June 12, 2009: Script Notes
I will be providing some further details later on the Week 11 script notes portion of the contest but wanted to offer some initial guidelines.

Your script notes should be submitted as an MS Word, rtf or PDF document. We are looking for between 1 and 5 pages of prose notes. First and foremost, you should approach the script notes like you are trying to help a good friend improve his screenplay. Remember, the goal here is to sell the Cowrite script and we’re looking for your thoughts on how to best turn this first draft into an entertaining, fully formed story and marketable screenplay. Your notes should address any elements of the screenplay you like and that you feel worked and elements that you feel need improving. There will be no specific guidelines or format to follow. We want to see how you approach the material and how you organize ideas on your own.

We are not just looking for a list of minor issues within the script, but rather ideas, solutions, constructive criticism and an in-depth analysis. For example, don’t just offer that you feel Cable’s plan was not defined enough, but rather offer suggestions on who this character could be and what he could want. You are not bound by any elements currently in the script. If you don’t like the Freddie character, feel free to suggest that maybe a friend of Jonas’ shouldn’t be involved in the story. Explain why you feel that way and why it’s more interesting to not have him be involved. Perhaps you think Jonas’ parents should play a role or that Walters should turn out to be his father. Anything you choose to suggest is fine just back up your ideas with good explanations.

Maybe you never got into the story from the beginning. Explain why and offer suggestions for how the story should start. Maybe you were into the story and engaged for the first 20-30 pages and then lost interest. Explain what went wrong for you and how you think the story should be fixed. Be specific. Feel free to address certain scenes and story turns you either liked or did not like.

Again, imagine a good friend sent you this screenplay and asked for your thorough notes. What would you send him? Remember there are no right or wrong answers. You are simply making suggestions on what you feel would make this the most interesting story. Some further details to follow…

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