14 Things

14 things I need to remember while I get back into the groove of screenwriting:

• The sky’s the limit because you haven’t seen a budget.
• The producer probably isn’t going to let you break an actress’ teeth with a shovel but you can write the scene anyway.
• Christopher Walken doesn’t work for scale so stop trying to write him in.
• When you know you’ll be at the helm, you only have your own imagination stopping you from getting the shot so aim high.
• It’s a movie – pretend and make-believe, but the audience still won’t buy a unicorn fighting a zombie on post-apocalyptic Mars.
• There are no unicorns in your story and it doesn’t take place on Mars.
• You probably shouldn’t write while high on antihistamines.
• Your audience isn’t stupid.
• It is never a dark and stormy night, except when it is, but unless the dark and stormy night is a character, don’t dwell on the weather.
• Weather is not the same as atmosphere.
• If it hurts you to break your character’s heart, break it twice.
• If a character utters the words, “Well as you know …”, you need to work on your exposition.
• Your heroes are Serling and Koepp and Walker. Remember why you love them.
• Get back to work.