Creating a Quality Review: Suggested Elements
Blue Ribbon Scripts -- Mentoring Services by Award Winning Screenwriters
A quality review offers both encouragement and constructive criticism.
Blue Ribbon Mentors are expected to deliver professional and useful
advice. Listed below are some of the areas that a comprehensive
review may cover. Purchasers need to be aware however, that not all
scripts need the same coverage. As a purchaser you may be more
interested in one element more than another. If so, please indicate that
in your review request.
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Title: Is it effective? Is it too long? Is it catchy?
Formatting: Industry standard is the only acceptable format. Blue
Ribbon Scripts does not support "creative formatting". Many novices
to screenwriting often make formatting errors. Mentors should help the
writer understand how to write master scenes.
Plot Structure: Even in the realm of suspended reality, plot structure
must have a sense of credibility. Mentors should help the writer with
weak plot points or scenes that appear to be out of sequence.
Character Development: Give your writer your impression of their
protagonist. Newer writers may not be aware of the impact (or lack of
impact) their characters make on the reader. Help your writer create
characters that have depth and uniqueness.
Dialogue/Subtext: Point out "on the nose" dialogue. Make
suggestions for subtext. Beginning writers often bog down their scripts
with "daily conversation" that doesn't move their story along. Show how
they can write "outside the box".
Spelling/Grammar: Mentors are not expected to point out every single
spelling or grammar error. However, if you see an error that
continuously appears, point it out. It is sometimes difficult for writers (at
any level) to recognize their own bad habits.
Red Flags: Red flags are those things that make you stop reading,
shake your head, and go "Huh?". An example would be: The
protagonist is a pizza delivery guy who owns a condo in Malibu. Discuss
these stray bullets with your writer. No writer wants anything in their
work that makes the reader stop and question the story.
General Comments/Suggestions/Overview: Give your writer your
general, overall feeling of their work. Be encouraging! It doesn't
matter if you think this writer will never "make it". Writing is a personal
experience. A writer should never be left with the feeling that there's no
point in continuing. No mentor is so successful that he/she has the right
to discourage others in their creative endeavors.
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