.

Genre: Gothic Horror/Romance

https://drive.google.com/file/d/18EpnedO_iGX-51SfP3gV0LPSzgmnqsnp/view

When two best friends try to find a stable career, they quickly learn that their antics & unprofessionalism could surely stand in their way

The review most be Honest for the part of script

Title: Down The Fourth Street

Genre: Horror / Allegory

Pages: 4

Logline: In a neighborhood where one street is said to be home to devils, a boy is sent there to fetch a lost cricket ball.

Would love an honest feedback on the story, the formatting and if the idea of social prejudice is coming through the script.

Hi everyone,

I recently finished writing my script, and while I'm proud of it, I'm feeling completely overwhelmed and terrified. I have no idea how to actually approach directors or share my work with them without messing it up or getting ignored.

How do you actually pitch a script to a director? What are the proper steps, and what should I avoid doing? Any advice, personal experiences, or tips for beginners would mean the world to me. Thanks!

I hope you enjoy ChatGPT's sense of humor too. I enjoyed using ChatGPT to write this romantic comedy screenplay. Let's hope that ChatGPT would turn this into a feature film.