Today I finished reading the screenplay of one of my favorite films: Alien.
Besides being a great exercise in terms of craft and format, it’s honestly so much fun to read the script of such a famous movie while you already have all the scenes and lines (and actor voices!) from the finished film in your head.
What I loved most was spotting what actually made it into the movie and what got changed or cut along the way. And of course, thanks to this film I first discovered the work of the great —and freaking crazy— H.R. Giger!
Does anyone else find this kind of thing strangely fascinating when reading scripts of films you already know? Sometimes, screenplays are even better than books...
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Whrn I was learning to write screenplays, I studied the successive drafts of the first Star Wars film. I found it fascinating to see how much changed, and it gave me courage to not have all the answers on the first draft.
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It’s immense fun isn’t it.
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Alex, I'm very much with you about scripts sometimes being even better than books.
Jim Boston I'm reading "A Clockwork Orange" right now : )
Mike Boas I've edited my sci-fi novel so many times I've lost count..!
David Taylor Oh yes it is! New addiction discovered.