Perfunctory Moments

According to Miriam-Webster, the word perfunctory is-

Just kidding. I would never subject you to the moist handshake of essay openers. But while we're on the subject, now is a good time to talk about your throw-away moments. The moments you have to get through the show the big plot point you can't wait to write.

Take a woman about to discover a body. Or a killer. Whatever. How do you make the start of the scene stand out? To you, she may just be PERSON ABOUT TO DISCOVER BODY (housewife, 40s). To a good writer, she's a woman in the middle of a day. Good day? Bad? Maybe she's soaked from the rain. Maybe the paper bag of groceries is so wet it breaks. Perhaps a PEAR rolls to the front door of her apartment where the shadow of TWO FEET are visible under the door...

In some scripts the writer is so excited to drop a body (or discover one) the scene leading up to that moment could've been written by a computer program. I'm not even talking about a good computer program. A $4.99 in Fry's discount bin, cutting edge of 1997 kind of program.

When your script is finished, go back to your big reveals - especially those after throw-away moments - and ask yourself if you really need to throw those moments away.

Every scene we read is time we give to your script. Throw-away moments let us know if you value our time as much as you value your own.

A Laugh Riot

Here's a quick way to make your script more professional: search every scene for the word 'laugh.' Then - and this is the hard part - be honest with yourself about if the laugh would happen in real life.

I just got through a script where whenever the words 'she/he laughs' appeared I mentally added '...for no discernible reason.' It made the story sound like a bad 80s sitcom with canned laughter added far too many times.

If the situation isn't supposed to be funny call it a nervous laugh, or a laugh to break the tension. That's fine. But if it is supposed to be funny and isn't either make it funny or don't indicate that everyone finds it hilarious.

Remenber, a smile will let us know someone is being found charming or cute, and is a better choice if the situation is only debatably funny.

"I Suppose You're Wondering Why I've Called You Here..."

"Who's this guy? Is that what you're wondering? Don't worry. We'll meet him later."

Actually, I was wondering who taught you chatting with the reader in your action notes was kosher.

Then I wondered how we can make them stop.

Now I'm wondering how much whiskey I have in the house.