Screenwriting Descriptions

As a screenwriter, your ability to craft impactful descriptions can elevate your script, captivate readers, and provide clear direction for the entire production team. The key lies in striking a balance: conveying vivid imagery while adhering to the screenwriter's golden rule of brevity.

In the following sections, we'll explore this principle of concise yet powerful descriptions and dive deeper into describing characters, settings, and objects, providing you with the tools to paint strong images with your words.

The Golden Rule: Brevity

When it comes to description, the golden rule should be brevity. Think of each word as precious screen time—use them wisely to maximize impact.

Concise writing allows readers to glide through your script effortlessly, maintaining momentum and engagement.

Sometimes, we must tailor our story descriptions to their story significance, but overall, when crafting descriptions:

• Aim for one-sentence descriptions when possible
• If more detail is crucial, never exceed 3-4 lines

Character

Most characters need an introduction when they first appear in the script.

Use ALL CAPS, but only when they are first introduced. If there is a group or a character that isn't important to the story, you do not capitalize them.

Describe their essence with a few vivid details.

Focus less on the physical details of a character and more on their distinguishing personality (boring, angry, ruthless, etc.).

It can be helpful to take a characteristic and create a mental picture, either through a metaphor or comparison.

For example:

• NELSON CONRAD, 68, waddles like a deflated beanbag chair.
• ELENA CAMBRIDGE, 34, a predator dressed in Giorgio Armani.
• TIFFANY ARCHER, 25, is as emotional as a piece of paper.

Notice how we focus on their essence, not physical details. Physical details (e.g. blonde, tall, thin) can limit the selection of actors that can play them. The ideal actor may be a person who doesn't fit the physical characteristics.

Also, don't focus too much on what they wear. That's the role of the costume department. (Yes, I mentioned Giorgio Armani above but that is to suggest someone wearing expensive clothes and not on the colours or particular pieces she's wearing.)

Names are important. First names and last names identify a complete identity.

Age is also important. “Sandy, 28” is different from “Sandy, 94.” Be specific. A person in their mid-20s could be 23 or 27. That's a big range of growth for some people.

Use words that describe how they move, stand, and present themselves.

Consider giving your characters a job, especially notable characters.

Character Do’s

• Use ALL CAPS for important characters' first appearance.
• Describe their essence with vivid details.
• Focus on distinguishing personality over physical details.
• Use metaphors or comparisons to qualify characteristics.

Focus on

• Full name
• Specific age
• Descriptive movement or presentation
• Occupation (for notable characters)

Character Don'ts

• Using limiting physical characteristics.
• Using actors’ names.
• Comparing them to other characters in books or movies.
• Identify them as the protagonist or villain.

Settings

At the introduction of new locations, tell us where your scene takes place. Do not convey this in the slug-line. Slug-lines should be simple and minimal.

Add a short line of description, similar to how you would describe characters. Focus on capturing the essence of the place. Brevity is a strength.

Even if it's a place we might know—for example, the suburbs—a good description can communicate tone, mood, and context:

Main Street, USA. Beneath the Fourth of July parades, high school football glory, and blue-ribbon apple pies at the county fair lies the heart of the real American Dream.

However, if it were something like this, it becomes a different story:

Main Street, USA. Despite the Fourth of July parades, high school football glory, and blue-ribbon apple pies at the county fair, whispers of foreclosures and shuttered factories linger on the outskirts of town.

Specifying the month can convey mood. New York in October is different than New York in July.

A story not set in the present may need more description, especially if it is unfamiliar to modern culture.

1350s. Medieval Europe. The Black Death ravages the continent; castles evolve, the Hundred Years' War rages on.

It often helps to assign a specific year, especially if it isn’t set in our time. It prepares a reader for the changes that are described.

If it’s set in an obscure or unique location, briefly describe the scene so that a reader can visualize it clearly.

Only show details if they impact the characters. A radical new political system isn’t vital to a character that’s lost in the desert.

Location Do’s

• Introduce new locations with a brief description
• Capture the essence of the place concisely.
• Use description to convey tone, mood, and context.

Tips

• Specify the month to convey mood
• Assign a specific year for non-contemporary settings
• Describe unique or obscure locations briefly but vividly
• Focus on details that impact characters

Objects

When showing unique objects, it helps to describe them. However, the danger is not to over-describe an object.

Give the essence of what the object is explained in a sentence.

Focus on what it might look like in our world—a gun, a camera, a car. Use character interaction to describe its purpose. Sounds can also be useful.

Gary grabs the Optithon, a weaponized telescope that fits in the palm of his hand. He aims—WHOOSH— a laser shoots out, and Paul is vaporized into dust.

Object Do’s

• Describe unique objects concisely
• Focus on real-world comparisons
• Use character interactions to show purpose
• Incorporate sounds when relevant

Putting it all together

The goal is not to create holes in your story that your readers will fill in on their own. Descriptions help fill in enough details so that on a later page, you don't tell us a detail you never clarified that pulls us out of the story and we have to go back and figure out what we missed.

Introduce your places, objects, and characters only as they appear in the story. You don't need to put them in all at the start.

A simple method of using descriptions is:

1. SLUGLINE
2. Intro location with description.
3. Intro character with description and place them in action.
4. Intro second character (if needed).
5. Move into the story.

Remember

• Brevity and vividness are your allies in description
• Focus on the essence of what you're describing
• Introduce elements as they appear in the story
• Don't over-direct; allow room for cast and crew creativity