E.C. Henry at 2010-02-04 08:46:00:

"Saving Private Ryan" is one of my favorite movies of all-time.

White-knucled action. LOVED IT. And it's stories like this that give a generations removed from World War II a taste of the sacrifices those heros made to help insure the peace we now enjoy.

Will definatly study how the action is protrayed. Thanks for the post, Scott. Its stuff like this, that keeps me coming back.
:-) E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

Janienj at 2010-02-04 08:51:12:

Just in complete awe of the writing and the use of secondary slug lines on the first page. Masterful and hugely helpful in my own process.
Thanks for sharing what a pro does when faced with a huge writing challenge.

Scott at 2010-02-04 08:54:54:

@RonC: There's also a technical inaccuracy in that you don't "PAN DOWN," you "TILT DOWN". But both points reinforce the suggestion that this script was pre-greenlit, not an actual 'selling script.' I'm sure Rodat wasn't trying to be sloppy, but he was probably pounding out rewrite after rewrite per Spielberg's notes as they moved the script toward production - and proofreading wasn't at the top of his list re priorities.

Tom at 2010-02-04 15:36:58:

I recently "discovered" the power of secondary slug lines when I went back through a short I'd written and rewrote it with secondary slugs instead of more detailed action lines.

I knew my story. I knew how it went. I knew it was exciting.

But when I reread it I couldn't believe how the action really seemed to jump of the page and slap me in the face.

The best part, is that the action wasn't a Normandy Beach landing type of action, either.

As an aside, my business communications professor at the Univ of Washington was deafened during D-Day on Omaha beach. He talked with me privately one day after class because I'd had to wear my ROTC uniform that day. He would talk with pride about his injuries and then nearly break down when talking about his buddies.

@ E.C. I'm sure you don't forget today's heros at Ft Lewis and McChord. All you ever have to do is just say "thank you" and nothing more and you'll make a soldier's whole year.