I’m finishing up a screenplay assignment this week, and here’s a workflow technique that I use for genre stuff...might be helpful.

I tend to write scripts that balance action/set pieces and dialogue scenes, with the hybrid scenes in there, obviously. My approach to action —

— is to not write it all out in my first draft.

What I’ll do is write it in paragraph form, within the body of the script and highlight certain things I know I want but most importantly I’ll have a sentence that tracks the CHARACTER GROWTH across the action scene —

— so I know how the character is growing. Then, when the draft is done I’ll make an action playlist and fill in the action.

I tend to move faster that way, writing out the meaty dramatic scenes and coming back to detail the action, like different parts of my brain.

Example:

INT. TRAINING ROOM (MATRIX) - DAY
Morpheus training Neo in how to fight/free his mind. Reference classic Kung Fu movies. (Neo has a bit of FUN!). Neo slow to learn, but instinct guides him after Morpheus PUSHES him. Slight hint at Neo's ability. NEO STARTS TO BELIEVE.

Obviously, there's more to it than the above, but that's enough for me to know what the scene is and come back to it.

I also know that the inching forward of Neo's belief (and Morpheus' growing belief in him) gets carried over into the next scene.

In my first draft --

-- I might just stay wholly in the dojo, BUT in the second draft THAT'S when I would probably think of "Hey, Trinity and Co. should be watching him" and then I would add that in on another pass.

Obviously the Wachowskis wrote this and I didn't, but you know what I mean, LOL.

I used THE MATRIX because we're all familiar with it, but in my actual work, those are the kind of battles I'm fighting this week as I move through this draft.

It helps me get it down, and keep moving forward. Forward momentum is key, for me.

The CHARACTER GROWTH portion is key because ALL ACTION SHOULD SPEAK TO CHARACTER GROWTH or it's just kinetics with no story purpose. Feels empty. ACTION SHOULD CHANGE YOUR CHARACTER EVERY TIME, IN SOME WAY and link that growth to the next scene. Important to highlight in my notes

And the first clip is from UPGRADE by @LWhannell and you should watch the whole movie because it's EXCELLENT and Leigh is one of my favorite storytellers at the moment.

Go watch UPGRADE!

(The Matrix is good too, lol.)