The Ultimate Checklist for Screenwriters

The Ultimate Checklist for Screenwriters

When is your screenplay really done and ready to be unleashed upon the world of Hollywood, contests, competitions, and fellowships?

Throwing caution to the wind after you type THE END and sending out your latest draft without some checks and balances is a surefire way to rejection and failure.

It’s a natural mistake that all screenwriters make at one time or another. You’ve labored for months writing and rewriting. You’ve dedicated every waking thought and extra moment of imagination to tell your cinematic story. When you’re done, you want to be done.

But you’re doing yourself no favors by rushing towards that pinnacle of every screenwriter’s journey — The Final Draft.

With that in mind, we offer this simple and effective tool — ScreenCraft’s Ultimate Final Draft Checklist — for you to use as that final system of checks and balances that can ensure that your final draft is your true final draft that is ready for script readers, development executives, managers, agents, talent, and judges.

This checklist will help you find, identify, and rectify technical glitches in your writing — typos, grammar errors, and format problems — as well as craft-related issues like overwriting, bad pacing, and inconsistencies in story, characters, and prose.

These eight acts of checks and balances will help you get that latest draft to where it needs to be to deserve the title of The Final Draft. After reading our breakdown of each check that you need to perform and mark off, you can download the checklist for free here:

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 The Essentials 

Before we get into the eight checks and balances, let’s focus on the essential elements that you need for a true final draft. These elements will be present at the beginning of every checklist you complete for every final draft you write.

First off, you need a killer title for your screenplay.

Read ScreenCraft’s How to Write Screenplay Titles That Don’t Suck!

Second, you need an amazing logline.

Read ScreenCraft’s How To Write Effective Loglines!

And third, you need to know the general genre that your script falls under.

Read ScreenCraft’s Do you REALLY Know What Genre Your Screenplay Is?

Having these three elements is vital to the marketing process of the final draft that you craft — as well as for the submission process you will undergo as you enter your script into contests, competitions, and fellowships.

Let’s move on to the checklist.

#1 Line-by-Line Proofread

The purpose of this proofread is not to focus on experiencing the story. Instead, you are going through the draft line-by-line to check the scene description for fluidity and consistency. You’ll be checking to ensure that each line of scene description communicates what is needed to be communicated with ease and cinematic flair.

In order to accomplish that, the sentences need to avoid redundancy and must have a natural flow of the words to create cinematic prose. And that prose has to avoid wooden description, instead offering the reader a sense of the emotion of the scene, the characters, and everything in between.

You will go through your scene description line-by-line and create the best prose possible to convey the visual you want the reader to envision and to give them a sense of the emotion within that visual.

In short, be succinct, precise, and clear.

#2  Homonym/Homophone Search

Two or more words having the same pronunciation but different meanings, origins, or spelling — or if they are pronounced or spelled the same way but have different meanings.

They always get you. Even the most experienced screenwriters miss the most simple mistakes.

Your and You’re. New and Knew. To and Too. There, Their, and They’re. Its and It’s. Then and Than. Effect and Affect. Cache and Cachet. Break and Brake. Principle and Principal. Breath and Breathe. Rain, Reign, and Rein. By, Buy, and Bye.

The best thing you can do for that polish rewrite is to CTRL + F (search) those above words and make sure that when present, they have the proper usage.

#3 Scene Heading Consistency

Interior or Exterior. Location. Day or night.

Those are the basic elements that are present in a scene heading.

As you write your script, you’ll often assign a particular scene heading using those elements to describe to the reader where and when the characters are within the story. As you continue to write, what often happens is you tend to forget the exact original scene heading for a particular location that you use more than once and you create another. The difference may be slight, but to the reader — and especially to the director and crew later on — those scene headings need to be consistent so they can properly collect their thoughts and know where they are supposed to be, visually-speaking.

You can’t introduce a location as INT. BOAT – DAY and then later refer to the same location as INT. JOHN’S SPEEDBOAT – DAY.

