Mastering Screenplay Pacing: Techniques for a Thrilling Ride

Introduction

Imagine you are riding a roller coaster. As the ride begins, you slowly ascend the hill, feeling the tension building. Just when you think you can't go any higher, the coaster reaches the peak and you're left with a moment of relief before you plummet down the other side. In writing a screenplay, it's all about creating that same thrilling ride for your audience.

Understanding the Blueprint

A screenplay is more than just a story; it's a blueprint that serves as a foundation for selling a film. Once sold, it undergoes numerous revisions, often being reworked extensively. While the pace of the screenplay might not be a top concern, it can set the tone for how the final product is perceived by producers, actors, and directors. However, if you need to speed up the pacing for specific scenes, here are some techniques that can help.

Pacing Techniques: Trimming Words and Scenes

The first approach to speeding up pacing is to be ruthless in trimming down unnecessary elements. Each word and phrase should move the idea forward. Consider pulling out any looseness and evaluating if each element adds to the momentum. Redundancies and filler words can drag the scene, so be prepared to let go of what you might think you can’t.

Break Up Dialog and Action

Use shorter dialog lines and break up long monologues into a more natural back-and-forth. This not only increases the pace but also makes conversations more realistic. For instance:

Original: "She enters the room and walks over to the couch and sits down."
Revision: "She busts open the door and flops down on the couch."

Adding exclamation points and high-action words can also enhance the pace. For example:

Original: "She pours the cereal, grain by grain, into the bowl."
Revision: "Bam! She pours the cereal, and each grain of semolina crashes into the bowl in slow motion. Sizzling hot water splashes like a tsunami!! "

Efficient Scene Placement and Subject Evaluation

At times, entire scenes or even multiple scenes can feel slow, no matter how efficient or tight they are. Sometimes, it's about where those scenes are placed in the overall narrative. If you find a scene that's inherently slower, consider moving it to a different place in the script or even deleting it altogether.

For scenes that are less outwardly dynamic, like cooking a meal, you can describe them in a way that quickens the pace. For example:

Original: "She kettle boils. She stirs the semolina slowly, adding water drop by drop."
Revision: "The kettle roars, steam billowing. She stirs the semolina briskly, water bubbling fiercely!! "

Always evaluate what needs to be accomplished in a scene and be brutal with your revisions. Sometimes, changing the subject of the scene can help, even if the scene itself remains the same.

Clear and Concise Communication

A screenplay is primarily a sales document, and clear, concise communication is key. Even if you write complex ideas, break them down into simpler terms. Your audience might be highly intelligent, but the people reading and evaluating your script are not necessarily so. Write it in a way that a reader— who can read but rarely does— can easily follow and understand. Overly flowery language can distract from the story and its impact.

Final Tips

Screenplays are not novels. They are succinct presentations of ideas. Focusing on simplicity and efficiency will help get your script across in the best light. Remember, the more engaging and clear your writing, the higher the chances of your screenplay being produced exactly as you envisioned it. Keep your audience engaged and the pace humming along. Good luck!