Can You Tell a Pro From an Amateur Writer By Just Reading the First Page?
This YouTube video experiment was worth the time.
Adaptation
The goal of every screenwriter is to write something that makes it to the big screen. But to get there, you have to produce a screenplay that people think is great.
Writing a screenplay is no small feat, and you have to write a lot of them to get any good.
But how can you tell if you've got what it takes to make it to the big screen? Well, one way to do it is to put your words up against the pros and hope someone thinks you're good enough to join them in prestigious glory.
Writers Nathan Graham Davis, Jason Gruich, and Joe Marino do just that in an intriguing experiment they recorded for all our viewing pleasure.
Check out the video below.
Can You Spot Pro Screenwriting in One Page?
I came across this Reddit post last night and eagerly watched the video. In it, we meet pro writers Nathan Graham Davis and Jason Gruich, and almost pro writer Joe Marino.
The basic concept is that Joe would read two pages, one by a pro, and one by someone breaking in.
Then Nathan and Jason would try to pick which one was written by the professional writer, and which was the amateur. Then they raise the stakes a bit. If the guys choose an amateur writer as the "pro," they read their first ten pages and send them feedback.
I thought this was a nice twist, that gave you some rooting interest.
As they dive in, it's really fun to hear the pages and guess along with them. I have to admit, I was really leaning into the challenge myself. At times, I thought it was obvious who wrote what, but there were a couple I found myself teetering on the edge.
I will say all the pros seemed to have mastered economy and white space. The sentences in the action writing were clear, direct, and there was a lot of openness on the pages, inviting you to read quickly and turn.
It was a good exercise that also helped remind me what people see when they read, and how you kind of have to write to an audience as well, and make things appear clear and concise for them.
Let me know what you think in the comments.
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