We’re looking for consistency here. So you must scroll through the latest draft you have and make sure that each and every scene heading is correct and consistent throughout.

You need to make sure that it’s supposed to be DAY or NIGHT, INT or EXT, and the location is properly titled.

#4 Character Dialogue Consistency

This can be both a technical issue, as well as a solid character check.

The common practice for checking if the dialogue is good or not is covering the name of the character and trying to differentiate which character is which without seeing the name — based solely on the dialogue.

Characters need to have their own voices. And those voices need to be consistent throughout the script. If you have a character that has a lackluster vocabulary at the beginning of the script, only to suddenly use long and impressive words within their dialogue later on, it’s inconsistent.

Read through the draft dialogue line by dialogue line and make sure each character’s dialogue is consistent with their character and unique in their own way.

Read ScreenCraft’s The Single Secret of Writing Great Dialogue!

#5 Delete All Unnecessary Transitions and Camera Directions

Transitions and camera directions are more welcome in shooting drafts — or scripts written by auteurs that will also direct the film — than they are in the kind of final drafts that are written on spec (written under the speculation that they will be purchased and produced).  If a transition or camera direction is needed to pinpoint or showcase a vital moment, visual, reveal, or story point, that’s okay. But they should be few and far between, as they often slow the pacing of the read when a script reader is asked to envision particular technical camera movements.

Read through the draft and make sure that all transitions (CUT TO, DISSOLVE TO, etc.) and camera directions (CAMERA PANS LEFT, ANGLE ON, ETC.) are deleted, leaving only those few that are truly necessary to tell the cinematic story.

#6 Delete All Scene Numbers 

Some screenwriters include them because the produced scripts they’ve read during their screenwriting education were shooting scripts and utilized scene numbers for production purposes. Others include them because they use the numbers as a way to track and edit their scenes.

No matter what reason they may be there for in your latest draft, be sure to delete them for your final draft. They literally serve no purpose when you are merely having someone read and consider your screenplay.

#7 Less-is-More Proofread

From the perspective of the script reader — which technically will prove to be interns, assistants, studio readers, contest readers, development executives, producers, studio heads, directors, and talent — there’s a concrete reason why overwriting can be the death of a script under potential consideration.

It’s not about Hollywood being lazy or overly complacent. It’s about the experience of the read.

The read is what decides the fate of every script and every screenwriter. It’s an experience that must be taken seriously by screenwriters.

The true testament of an excellent screenwriter is to be able to convey style, atmosphere, and substance with as little description needed. The same can be said for dialogue as well.

With this crucial notion in mind, read through the draft line-by-line, not to experience the story, but instead to look for opportunities to trim scene description and dialogue sentences and paragraphs as much as possible.

Try to use short sentences and fragments whenever you can — as opposed to multiple sentences and big blocks of scene description and dialogue in the form of paragraphs.

Read ScreenCraft’s Why Every Screenwriter Should Embrace “Less Is More”!

#8 Cover-to-Cover Read

When you’ve checked those first seven boxes, pat yourself on the back because you’ve done a lot of work to get closer to that final draft. Now it’s time to step away for a little while. You’ve read through the script line-by-line for multiple purposes — you need a break.

Take at least seven days to take a vacation from the script. When you return, it’s time to read your script from beginning to end in order to experience the story as a reader would.

Don’t take any notes. Don’t make any changes as you read. Just experience your cinematic story in all of its delight and glory. Read it as a PDF — as opposed to a screenwriting software file — to avoid the temptation of making changes. You’ve already done that work. You’ve checked off those boxes. Now it’s time to just get a feel for what you’ve created.

After the read, make any necessary final changes and then unleash it upon the world.

The Script Reader's Checklist: 60 Things That Will Land Your Screenplay in the Trash

If you ever manage to get your script in front of a script reader, you're kind of lucky, but you're also kind of screwed.

