By Sai Vijendhiran – Inventor of the Screenplay Auditing Process
In one of my screenplay audits, I came across a recurring issue that many writers—especially debut filmmakers—fall into: the overuse of philosophy and messaging in their scripts.
The story had potential. Characters were in place. A conflict existed. But instead of allowing the characters and events to naturally convey meaning, the writer chose to speak directly through the script. Almost every dialogue felt like a quote. Every character echoed the same voice—the writer's. Every event existed not to move the story forward, but to preach a personal belief.
This is a trap I call “philosophical overload.”
While it's admirable for a writer to have a strong worldview, the screenplay is not a lecture—it’s a lived experience for the audience. People connect with characters, not concepts. When every line is designed to teach, the story loses rhythm and the audience disconnects emotionally.
ЁЯУМ What I Observed:
-
Characters became mouthpieces, not individuals.
-
The core message was too “on-the-nose” and repetitive.
-
The natural evolution of events was sacrificed for moral lessons.
-
The writer’s point of view took center stage—rather than the protagonist’s journey.
ЁЯТб My Auditing Suggestion:
Let the philosophy emerge through the plot. Allow your characters to learn, struggle, and evolve. If there’s a life lesson to be conveyed, it should come as a consequence of action, not through dialogue-heavy declarations. Use subtext, not sermons.
The audience must feel the message—not be told it.
ЁЯУЭ Final Thought
“Every story has a soul. But when you force it to speak only your truth, you silence its own.”
Let the story breathe. Let the audience discover the meaning for themselves.
