Grammar And Script Action-Direction...

Polanski

Polanski

Well-known member
Hi,
I've read a lot of screenplays and I found that desciption or action does not follow grammar rules. I know that in dialogues, grammar rules can be broken, because people normally don't speak correctly in everyday speech.

For instance, in the screeplay "The Shawshank Redemption" by Frank Darabont, I've found the following sentence, that according to grammar rules, is incorrect.

"Red sits, tries not to slouch"

The comma after "sits" must be replaced by "and".

The whole script is full of senteces like this.
Darabont is using here what is called a serial comma, but that comma is used when a series of elements (verbs) are for the same subject like:

"Red enters the room, takes off his shirt, and looks through the window"

And even in this case, the rule is to add "and" at the last action verb or item.

"I have bought a car, a house, some clothes, and a plasma TV"

Are scripts exempted to certain grammar rules?

Please, I really appreciate some comments about this.

Thanks
 
Depends if you are selling or making. If you are planning to shoot the script you write, you can do whatever you want. Write camera directions, character thoughts, and notes to yourself.

However, I had some friends who were scriptreaders for Warner Bros. and Universal...and they had some definite opinions on this. Correct grammar, correct formatting, no camera directions, stick to the facts, and most of your page should be absent of ink. Grammar issues, improper formatting, and camera directions will lead straight to the dumpster in the first round of readers.

I got to meet the esteemed Mr. Darabont a few years ago at the Academy when they were screening Shawshank for the 10th anniversary. Yes, I'm namedropping. Great guy, but he had Stephen King on his side (not to mention it took him like 3 years to write it). We should all be so lucky.

Again, if you plan to shoot it yourself...do whatever you want. I'm not encouraging bad grammar or structure...but I would say just write it. Fill your bookshelf!
 
I really appreciate your input...
Even though I'm planing to shoot my script, I want to stick to grammar rules just in case that I have to write a script for someone else in the future.
Right now I'm in the re-writing process -- the most difficult part of any writing.

I also have a great admiration for Mr. Darabont.

Again, thanks for your valuable inputs.
 
I think what's going on here is that, regardless of grammar rules, is that--

"Red sits, tries not to slouch"

--reads a little cooler than--

"Red sits and tries not to slouch."

Now, I'm not a script reader for a major studio, nor do I play one on TV, but yeah, I'm going to say that some scripts are exempted from grammar rules. The question is, how famous was Mr. Darabont at the time he wrote this script, and how strictly was this script getting read? What seems cool in a script from an already-produced writer may be just the excuse some script reader needs to throw your script into the circular file...
 
I'm with you, Pirece, when you say that "Red sits, tries not to slouch" reads cooler than the correct one.
That not only reads cooler, it's smoother -- less strict.
It's not fair that you have to be famous, first, to be less strict and write in a smoother way -- even though it's not completly correct.
 
From the scripts I've read, even if you're not famous, it appears that the rules of grammar can be bent to make the script more interesting, set a pace, atmosphere etc.

You just don't want it to look like a third grader wrote it (unless its one of those genius types) It seems as long as you stick to the basics you're okay e.g. basic punctuation, correct spelling, no long run on sentences etc.

But then I, like the esteemed Captain Pierce am not a professional reader in anyway shape or form. Its just my crusty found under the couch cushions two cents.
 
While you obviously want to keep up good standards (spellings, sentence use, eleminate passive passages) 'breaking the rules' is expected.

A good thing to do is read specs that are produced or sold recently and then you'll see what I'm talking about.

EJ
 
Clear and unambiguous communication - with style - trumps grammatical rules.

It's actually kind of a funny question - listen to the way average people speak, reflect that script-readers are in the main average people, and the idea that they are going to be grammar-fascists - or even aware of good grammar, at all - sort of makes me chuckle.
 
Polanski said:
Hi,
I've read a lot of screenplays and I found that desciption or action does not follow grammar rules. I know that in dialogues, grammar rules can be broken, because people normally don't speak correctly in everyday speech.

For instance, in the screeplay "The Shawshank Redemption" by Frank Darabont, I've found the following sentence, that according to grammar rules, is incorrect.

"Red sits, tries not to slouch"

The comma after "sits" must be replaced by "and".

The whole script is full of senteces like this.
Darabont is using here what is called a serial comma, but that comma is used when a series of elements (verbs) are for the same subject like:

"Red enters the room, takes off his shirt, and looks through the window"

And even in this case, the rule is to add "and" at the last action verb or item.

"I have bought a car, a house, some clothes, and a plasma TV"

Are scripts exempted to certain grammar rules?

Please, I really appreciate some comments about this.

Thanks
Click to expand...
Ezterhaus' description of the interrogatiion room in Basic Instinct is classic.

"Antiseptic."
 
There are no grammar rules in fiction, only principles. Sentence fragments read differently than complete sentences, but neither are better nor worse than the other. They accomplish different tones.
 
agcohn said:
There are no grammar rules in fiction, only principles. Sentence fragments read differently than complete sentences, but neither are better nor worse than the other. They accomplish different tones.
Click to expand...

True but frags sure create havoc in spell/grammar check....
 
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