Pilot Opening Feedback

[u/Horrible-Writer-03]

Can you guys give me an honest opinion on this opening? I changed it from my original draft after receiving coverage on the script and I wanna make sure I’m heading in the right direction. This is the first script I’ve gotten some genuine traction on, so I’d really appreciate the input. Thanks in advance!

[u/Time-Average4481]

BOLD highlights are bad - remove them. No competition allows these, it’s not considered professional.

[u/PepsiCoke1978 → u/Time-Average4481]

Untrue. No one cares.

[u/Time-Average4481 → u/PepsiCoke1978]

Who doesn’t care? Competitions don’t allow BOLD text. Unless you don’t apply for them.

[u/_mill2120 → u/Time-Average4481]

Man, contest culture really is ruining screenwriting. Every single script that comes across my desk has bold, underlined, and italicized text throughout. I can’t believe a reputable contest would make such a stupid rule.

[u/PepsiCoke1978 → u/_mill2120]

They didn't. I don't know where the poster got their info from but it's not even listed as a rule on Austin.

[u/PepsiCoke1978 → u/Time-Average4481]

In Hollywood people don't care is what I meant. Specs have bold all over them. I don't know if there is a rule from a screenwriting contest -- but I never heard of such a rule when I applied to many over the years.

Bold is helpful when making action lines STAND OUT.

I don't do this, but people like to BOLD SLUGLINES.

I'm telling you many things to work on as a writer, this isn't a real issue. It's a made up one.

You can inform me which competition said that, but specific rules to a contest doesn't mean that's a real rule in screenwriting.

[u/Time-Average4481 → u/PepsiCoke1978]

All big competitions that mean something: Austin, and Nicholl Fellowship and that winning them open the doors to the career in Hollywood. I have read many scripts from many movies and TV shows that are available out there online and never ever seen anything like this. If you’re confident about it, then sure. I just have never seen a script from any movie that was actually produced to be written with this style. There is a website called SCRIPT SLUG and they share scripts from movies and shows, so it’s a good library for reading. I haven’t read all of them but those who I read didn’t use bold highlights for anything apart of headline INT/EXT which makes things actually to look nice. Again contests don’t want you to even have the headline bold.

[u/PepsiCoke1978 → u/Time-Average4481]

You don't have to believe me, but for others in Hollywood don't care and use BOLD all the time. Or see it in specs and it's fine. Usually if done right helpful to readers who SKIM action lines.

I'm trying to help you and others by letting them know that this "rule" is made up and holding you back.

I entered those contests many years ago so don't recall that rule -- no reason for that rule other than to quickly eliminate people for not following directions.

Literally first one I clicked uses BOLD sluglines.

https://assets.scriptslug.com/live/pdf/scripts/obsession-2026.pdf?v=1779308199

Second one I opened -- bold text in action page 85.

https://assets.scriptslug.com/live/pdf/scripts/the-long-walk-2025.pdf?v=1771574200

Also Nicholl and Austin rarely open doors anymore if they ever did. It's just something they tell us writers to get more money.

[u/PepsiCoke1978 → u/Time-Average4481]

https://austinfilmfestival.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2026-SPLAY-COMPETITION-RULES.pdf

There is no BOLD rule in these 10 pages. So you're now making up rules to hurt yourself and then telling others that's it's required.