Page One: “Heist” (2001)

Written by David Mamet

A trailer for the movie:

Yes, I know. All caps. And yeah, lots of camera jargon (ANGLE, ANGLE CU, ANGLE INS). All supposed no-nos for a contemporary spec script.

Here’s the thing. This isn’t a spec script. This is a shooting script. Written by the director. An established director: David Mamet. His style includes the use of ANGLE witness another one of his scripts: The Verdict.

If you’re an established filmmaker, you can pretty much write a screenplay however you’d like … as long as the story tracks. While there’s no rule against writing like this, if you’re a novice or aspiring screenwriter, I do advise you avoid camera direction as well as ALL CAPS.

You may read the screenplay here.

FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY!

Page One is a daily Go Into The Story series featuring the first page of notable movie scripts from the classic era to contemporary times. Comparing them is an excellent way to study a variety of writing styles and see how professional writers start a story.

For more Page One posts, go here.