Question, Scott...

TBSR's example of purple prose is clearly overwritten, but what if it was changed as so:

The tide rhythmically laps against the shore. Water. Sand. In. Out. White foam bubbles to the surface like the carbonation in a soda. And the waves themselves erase small etchings in the sand that read: "Will you marry m--"

Near the fading finger-etched proposal, two CORPSES lay side by side, a lone RING now being washed to sea from the woman's hand.

SUPER: Panama City Beach, Day One

.... Some of that clearly falls into the category of "purple prose," but if the writer's intention is for an extended shot on something (like the ocean tides in this example) then is it okay to use a larger vocabulary and get into details??

It seems like it would be valuable in this example. Just something you should avoid once the story gets rolling.

Stuff like
an unkempt crack house

stylish but naughty

secretary type

obviously a banker

ZOOMS

SLASHES

Wow, I love this.

Oh, BTW have to get in a shameless plug for Movie Outline software.

Goodbye note cards!

@The_High_Dweller: Yes, your example could work. It all depends upon the story, the position of the scene in that story, and what the point of the scene is. If it is to establish a sense of place and time, probably okay. To the degree that the story needs that set up the plot, fine. But if it doesn't advance the plot, then something to consider dropping during the rewrite.

In most screenplays, the story keeps powering forward - the next scene, the next scene, the next scene. Everything that happens has to fuel that push forward, what some people call "narrative drive."

But again, if you need to set up a place and create a mood, you have some flexibility to write a bit more prose than in other parts of the script.

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