Screenwriting : What characteristic is most important to you in your screenplay? by Steven Harris Anzelowitz

All of it. Has to be as complete as possible.

James- I agree.

Story theme has to move me. - then I'll deal with the rest of it.

The next scene can't be predictable.

I'm a fan of dialog. Poorly worded dialog is a poorly worded story that can kill things like structure, character arc, theme, etc. And this doesn't mean it has to have a lot of dialog but what dialog that's there needs a flow that is in tune.

Question 1 - I'll go with Professor Walter and say story is paramount. Question 2 - A registration of my copyright.

David- Please forgive my ignorance. Who is professor Walter?

Tim- I am a big fan of dialogue as well. But since I channel Mel Brooks and Woody Allen I am always looking for the funny. After all I can't get a laugh I might as well go back to telemarketing at CARNEGIE HALL. Yeech!

Aray- You are right they are ALL important. I just was curious if some of our fellow "HAPPY WRITERS" thought one aspect was more important. That's all. I think we can all agree that we want what we write to be the best possible.

Eric- You brought up a good point. If you can figure out what the next scene is you are on the road to a formula movie. And where is the excitement in that? Very good point. Thanks.

Aray- Exactly!

http://www.tft.ucla.edu/2011/09/faculty-richard-walter/

I follow my step by step program and additionally focus extra on the next new thing that I have decided to master.

Step by Step is a logical approach. For me if I did not have 12 steps everyday I could not write a word. To God I am grateful for that. With experience, strength and hope.

Erik- Hear! Hear!

Every element of a screenplay's craft has to represent my standard of excellence. At the same time, the screenwriting fundamental screenwriters most often overlook or short-change is the need for a central action, rather than ideas or themes, to tie the story and the structure together. Themes and ideas are what novels are about, and most screenwriters are actually frustrated novelists looking for a way to make their writing pay off.

Screenplays are not novels. If you're looking for a screenwriting fundamental to double down on, take some acting classes. Study your scenework. Work the action of a scene, the conflict, and the motivation down to a point where you no longer think about these things - you just do them, and do them well.

Everything comes from action, including things like themes and ideas. Don't simply plug an action into the script to justify your other creative goals, or to satisfy those stingy, gatekeeping readers... work from a place of action. We call them actors for a reason!

A thorough depiction of the screenwriting process with precise emphasis on the need for action as key to success.

Afterall you are not writing a novel as you said. You are writing a blueprint for a visual medium that will need to be translated by many diverse crafts involving camera, light, sound and of course acting.

Well done!

Laura- Valid. However the story still has to get to the screen, and as Tennyson pointed out it requires ACTION! We are all at heart story tellers. But we must make them leap from the page and handed off to other talents to fulfill what we wrote.

All are important but I’m a Structure and dialogue junkie.

I can't pick one specific item but first for me is a great introductory "hook" within the first 10 pages. Regardless of whether it's action or drama or whatever, it has to have a hook which I usually just have be the inciting event as well. In fact in many stories and true stories, etc. people use flashforwards because they want to hook you with the item you'll see in the future because building to it without an introductory inciting event may not get you ever to that climax.

So for me all of those other items are extremely important pieces but I'm a very big fan of hooking the audience/reader into your narrative as early as possible (within the first 10 pages or earlier if possible). Set the environment, introduce the characters, put them on Montgomery Burns property, then release the hounds.

I'm happy when I am happy. I am very picky about my own work, so when I write something and later on reread to discover it's actually good, I am satisfied. As for action vs dialogs. I love dialogs, but since I'm Dutch, my dialogs might be different then the American ones :) So action is easier to write for me. But I think both are equal important.

Copyright has gone up to $55 this year.

Anthony- Phew! Glad I finished my (3) copyrighted scripts on time at the old rate of $35. Now that it has gone to $55 I better just give up screenwriting and go back to being a telemarketer at Carnegie Hall. Man, I can't afford $55. Oh, well. It was nice while it lasted. Thanks for bringing it to everyone's attention. I am sure that there are other "HAPPY WRITERS" that won't be happy anymore too. Would not be surprised if a lot of writers give up because of this price increase.

I don't think it's one, you have to get all of them right to some degree IMO

For me having a multi -layered protagonist with flaws to over come. Followed very closely by all the other elements. If your story is brilliant but your Protagonist is flat and shallow then it will get tossed. The question I ask myself all the time is "Why should the reader care about my lead?"