[Maura]

Another reason screenplays fail is a lack of character development. If the characters are flat and one-dimensional, it will be hard for the audience to connect with them. 😀

It is important to create characters that have flaws and strengths, and that go through changes throughout the story.

[Maria]

You are right! This is a big reason why some screenplays fail. Character development is very important!

[Jeffery]

Lack of action. If the story is too slow, the audience may become bored and lose interest. It is important to create action sequences that are exciting and engaging.

[Maria]

I remember going to the cinema a few years back and seeing a movie. I don’t remember its name. Its action was so slow, half of the people in the audience left during the movie.

[Amy]

In my humble opinion, a screenplay may fail due to poor dialogue. Good dialogue should be realistic and move the story forward. If the dialogue is clunky or unrealistic, it will be hard for the audience to connect with the characters. 🙂

[Maria]

Strong dialogue is memorable. People remember it and share it all over social media, thus contributing to the success of the movie.

[Essa]

Hi Maria,

I believe any failure may happen is affected by “How much we understand how human mind decipher our delivered words to them”

Let me give an example, imagine one day you have noticed some funny accident happened on the street

next time, you meet one of your friends, so eager to share this funny story, expecting that they will laugh as much as you did

The question here, when you explain this simple event to your friend:

1- How many times your friend asks for more details around this event

2- How long time you took to make your friend picture this funny event in their head

3- and the most important part, did they laugh in the end as much as you expected or not?

———————————————————————————–

Now improving your skill of “telling this funny event”:

1- minimizing the number of times your friend may ask for more details, this by explaining first hand the event with all “expected” details, so no need to ask, because our audience will be silent during their watching time

2- having shorter time to finish telling the whole event, being able to tell your whole story in well connected sentences/scenes, it is proof to the audience how clear your story inside your head, and so their confidence in what you will deliver will grow and will continue watching or reading to the end

3- now to make your friend laugh as much as you expected, here is the twist, this can not alone be seen as “indication of failure”, because maybe during the time you have told your friend this super funny event, they were daydreaming or maybe they have childhood memories unpleasant about similar event, making it less funny, or even they are just from different town, different culture

and the 3rd point is tricky one, because you will never expect completely someone reaction, but what you can do focus on building solid works, regardless of their “rating”, this actually what will make big names call your name, because those big names, have their own “low ratings”,

by saying that, let us guess together why new screenwriters fail faster than expert ones, can you figure the answer now? 🙂

it is the 3rd point, they believe this is what they need to succeed, but once they start chasing it, like mist, never reach, because one time, they had this positive feedback to continue the 2nd work, but their next, and more advanced work just get very negative feedback, leading to high level of confusion, and so losing the will to continue

please note all that just very personal opinion, just my simple experience living and working with other creatures, call their selves “Humans” 🙂

Hope by displaying this “Play”, inspired you to find the answer 🙂

Keep Shining

Kind Regards

Essa

• This reply was modified 1 year, 3 months ago by  Essa.

[Maria]

Essa, you have provided the most complex answer to my question. Thank you! I can see on your profile that you are also experienced with screenwriting.

[Essa]

My 10-years experience lies in “Writing” part, but i am working now on “re-channeling its unique powers” to screenwriting, and songwriting

My hope together we will explore more interesting ideas

Best of Luck, Maria 🙂

[Harry]

Sorry for jumping in. I saw you have 10 years’ experience and I wanted to ask you about your beginning. Was it difficult to start a career in this industry?

[Essa]

Hi Harry,

In fact, my beginning was different kind of writing, not screenwriting,

I started my work writing technical document, how to explain highly complex technical details to public,

this clarity of delivering words with minimum confusion, what kept me in business for all these years, the way i used to write this document “is building a story inside my head”, and such story was definition of outlines and how i can deliver my words, in fact, among the companies i have worked with specialized in IT, i was just recruited right away during interview because they liked “my story telling”

this phenomena if i can call it that, kept repeating its self through years in some form or other, so i have decided why do not I re-channel this strength point into place where it is considered a profession, and here i have decided to take story telling path in all forms, novels, screenwriting and songwriting, this is my story 🙂

[Kim]

I strongly recommend everyone interested in screenplay writing read Syd Field’s books. And, I think you should start with the best one in my opinion called “Screenplay” – The Foundations of Screenwriting – A Step-By-Step Guide from concept to finished script. You can look it up on Amazon or use our affiliate link which support Student Filmmakers Magazine here: Syd Field Screenplay Books

[Maria]

Thank you for the recommendation, Kim! I will add it to my reading list!

[Kim]

It will save you from going down paths that don’t work.