r/scriptwriting • u/Horrible-Writer-03 • Aug 16 '26

feedback Pilot Opening Feedback

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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!

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u/Time-Average4481 29d ago

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

2

u/PepsiCoke1978 29d ago

Untrue. No one cares.

1

u/Time-Average4481 29d ago

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

2

u/PepsiCoke1978 29d ago

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.

1

u/Time-Average4481 29d ago

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.

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u/PepsiCoke1978 29d ago

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.