Screenplay writing workflow
I've never been a toe dipper so I usually just dive right in to anything I do with full gusto and steam. The same is true with writing. I'll have an idea and then I'll start writing. Sounds cool, but the problems come when I get to the mid point of my screenplay. By the time I get to FADE OUT, the ending is very different than the beginning and the two just don't match.
Take for example the first draft of Glass Hand. I wrote it during a Gotham Writer's class I was taking. It was fun getting that first draft out in 7 weeks but, my screenplay that started off as a cute and cuddly kid's film ended up being a scary thriller complete with a throat slitting of a puppy (heretofore knows as The Muffin Incident™ )
The next draft was more kid friendly but was completely boring because I took out all the scary stuff. The third draft had too many characters. The fourth draft didn't put the focus on my main character... Obviously my problem isn't sitting down and doing the writing, it's know what the hell to focus on!
So for the 5th draft, I'm going another route that's completely unlike me: I'm planning it out first and here are my steps:
Somewhere in there I'll need to revise this workflow for dealing with characters. I haven't thought about it where this would go yet because I've been working with the characters from SSGH for well over a year now.
Right now for SSGH, I'm at #5. I hope to be completed with #8 by April 15.
Take for example the first draft of Glass Hand. I wrote it during a Gotham Writer's class I was taking. It was fun getting that first draft out in 7 weeks but, my screenplay that started off as a cute and cuddly kid's film ended up being a scary thriller complete with a throat slitting of a puppy (heretofore knows as The Muffin Incident™ )
The next draft was more kid friendly but was completely boring because I took out all the scary stuff. The third draft had too many characters. The fourth draft didn't put the focus on my main character... Obviously my problem isn't sitting down and doing the writing, it's know what the hell to focus on!
So for the 5th draft, I'm going another route that's completely unlike me: I'm planning it out first and here are my steps:
- The Logline: A one sentence description of who and what my screenplay is about.
- 3 act breakdown: One sentence devoted to each act that briefly describes what happens. This will also serve as as a paragraph that I can tweak when it comes time to market.
- Theme: This might be a little early in the process to decide this, but I think knowing it might help with
- Plot Twists : The main ones happen at the end of Act 1, the middle of Act 2 and the end of Act 2.
- Opening Image and Final Image: I like the idea of these being like bookends, that mirror each other.
- Outlining : At the moment, I like the Blake Snyder method and am using his beat sheets. There are tons of other books and methods out there though.
- Mini-Treatment : 4 pages of exposition of what happens during the screenplay. Page 1 is for Act 1, Pages 2-3 are for Act 2 and page 4 is for Act 3. Mini treatments can be much longer, but I think I'll stick to the 4 pager for now.
- Scenes: A quick listing of important scenes
Somewhere in there I'll need to revise this workflow for dealing with characters. I haven't thought about it where this would go yet because I've been working with the characters from SSGH for well over a year now.
Right now for SSGH, I'm at #5. I hope to be completed with #8 by April 15.
Comments