I have an action sequence in the beginning of my script that has my main characters whitewater rafting. My question is, how much detail should I put into describing the actual action while they are rafting? Do I leave it pretty generic and just write "They paddle down the river, going through several rapids." Or can I put some more detail into it about the raft hitting certain rapids, the movement of the boat shooting upwards into the waves, etc. I'm not trying to just wax poetic about rafting but the motion of the boat is important as to what the characters are doing in the raft as my main character is the guide and trying to help the others get through the river. It's going to be an action/adventure feature and I'm also using this to establish that the main character is believable doing action hero things later on. Thoughts? Thanks everyone! Some descriptions that I use are: A wall of water comes up over her as the back of the raft plunges downward. It goes sideways as it hits another whirlpool and turns straight again. The raft hits a dip, a rise and then gets dropped again before it surges upward, going airborne as screams ring out.
Screenwriting : How much detail to include in a specific action sequence by Krista Crawford
How much detail to include in a specific action sequence
Other topics in Screenwriting:
Check out Trending Discussions
Register / Log In
1 person likes this
Read the script for Casino Royale. Bond films always start with an action sequence and that one is amazing.
Craig, I added some examples of what I have written to my original post if you wanna take a look.
Even though this refers to fight sequences in the John Wick movies,I think it may apply to action sequences in general: https://screencraft.org/2019/06/13/how-do-you-write-john-wick-worthy-fig...
3 people like this
Read a dozen scripts with big action scenes. Read how the scenes are written - the use of reversals and suspense to create excitement.
I would add detail. I realised how important this at a rehearsal. The actor saw how the character (on paper) was progressing, how each hit was effecting him. He then could interpret that for his performance.
Try to keep it lean, simple, and write in present tense. Strong verbs are also key for writing action descriptions.
2 people like this
It's wise to match the pacing of your script with the timing you picture on screen using the one-minute-per-page average. Practicing this can be enlightening. In one of my very early scripts, I had a car chase that I'd spent a lot of time visualising in my mind around a particular song. When I wrote out the chase, it came it at something like half a dozen pages due to a combination of detail, dialogue, and formatting. What I did was force myself to get it down to a page count that matched the song's length, which I did by reducing detail, eliminating slugs, and cutting back dialogue. What I lost in detail I gained in pacing.
However, detail itself is not the enemy when it comes to laborious action scenes. It's flow and rhythm that's the biggest issue. Clunky prose, however streamlined, is just that - clunky. Good action scenes are like watching a dance performance and particularly good writing demonstrates that. The mistake a lot of people seem to make is laying out a very specific set of movements as if explaining every move in a chess game. What's powerful is if you can think like an editor and give people beats that encapsulate how things look and feel.
Another import thing, especially from an emotional standpoint, is centralising the action around your characters, particularly your leads and telling it from their point of view. If your example, the focus is on the raft rather than the occupants (and maybe witnesses). Scenes like this still need to be telling us story so how they react to the situation and how they are impacted by it is critical.
Just write what the director needs to know to film it.
2 people like this
Krista; the basic answer to your question is: Just enough, not to much, not to little. This knowledge comes with experience over time. C.J. is correct in that you should keep in mind the story's pacing and rhythm. This might be a conversation you ought to have with a Director.
Not too little, not too much. I made that mistake when transferring my novel into script form (had to cut down a LOT of the descriptions).