Latest screenplay…an update
New “Origin” story in revision stages
June 18, 2018
28 days in a row…about 60 man hours put into it.
From April 30, 2018 to May 28, 2018 I slammed out a rough first draft of a new screenplay about the origin story of a character. Now that it’s June, hot, muggy weather has set in. And I’ve set in to revise the new screenplay.
At first I was unsure. Strange, but I thought the character was unlikable. But I didn’t really know him. As I dove into his back story he became sympathetic; he’d been through a lot. I hadn’t walked in his shoes, so to speak. He grew as a human being. Somebody worth investing 2 hours of your life to get to know.
So far, the first 21 pages are in great shape. I’m sifting through the scenes of the next 20 pages…it was written in total white heat style. Now it’s a matter of ‘seeing the movie’ with critical perspective. I don’t do jigsaw puzzles, but I guess Editing is my version of a jigsaw puzzle. After those next 20 pages the script is in good shape and I’m looking forward to digging in and polishing it so it’s as smooth as onyx stone.
I’ve written rough first drafts for features in 6 weeks and 8 weeks. When I started, I didn’t have a time table set. Suddenly opportunity arose. The movie frames appeared in my mind’s eye, so I went for it: knock it out in a month. Could I do it? Could I finish in 5 weeks? I knew the dialogue wasn’t set in concrete, but it had the basic tone and direction. When writing, you cannot get bogged down in trying to create perfect words. That’s the aim of Revision.
When this project is edited, I’ll turn it over to a few trusted confidantes for feedback. I’ll have three spec features and one spec TV pilot.
I’m sure it was all part of the ‘cooling off’ process but I find myself pushing back ideas for the NEXT screenplays to write. I have a short list for when that time comes. Maybe a sports movie or a thriller…there’s no shortage of ideas, but I want my time to be useful and productive…and as always, a story happens when it is time for it to be told.
During this time frame I entered three screenplay competitions and the first results begin in August. My next process (apart from ‘always writing’) is to seek a literary manager.
But always, writing.