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Usenet Posted 20 years ago
Screenwriting

Spec Script/First Draft

I was looking at some scripts to films on the net. I see them listed as first draft, second draft, final draft, shooting script, unproduced script, and rejected script.
Question: Are spec scripts the same as first drafts?

If I want to read scripts to films to help me learn the craft what ones should I be reading? The first draft? I should stay away from shooting scripts, right?
I also notice they like to use camera angle commands like "We zoom in" or "camera pans to the corner." Now, these type of commands are not given in spec script, correct?
Thanks
  

Top answer

[nq:1]If I want to read scripts to films to help me learn the craft what ones should I be reading? The first draft? [/nq] Those are probably draft numbers as related to the production.

  • [nq:1]If I want to read scripts to films to help me learn the craft what ones should I be reading?
  • The first draft?
  • [/nq] Those are probably draft numbers as related to the production.
  • [/nq] Okay, I'm going to let you in on a dirty little secret.
  • Before I say it, though, you need to promise to READ and UNDERSTAND all the the advice, not just the parts you want to hear.
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7 Answers
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[nq:1]If I want to read scripts to films to help me learn the craft what ones should I be reading? The first draft? I should stay away from shooting scripts, right?[/nq]
Those are probably draft numbers as related to the production. You're never going to see the first thing off anybody's typewriter, even if it's labelled a "first draft."
[nq:1]I also notice they like to use camera angle co
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[nq:1]I was looking at some scripts to films on the net. I see them listed as first draft, second draft, final draft, shooting script, unproduced script, and rejected script. Question: Are spec scripts the same as first drafts?[/nq]
There are no hard and fast universally acccepted definitions but I'm guessing that most of what you're looking at is scripts for produced films or TV and the draft
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[nq:1]I was looking at some scripts to films on the net. I see them listed as first draft, second draft, final draft, shooting script, unproduced script, and rejected script. Question: Are spec scripts the same as first drafts?[/nq]
No. "First Draft," "Third Draft," "Final Polish," etc, when they appear on the cover sheet refer to official "steps" which have been contracted for that is, somebo
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[nq:1]The secret: it's fine to occasionally say "we see" or reference the camera in a script. The caveat: 99.9% of ... do it. Never. Don't let yourself. Write around it even if it's more difficult, and, for the moment, seems awkward.[/nq]
Make up your mind, either it's fine to do it occasionally (it is), or it's not. Rules do not change depending on
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[nq:2]The caveat: 99.9% of the time, it's gratuitous. I'd say ... if it's more difficult, and, for the moment, seems awkward.[/nq]
[nq:1]Make up your mind, either it's fine to do it occasionally (it is), or it's not. Rules do not change ... script more convoluted than it has to be just to suit your preferences is going to help him at all.[/nq]
You've missed my point, which is a peda
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[nq:1]You've missed my point, which is a pedagogical one.[/nq]
No, I do understand your point, I just disagree.
[nq:1]Von Fourche should not be writing stuff like "we see" until he's comfortable writing scripts without it. In my experience, when inexperienced writers write stuff like "We see" it is INVARIABLY used badly.[/nq]
A fair point, b
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[nq:1]That's a terrible attitude. You have no clue how good his work is, none of us do. And until you've seen it, that's a very rude assumption to make, no matter how likely you think it is.[/nq]
I don't think it's a terrible attitude. I think it's a realistic one.

I think the terrible attitude is indulging people in their unrealistic fantasies. Hey, look, fantasies are fun, we all do

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