Priority Pages

The opening pages of your script are way more than just a warm-up. They're like the front door to your story, the audition tape, the swipe-right chance to consensually grab your reader and never let them go. With folks in the industry reading less and less, the pressure to make a killer first impression is higher than ever.

The first 15 pages, the first three, or even just the very first page of your script are arguably the most important. This is where you set the vibe, introduce your main characters, and lay out what's at stake. It's your shot at hooking your audience. Whether it's a producer, buyer, director, talent, agent, or even a contest judge, these early pages are your make-or-break moment.

Start with a Bang: Jump right into a scene that sets up your main conflict or shows your protagonist in a defining moment. You don't need to blow something up on the first page, but your opening should offer a delicious bite of what’s to come.

Make the Stakes Clear: Let your audience know what's on the line right away. If the stakes are clear from the get-go, you've got your reader invested and rooting for your characters from the start.

Introduce Your Hero: Who's the story about? Give your audience someone to connect with right off the bat. Someone with interesting issues they need to work through. First impressions count in life, and they definitely do in screenwriting.

An alt take on this —

Introduce Your Villain: Who’s triggering the conflict? Audiences love rooting against a villain almost as much as rooting for a hero.

Set the Scene: Paint a picture of where your story's taking place. Whether it's a far-off planet or a small town, setting can be just as gripping as character and should juice up the vibe and hook of your story.

For me, the opening pages aren't just the beginning of the script; they're a work in progress right up until the end. They get rewritten constantly, polished over and over, making them the most fine-tuned and hopefully gripping part of my screenplay.

These first pages are a crucial part of your screenplay's success. In a business where time is tight and everyone has ADHD, making sure your script's opening is as strong as possible is a must.

You’ve gotta make every page count!