Twitter Rant: Eric Heisserer on Drafts, Parentheticals, Respect

Tweetstorm: Eric Heisserer on Drafts, Parentheticals, Respect

If you are an aspiring screenwriter, Twitter is an amazing resource. Eric Heisserer (A Nightmare on Elm Street, Final Destination 5, The Thing, Hours, Story of Your Life) is probably the Hollywood screenwriter most willing to go online and provide a tweetstorm on a specific subject related to the craft.

Today: Eric’s February 2014 series of tweets provides general screenwriting advice about the function of various script drafts, playing around with parentheticals, and respect for fellow writers.

All right, it’s Friday night and I have a glass of single malt warming my belly. Perfect time to set up camp on Twitter.

Let me share some stuff I’ve learned as a screenwriter through trial and lots of error, in hopes it will save you some grief.

A first draft of something for producers can be everything you want it to be. Subtext. Clever setups and callbacks. Authentic dialogue.

But there will come a time when you have to put some big mile markers in place, for the studio or director or whomever.

It will feel on-the-nose to you. It will make you worry THIS is the draft that may get leaked. Don’t fret over it. One draft will be text.

The reason this helps is because while talent (actors) don’t need it, your barrier to talent will. And you want to be clear abt intent.

So, remember you’re writing as an interpreter sometimes. Allow yourself to tell the reader, “This is what the hero feels here.”

I promise you’ll have a chance to pull that back and make it subtext again later, if you have a good relationship with those involved.

But also, dear god, pour your heart into it. Love your characters. Respect them. Treat every scene like a bonsai tree in your garden.

You know what I’ve been toying with lately? Parentheticals. Tone can sometimes be hard to interpret. Parens are like emoticons for scripts.

An example: COMMANDER And wear your tie with your uniform, private. PROTAGONIST (die in a fire) Thank you, sir.

Also, tinker with this: Find your character arc, then write a line of dialogue stating the end of arc as your last line of the script.

Like I knew Nolan’s arc in HOURS was bonding with his daughter, so the very last line is, “I know you.”

Give yourself a finish line. From there you can craft a bit of dialogue that spells out the beginning of the arc, and if you do nothing else, you’ve marked that journey.

Oh, and do you like eating delicious food? Of course you do. So remember to read amazing screenplays and stories, too.

And sometimes you read a script where it’s clear the writer was thinking, “If I were an actor, what would I just kill to say/do here?”

This is a really awesome job. Don’t let the bullshit bleed that joy from you. Keep that chin up. Oh, and one more thing…

RESPECT YOUR FELLOW WRITER. We’re all in the trenches, man. You know? Be excellent to one another.

If you get a rewrite, no matter how awkward it may feel, reach out to the previous writer. Be respectful.

Okay, I’m gonna shut up now because really you all know this shit anyway.

Oh, right. What do you say to a writer you’re hired to rewrite. “Hey, I’m borrowing the keys to your car. Any advice?”

Eric has put together a book that arose from his Twitter exchanges: “150 Screenwriting Challenges” which is available for Kindle here.

You may see all of the Screenwriting Tweetstorms archived on the site here.

Thanks, Eric, for taking the time to share your insights with the online screenwriting community.

Twitter: @HIGHzurrer.