Slick Films Fund Anonymous Reader Exclusive
We asked a hugely successful filmmaker and a (anonymous) reader of the Slick Films Fund, what exactly they look for in a submission. The answers are so insightful…
Judging a screenwriting competition is both a privilege and a challenge. Every year, hundreds of scripts land on desks across our highly competitive industry, and each one carries the hopes and ambitions of a writer eager to make their mark.
As a judge, the responsibility feels heavy, because I know all too well how much a rejection can hurt, especially when you’ve poured your heart and soul into a project. But, the bottom line is, scripts are the most important piece of the jigsaw when it comes to producing a short film on a budget, and the best way to communicate what we’re all about as creatives, our voice, our energy, our passion, and our understanding of the journey we’re about to go, and the one we’re inviting our audience to join us on – so we owe it to ourselves to always try and deliver the best piece of work we can, and above all else, respect the craft.
“But beyond strong storytelling, I’m also looking for craftsmanship; an understanding of screenwriting as a discipline, not just an outlet for expression.”
For me, a great script isn’t just a great idea; it’s an invitation. It welcomes a reader into its world, holds them captive, moves them, surprises them, asks them to question their own thoughts and feelings, and most importantly makes them believe in the story, its characters, it’s world and its themes. But beyond strong storytelling, I’m also looking for craftsmanship; an understanding of screenwriting as a discipline, not just an outlet for expression.
So, after reading a significant volume of scripts over the years, I wanted to share some key takeaways -what made the strongest submissions stand out, the most common pitfalls, and what writers can do to give their scripts the best chance of success.
What Makes a Standout Short Film Script?
1. Achievable
A short film script isn’t just a condensed feature; it’s an exercise in storytelling economy. The best scripts I read struck the perfect balance between scope and practicality. They understood the limitations of budget filmmaking, but rather than feel restrained by them, they leaned into depth, nuance, and precision. They didn’t need extravagant set pieces – they made small moments feel huge.
2. Strong visually and active tense. Respect for the craft
Scripts that play out visually, like the medium they’re intended for always land harder than those that don’t. The best ones feel like you’re watching a film in your mind’s eye, not reading a book. Action lines are lean and visually evocative, avoiding overwritten, novelistic prose. These visuals don’t have to be full of flair and gravitas, but subtle and economical visual energy always help the eyes fall down the page, and the images play out in real time. Active tense helps too, in ensuring that a read doesn’t stumble or get stuck in the mud. A huge bonus for keeping me on side through a read, is when scripts are formatted professionally, which, while it may seem small, immediately signals a writer who takes the craft seriously and therefore has earned my full attention.
3. Subtext is the magic potion
The strongest scripts also had layers. They trusted their audience. Rather than spelling everything out, they used emotional and practical subtext. Cleverly guiding the audience to ask themselves what’s going on beneath the surface of every conversation, sly look, hug, subtle action. Effective subtext can really let the real themes of a story breath and expand a story far beyond its limited page count. This makes the experience of reading and eventually watching feel rewarding and personal.
“The best scripts I read struck the perfect balance between scope and practicality. They understood the limitations of budget filmmaking”
4. Pacing & structure that feels effortless
The best writers know how to control momentum. They didn’t rush through ideas, nor did they overstay their welcome. Every scene had a purpose; whether it was driving the narrative forward, deepening the characters, adding emotional weight, hitting us with a well-timed twist, or presenting colourful authenticity in a space that was carved out for it. It’s very clear when reading a lot of scripts, which writers have a solid understanding of structure and how that can dictate pace, of both a read and eventually on screen too. I don’t subscribe to the idea that structure is only for features or longer form projects. Structure can be interpreted and played with in several ways, but all good scripts, no matter the length, still have well-paced turning points, and an almost rhythmic forward momentum.