Readers are notoriously known for dismissing scripts, tossing them for having a boring first paragraph, poor formatting, or less. (You really can't blame them — they have to comb through hundreds of those things.) So, how do you better your chances of getting a pass from one of these gatekeepers? Well, maybe knowing how they judge each one would help.

During his time working as a reader for different L.A. production studios, Oscar-nominated screenwriter Terry Rossio compiled a checklist to help him better evaluate scripts, and decided to share it on his blog. They definitely will help you know whether or not your script is headed toward the trash. Check it out below:

Checklist A: Concept & Plot

o    Imagine the trailer. Is the concept marketable?

o    Is the premise naturally intriguing -- or just average, demanding perfect execution?

o    Who is the target audience? Would your parents go see it?

o    Does your story deal with the most important events in the lives of your characters?

o    If you're writing about a fantasy-come-true, turn it quickly into a nightmare-that-won't-end.

o    Does the screenplay create questions: will he find out the truth? Did she do it? Will they fall in love? Has a strong 'need to know' hook been built into the story?

o    Is the concept original?

o    Is there a goal? Is there pacing? Does it build?

o    Begin with a punch, end with a flurry.

o    Is it funny, scary, or thrilling? All three?

o    What does the story have that the audience can't get from real life?

o    What's at stake? Life and death situations are the most dramatic. Does the concept create the potential for the characters lives to be changed?

o    What are the obstacles? Is there a sufficient challenge for our heroes?

o    What is the screenplay trying to say, and is it worth trying to say it?

o    Does the story transport the audience?

o    Is the screenplay predictable? There should be surprises and reversals within the major plot, and also within individual scenes.

o    Once the parameters of the film's reality are established, they must not be violated. Limitations call for interesting solutions.

o    Is there a decisive, inevitable, set-up ending that is nonetheless unexpected? (This is not easy to do!)

o    Is it believable? Realistic?

o    Is there a strong emotion -- heart -- at the center of the story? Avoid mean-spirited storylines.

"And please, don't begin with your lead character waking up in the morning after a pan of the junk in his room. It's by far the most commonly chosen opening."

Checklist B: Technical Execution

o    Is it properly formatted?

o    Proper spelling and punctuation. Sentence fragments okay.

o    Is there a discernible three-act structure?

o    Are all scenes needed? No scenes off the spine, they will die on screen.

o    Screenplay descriptions should direct the reader's mind's eye, not the director's camera.

o    Begin the screenplay as far into the story as possible.

o    Begin a scene as late as possible, end it as early as possible. A screenplay is like a piece of string that you can cut up and tie together -- the trick is to tell the entire story using as little string as possible.

o    In other words: Use cuts.

o    Visual, Aural, Verbal -- in that order. The expression of someone who has just been shot is best; the sound of the bullet slamming into him is second best; the person saying, "I've been shot" is only third best.

o    What is the hook, the inciting incident? You've got ten pages (or ten minutes) to grab an audience.

o    Allude to the essential points two or even three times. Or hit the key point very hard. Don't be obtuse.

o    Repetition of locale. It helps to establish the atmosphere of film, and allows audience to 'get comfortable.' Saves money during production.

o    Repetition and echoes can be used to tag secondary characters. Dangerous technique to use with leads.

o    Not all scenes have to run five pages of dialogue and/or action. In a good screenplay, there are lots of two-inch scenes. Sequences build pace.

o    Small details add reality. Has the subject matter been thoroughly researched?

o    Every single line must either advance the plot, get a laugh, reveal a character trait, or do a combination of two -- or in the best case, all three -- at once.

o    No false plot points; no backtracking. It's dangerous to mislead an audience; they will feel cheated if important actions are taken based on information that has not been provided, or turns out to be false.

o    Silent solution; tell your story with pictures.

o    No more than 125 pages, no less than 110... or the first impression will be of a script that 'needs to be cut' or 'needs to be fleshed out.'

o    Don't number the scenes of a selling script. MOREs and CONTINUEDs are optional.

