Anyone in the entertainment industry will tell you that the first ten pages is the most critical part of your film. Producers, executives, and other readers often read upwards of fifty scripts per week, and having a solid first ten pages is key to getting noticed.
But how can you nail those first ten pages? What makes a reader want to take that crucial step, and turn the page to eleven?
INTRODUCE YOUR PROTAGONIST
The first ten pages should establish your protagonist and help the reader understand who is driving the script. You don’t have to give everything away about the protagonist up front, but by page eleven, the reader should understand who your protagonist is – are they a down-and-out professional football coach? A lonely high school student entering a new school? A Marine returning home for the first time in years? Similarly, establishing your protagonist’s personality and how they sound (their unique voice) is critical for building your character’s foundation.
INVEST IN THE CENTRAL CONFLICT AND STAKES
Understanding the journey ahead of the protagonist helps to set the stage for the rest of the script. What is it that your protagonist wants the most? Who, or what, is standing in their way and why?
In setting up the central conflict, writers sometimes forget to set up the stakes early in the story as well. Understanding what’s at stake for the protagonist is key for building an emotional connection with the reader – if your protagonist fails to achieve their goal, what will happen? By giving the reader a stake in the story, you’re inviting them to emotionally invest in the protagonist’s journey.
BUILD A COMPELLING WORLD
Introducing the reader into the world the protagonist inhabits is critical. This can sometimes be tricky for writers – overly descriptive world building can impede the flow of the read and put readers off. At the same time, providing only scant details keeps the reader from being fully immersed in the setting. A solid first ten pages threads this needle by aptly describing the context through visuals, sound, and mood – does the story take place in an underwater kingdom, in a busy rural hospital, or a medieval village? What does the protagonist see, smell, hear, and feel while they are navigating the initial challenge in this setting?
CROSS YOUR T’S AND DOT YOUR I’S
While a spelling error or two likely won’t tank your script in the eyes of the reader, making a good first impression is key to establishing yourself as a credible writer. A first ten pages that is riddled with formatting, spelling, and grammar errors signals to the reader that the writer is an amateur. If proofreading isn’t your strength, consider enlisting the help of a friend or a professional reader to make sure your script looks as professional and polished as possible.
Interested in submitting to our Feature Contest, but curious to see how your first 10 pages hold up first? Shore Scripts offers coverage services for the first ten pages of your script! Submit your logline and pages and one of our professional readers will provide detailed feedback on the opening scenes, initial world-building, character introductions, the inciting incident, and story development potential. See a sample here!
