REVIEW RECOMMENDED
Based on automated proofreading analysis — ScreenwritingCommunity.net
Spelling, Grammar, and Punctuation (7)
Error
p. 1: Run-on sentence. “Watson enters breathlessly and he slams the door and holds up the newspaper and waves it in the air.” Suggested: “Watson enters breathlessly. He slams the door and holds up the newspaper.”
Error
p. 4: “runs in the kitchen” should be “runs into the kitchen.” Directional entry requires “into.”
Error
p. 8: “nervous brilliant and sweaty” should be “nervous, brilliant, and sweaty.” Items in a series require commas.
Error
p. 11: “rolling back in to the moor” should be “back into the moor.” “Into” is one word.
Error
p. 11: “disappearing in to the fog” should be “disappearing into the fog.” Same issue.
Error
p. 6: “got in to the conservatory” — Sir Henry’s dialogue already demonstrates this error as a character choice, but see also the action line version on p. 9 which should be “into.”
Error
p. 14: “reaches in his coat” should be “reaches into his coat.” Directional entry.
Character Name Consistency (2)
Check this
Character name may be inconsistent: “THE TOMATO” (pp. 4, 5, 6) and “TOMATO” (pp. 7, 8, 11). Similarity: 91%. Verify consistent naming in stage directions.
Check this
Character name may be inconsistent: “SIR HENRY” (pp. 6, 7, 9) and “SIR HENRY BASKERVILLE” (pp. 6, 44). Similarity: 84%. These appear to be the same character — verify consistent naming.
Possible Scene Heading / Slugline Issues to Check (3)
Check this
Scene heading on p. 3 is missing a time of day: “INT. PADDINGTON STATION”
Check this
Scene heading on p. 8 is missing a time of day: “INT. BASKERVILLE HALL - STUDY”
Note
Time transition on p. 2: “MOMENTS LATER.” Consider adding a visual cue — a clock, shifting light, a half-eaten biscuit — rather than leaving it to the director.
Camera Directions (Spec Script) (2)
Check this
Camera direction on p. 1: “CLOSE ON” found in action line. Camera directions are generally omitted in spec scripts.
Check this
Camera direction on p. 9: “ANGLE ON” found in action line. Same issue.
Unfilmables in Action Lines (6)
Note
Possible unfilmable on p. 1: “brilliantly” in “brilliantly disheveled” — the camera can show dishevelment but cannot show brilliance. Suggested revision: omit “brilliantly” and write simply “disheveled,” or replace with an action that suggests brilliance (e.g., three open books, a chemical experiment mid-progress, an unsolved equation on the wall).
Note
Possible unfilmable on p. 1: “thinks” — internal state the camera cannot show. Consider: Watson stares at the headline, jaw dropping.
Note
Possible unfilmable on p. 1: “realizes” — internal state. Consider external action: Watson slowly lowers the paper.
Note
Possible unfilmable on p. 9: “decides” — internal state. Show Holmes’s face shifting; let the audience infer the decision.
Note
Possible unfilmable on p. 14: “thinks” — also this particular instance is arguably intentional given Holmes’s character. Your call.
Note
Possible unfilmable on p. 14: “knows” — internal state. Show Holmes looking at the moor and nodding slightly.
ALL CAPS Instances to Check (9)
Note
ALL CAPS in action line: “THE TOMATO” (p. 4). Ignore this note if this is the first appearance of a character. Otherwise, see the ALL CAPS Guidance below.
Note
ALL CAPS in action line: “CRASHES” (p. 4). Ignore this note if this is the first appearance of a character. Otherwise, see the ALL CAPS Guidance below.
Note
ALL CAPS in action line: “GROWLS” (p. 5). Ignore this note if this is the first appearance of a character. Otherwise, see the ALL CAPS Guidance below.
… and 6 additional ALL CAPS instances — all reviewed in your flagged script.
Overused Words (3)
Note
“suddenly” appears 5 times. Consider varying: abruptly, without warning, or simply omit — action lines are often stronger without adverbs.
Note
“slowly” appears 4 times. Same suggestion.
Note
“clearly” appears 3 times. Consider omitting — if something is clear from the action, the word is redundant.
How to use your flagged script:
- Open the attached .fdx file in Final Draft. Revision Mode is already enabled.
- Blue text and asterisks in the margin indicate flagged locations.
- Click any margin icon to read the specific note for that flag.
- Review each flag and decide whether to accept or ignore it.
- When finished, go to Production → Clear Revised to accept all changes.
- Turn off Revision Mode under Production → Revision Mode when done.
ALL CAPS Guidance
This script contains 9 instances of ALL CAPS flagged in action lines. Each is marked in your script: “Ignore this note if this is the first appearance of a character. Otherwise, see the ALL CAPS Guidance in the report.”
ALL CAPS in action lines is correct and appropriate for:
- A character’s name on their first appearance
- A pet or animal’s name
- Business signage or written text visible on screen
- An important sound effect with dramatic impact (e.g., CRASHES, GROWLS)
- A key offscreen sound that drives the scene
ALL CAPS is not appropriate for:
- General action description or emphasis
- Repeated references to a character already introduced
- Atmospheric sounds (the fog SWIRLS, the fire CRACKLES — use mixed case)
- Any word intended simply to seem important
A note on sound effects: When a sound is important enough to capitalize, it should appear in its own paragraph — not embedded in a line that also describes other action.
Review each flagged instance against these guidelines. Most are likely correct.
A Final Word on Formatting and Screenplay Style
This audit highlights issues likely to matter to a reader, judge, agent, or manager. It cannot cover every formatting question, and the conventions of screenplay style shift over time.
For the final word on formatting questions raised in this report, consult the authoritative sources listed on our formatting reference page:
screenwritingcommunity.net/screenplay-formatting-resources/
Covers The Hollywood Standard by Christopher Riley,
The Screenwriter’s Bible by David Trottier, and recommended online sources.