5. Characters and worlds that feel real
A great idea or the presentation of an unseen, or less explored world or voice can spark intrigue, but if the characters don’t feel like they truly live within their world, the script falls flat. The best scripts I read weren’t just about what happens, but who it happens to, and how those characters evolve because of it, both externally and internally. When it comes to authenticity, for me it’s the small detail and the writer’s understanding of why it’s there, and how it elevates and deepens a sense of character. Authenticity by foot-stamping assertion never plays out the same way.
“Many scripts felt too guided, too explanatory, as though the writer didn’t trust the audience”
What Were the Most Common Pitfalls?
1. On-the-nose dialogue & heavy-handed messaging
Many scripts felt too guided, too explanatory, as though the writer didn’t trust the audience to think or feel for themselves. Great storytelling is about asking questions, not delivering lectures. Some scripts read as manifestos rather than stories, with characters acting as mouthpieces for the writer rather than as real people making organic choices. I read a lot of scripts that mistook messaging for meaning, hammering home their themes with on-the-nose dialogue and blunt exposition rather than inviting the reader to engage, question and interpret.
2. Overwritten action lines
A screenplay isn’t a novel, but some scripts seemed to forget that. Huge blocks of dense, and often totally unnecessary action or stage direction that slowed the read, describing every minute detail rather than capturing the essence of a moment.
3. Concepts without emotional weight
I saw many scripts that had interesting, high-concept premises, but they often forgot the human element. A strong idea means nothing without emotional investment. The standout scripts had big ideas but grounded them in character, depth, and something profoundly real.
“The scripts that stuck with me the most had a unique voice. They weren’t trying to mimic Hollywood tropes”
4. Lack of consideration for budget & practicality
While ambition is great, a short film script still needs to be producible. Some scripts ignored the reality of independent filmmaking, making them impossible to execute on a budget. The
strongest scripts knew how to create scale within limitations; intimate but cinematic, simple but layered.
Final Thoughts: How to Stand Out in a Competition?
1. Tell a story only you can tell
The scripts that stuck with me the most had a unique voice. They weren’t trying to mimic Hollywood tropes – they felt personal, specific, and lived-in. When we talk about authenticity in
film, I think we sometimes mistake this for big ideas in small worlds, when sometimes it can simply come down to our own attachment to our stories, our cultures or our own emotional
viewpoint on the world around us.
2. Embrace subtext & trust your audience
If you find yourself over-explaining themes, messaging, or character emotions, take a step back and ask – can this be told visually? In a more economical way? Can the audience interpret this themselves?
3. Keep it visual & readable
A screenplay should be a pleasure to read, not a chore. Keep your action lines lean, your dialogue tight, and your pacing engaging. And remember if we can’t see it, it shouldn’t be in there!
“Passion for the medium, and the fact nobody can stop us typing words on a page is the thing that should keep us all going.”
4. Make every word count
Short films are a condensed art form; there’s no space for filler. Every scene, every character,every line, every moment should earn its place. Can you collate scenes and beats to lower the
page count, reduce the locations etc.
5. Respect the medium & the craft
Proper formatting, structure, and pacing don’t just make a script look professional, they signal that the writer understands filmmaking and is taking the craft seriously, without cutting corners or being lazy. Formatting ‘rules’ can certainly be broken, but know why you’re doing it – is it to communicate something more clearly? To keep the pace up? To solidify tone? To purposely misdirect/direct the reader?
At the end of the day writing is hard. Getting noticed is even harder. But the best scripts do rise above the noise because they don’t just tell a story, they immerse the reader in it. The strongest scripts I read weren’t flashy or overcomplicated, they were precise, deeply human, and left an impact long after I finished reading.
If you’re submitting to a competition, keep pushing. Keep refining. Keep cutting away the unnecessary until only the truth of the story remains, and don’t beat yourself up too much when you get rejections, it’s all part of the journey. I’m a firm believer that if you work hard, always look to learn and improve, fate will look after the rest.
Validation, success and support can be a huge motivator in the journey, but our love and passion for the medium, and the fact nobody can stop us typing words on a page is the thing that should keep us all going.
Good luck.
If you have a script – consider submitting to the Slick Films Fund here.
Every film starts somewhere.
