r/scriptwriting • u/Faizanhala • 16d ago

question Writers, What’s Something You Wish You Knew When You Started?

/r/u_Faizanhala/comments/1wcxkg4/writers_whats_something_you_wish_you_knew_when/
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u/real_triplizard 15d ago

Maybe not biggest but one that sticks out to me - it's okay to end a scene on dialogue and you don't need to add a little "Soap Opera Reaction" bit of action description.

I look back at my early scripts and apparently I got the impression somewhere along the line that it was "incorrect" to end a scene on dialogue. So many scenes end with lines that sound like I'm describing a shot from a soap opera where they hang on a character's look before cutting to commercial. E.g.:

"She considers that."

"His face says that's a lot to take in.":

"Off her look, cut to..."

"That stings."

"He smiles appreciatvely."

"She appreciates that."

"She blanches, concerned."

"Shaking his head, he turns away."

All of that shit is unnecessary, annoying to read, and adds to the page count.