Hey everyone! How are you doing? I hope no one is as confused as I am as to how to proceed with their scripts. So, I have a problem. I am currently working on a movie script and I have been working on it for such a long time, leaving it and returning back to it at intervals, it got a little bit out of hand. At this rate it is going to be 150 pages or so long by the time it is finished. I am half-way through and I already know that there is too much rendundancies in dialogue, some scenes are unncessary and stuff. But I am wondering if I should just leave those be for now and finish the script no matter how long and work on cutting the unnecessary bits in second draft or start anew with the same story now that I know what the redundancies are and I have a clearer view of how my story is going to span out. If you have ever overwritten and have any suggestions about how to proceed without freaking out because of the page count, please let me know. Oh God, even in a lounge post, I have overwritten. Somebody please help me :)
Screenwriting : Script Got Out of Hand by Aybüke Günsel
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I think you should finish it - but it is too long, and probably why you aren't finishing. It might be a little time consuming to follow the same path as you have been. Do you have an outline, and know how it will finish? If I were you (and I'm not) I would start again - it sounds like you've been practicing enough writing to know where there might be some redundant areas in the script. It might be helpful to start again with a blank script, since you should have a good idea of what your theme is, what you're trying to say now. This should help you to keep everything tighter and follow a clear story, I would always follow the 3-act structure until you know it well enough to veer off and do your own thing. The structure should help you to break your story up into chunks and pick and choose from that which you've already written which is relevant to the story you want to tell. I did the re-write thing from a blank page recently, and it really is not as bad as you think because a lot of your story is already in your head. It becomes quite cathartic, since you realise your writing cleaner material that's relevant, and you can do away with the chaff. It's like clearing out a cupboard :)
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Hi Aybuke, congratulations on recognizing that the script is too long! Honestly, that's a good first step. Be honest with yourself about how you work best. Will you be able to hack away at the script in its current form or will you start defending every scene to yourself? If it's the latter, go back to the outline and open up that blank page. Here's a great webinar we have on self-editing if you're interested: https://www.stage32.com/webinars/The-Art-of-the-Self-Edit-10-Things-You-...
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Hey Laura Donaldson, you might be right about why I am not finishing the script. It has gotten too long and it’s distracting and worrying me constantly. I have a rough outline and know how it is going to end and also what my themes are. I guess starting anew would be better, I would remeber what I’ve written so far and connect it better to rest of the story and the end. And hopefully, this way it will be much quicker and I would stop stalling. I guess I agree with you that it would be cathartic. Thanks for the advice!
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Hey Niki H, thanks for your reply. I guess you are write, identifying why it is not working out is a success in itself as well. I don’t think I will defend the scenes. I am already too critical of them. I know the the scenes are quite necessary for the progression of the story but the dialogues in it should be cut much shorter and changed to be less of an info dump. I think I will identify what should have been said and happen so far and open up a blank page to start with those. Hopefully, it will cut the story much shorter and compact. And thanks for the webinar suggestion. I’ll certainly check it out!
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Are you writing for yourself? Go as big and long and crazy as you want.
Are you writing a spec that you want others to read? Less is more. Less is critical.
These are two different situations with two different approaches.
For the latter, remember that nobody wants to read it.
Use the one finger rule. No line of dialogue thicker than a finger's width.
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It takes time. And it can be exhausting. That's what I've learned so far.