"And as a reader, you quickly recognize some key patterns. Like all scripts with fancy covers are bad. Scripts submitted by agents are at least well-written. And nonstandard layout -- especially crayon -- is a sure sign of trouble."

Checklist C: Characters

o    Are the parts castable? Does the film have roles that stars will want to play?

o    Action and humor should emanate from the characters, and not just thrown in for the sake of a laugh. Comedy which violates the integrity of the characters or oversteps the reality-world of the film may get a laugh, but it will ultimately unravel the picture. Don't break the fourth wall, no matter how tempting.

o    Audiences want to see characters who care deeply about something -- especially other characters.

o    Is there one scene where the emotional conflict of the main character comes to a crisis point?

o    A character's entrance should be indicative of the character's traits. First impression of a character is most important.

o    Lead characters must be sympathetic -- people we care about and want to root for.

o    What are the characters wants and needs? What is the lead character's dramatic need? Needs should be strong, definite -- and clearly communicated to the audience.

o    What does the audience want for the characters? It's all right to be either for or against a particular character -- the only unacceptable emotion is indifference.

o    Concerning characters and action: a person is what he does, not necessarily what he says.

o    On character faults: characters should be 'this but also that;' complex. Characters with doubts and faults are more believable, and more interesting. Heroes who have done wrong and villains with noble motives are better than characters who are straight black and white.

o    Characters can be understood in terms of, 'what is their greatest fear?' Gittes, in CHINATOWN was afraid of being played for the fool. In SPLASH the Tom Hanks character was afraid he could never fall in love. In BODY HEAT Racine was afraid he'd never make his big score.

o    Character traits should be independent of the character's role. A banker who fiddles with his gold watch is memorable, but cliche; a banker who breeds dogs is a somehow more acceptable detail.

o    Character conflicts should be both internal and external. Characters should struggle with themselves, and with others.

o    Character 'points of view' need to be distinctive within an individual screenplay. Characters should not all think the same. Each character needs to have a definite point of view in order to act, and not just react.

o    Distinguish characters by their speech patterns: word choice, sentence patterns; revealed background, level of intelligence.

o    'Character superior' sequences (where the character acts on information the audience does not have) usually don't work for very long -- the audience gets lost. On the other hand, when the audience is in a 'superior' position -- the audience knows something that the characters do not -- it almost always works. (NOTE: This does not mean the audience should be able to predict the plot!)

o    Run each character through as many emotions as possible -- love, hate, laugh, cry, revenge.

o    Characters must change. What is the character's arc?

o    The reality of the screenplay world is defined by what the reader knows of it, and the reader gains that knowledge from the characters. Unrealistic character actions imply an unrealistic world; fully-designed characters convey the sense of a realistic world.

o    Is the lead involved with the story throughout? Does he control the outcome of the story?

Okay, maybe juggling every single item on the checklist is impossible if you're a screenwriter just trying to do your thing. If that's you, these are the three most common problems found in scripts — universal issues that you should probably try to avoid like the plague:

o    The story begins too late in the script: Your beautiful 10-page opening might've been thrilling to write, but it usually equals 10 or more minutes of boredom on screen. You need to get to the point with the moving parts of your story: characters' wants needs and conflict. After that, you're off and burning.

o    No meaningful conflict: Do all of your scenes have a conflict? If your answer is no, cut the ones that don't, or add conflict to them. Believe it or not, a beautiful scene without conflict is usually useless. Furthermore, the main conflict in your story — is it really a conflict? "How do I know if it is or not?" Ask yourself, "Is my audience unsure of whether or not my character will be successful in overcoming their opposition to get what they want?"

o    It's formulaic: I know that all of those screenwriting books and classes told you how to put your hero through a journey, but archetypes and formulas get tiresome to read. Rules are meant to be broken, so break a few when you write your script.