Screenplay Auditing - Case Study 9: When Philosophy Overpowers the Plot

 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.”

Screenplay Auditing - Case Study 8: The Flat Screenplay

When the Script Breathes No Life

By Sai Vijendhiran, Inventor of Screenplay Auditing Process

In one of my recent Screenplay Audits, I encountered a script where everything was present—but nothing was alive.

Characters were introduced. Events unfolded. Dialogues were exchanged.
Yet, there was no spark, no heartbeat. The scenes felt like they existed out of compulsion, not inspiration.

This is what I call a Flat Screenplay.

Screenplay Auditing - Case Study 7: The Trap of Repetition

 When Scenes Stop Evolving by Sai Vijendhiran

In my experience auditing screenplays, a recurring issue is the repetition of scenes, character traits, and dialogues—often unknowingly done by the writer.

Many scripts tend to over-establish characters. Their nature, behavior, or arc is explained multiple times without adding any new dimension. Similarly, dialogues and core purposes of the story are repeated scene after scene.

This kind of repetition doesn’t strengthen the script—it weakens it.

👉 The root cause?
Usually a lack of fresh scene ideas or limited thought process while expanding the screenplay. Writers, in the absence of new conflict or development, resort to echoing earlier scenes and conversations.

Screenplay Auditing - Case Study 6: Idea to Screenplay — The Lost in Translation Syndrome

In my experience as a Screenplay Auditor, one of the most common issues I’ve encountered is the failure to translate an idea into its intended cinematic form.

Writers often begin with a powerful idea — a conflict, a situation, or a unique character arc. But once it takes the shape of a screenplay, especially in short films or web series, the core idea gets diluted, misrepresented, or even completely replaced by unintended subplots.

For example:
A writer may begin with a concept focused on the internal conflict of the protagonist. But by the end of the screenplay, the story may appear to deal more with external societal pressures, confusing the audience and diluting the emotional impact.

Screenplay Auditing - Case Study 5: Every Script is a New Patient

 Confidentiality, Curiosity & the Challenge of Trust

By Sai Vijendhiran – Inventor of the Screenplay Auditing Process

Every screenplay audit I do is a completely new journey.
The story structure, the writing approach, the thought process of the writer—none of it repeats.
That’s the beauty of it.
And that’s also the challenge.

🧠 Different Minds, Different Maps

The mindset of every writer I meet is different.
Some are confident.
Some are confused.
Some are defensive.
Some are dreamers.

But the audit begins at zero every time.
No assumptions.
No shortcuts.
I listen, I diagnose, I recommend—with total freshness and neutrality.

Screenplay Auditing - Case Study 4: Why Calling an Auditor Late Can Cost You Years

 By Sai Vijendhiran – Inventor of the Screenplay Auditing Process

This is something I’ve experienced more than once—and more often than you might expect.

A writer or filmmaker reaches out to me for a Screenplay Audit, but only after they’ve spent months or even years living with the script. They've brainstormed, rewritten, discussed, and dreamed—but despite all that time, they still don’t know:

• Where the story should go.
• What the characters are truly fighting for.
• Why it still doesn’t feel “right.”

They are standing at the edge of their own imagination, looking for a way forward—but the path is fogged.