The script pipeline is clogged not only with bad scripts but also with OK scripts.
An OK script is the right length, has a story that hangs together, is populated with mostly believable characters, and has no major formatting problems.
OK is not good enough, despite the fact that there are plenty of just OK movies. Many of those started out as better scripts but gradually changed to just OK under the weight of the demands of the actors, the ego of the director, and/or the fear-based decisions of the producer.
What you need to do is write an outstanding script--as the adjective says, one that stands out.
That starts with a fresh idea. Yes, it's true there are no totally new stories, but there certainly are fresh ways of telling the old ones. Recent movies I'd put in that category include Jo Jo Rabbit, The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot (I"m not making that up, it starred Sam Elliot), Midsommar, Ad Astra, Hustlers, Parasite, Booksmart, Peanut Butter Falcon, Honey Boy, Us, The Lighthouse, Yesterday. I'm not saying these were all the best, but they all had something different about them that made them stand out, and quite a few of them were very good.
What's the difference?
If you analyze the films above, you'll see how they differentiated themselves. That includes:
- Telling the story from an unusual perspective or with an unusual protagonist
- Telling a story some might find uncomfortable
- Telling a classic story with a contemporary touch
- Telling the story of an alternative reality
- Telling a story of emotional extremes
In the best of these films, the level of writing was very good, too. For instance, I thought Booksmart had some of the smartest dialogue I've heard for a while. But it starts with the idea.
Before you commit to your story, take some time to consider whether it stands out from the ordinary. If not, try applying the characteristics above to your core idea.
