Hanna’s Gone!

Survived Ms. Hanna.  Lots of rain.  Lot’s of wind.  And one small leak in the roof.  Sigh.

But, being the courageous (foolish??) screenwriter I am, I headed to the coffee shop at 8 AM — braved the wind — dodged the rain — and proceeded to write twelve pages.  Long hand.  On yellow legal pad paper.  I’m in the midst of a rewrite of a screenplay I finished several months ago and I must say, I really missed these characters.

And– the story has changed.  Not much.  Just enough to make the script better.  But then again, that’s the way it should be, right?  Tomorrow I will finish and Monday I will begin the next phase — enter all those hand written pages into the computer.   And do yet another rewrite in the process.  It’s my method and goes something like this.

Write notes.  Heaps of notes.  Then write in long hand.  I label each scene with a unique identifier keyed to the date. Eg. The first scene I wrote today was 0906_A.  That way if I decide to move a scene I write a note in the margins — move scene 0906_A here.  Voila!

Next, I enter those hand written pages into the computer and edit as I do so.  This becomes draft 1.5.  Then, let it marinate…

…and I go back and write every scene from that first draft on 3×5 cards.  Across the top I write the scene slug as it appears in your script.  Then, I write a brief synopsis of the action and list the characters.  I use different colored cards for each of the four acts.  I use white for Act I – blue for Act II – green for Act III – and red/pink for Act IV.

Then, using my script and the 3×5 cards and a yellow legal pad, I explore the following:

Motivation – explore the scene’s main character’s motivation – what I refer to as Who Wants What? Or W3 for short.

Conflict – What is keeping this character from getting what he wants?  Who/what opposes him?

Reaction – how does your character react at the end of the scene?  Has he won?  Did he lose?  How does he feel emotionally?

And that brings me back to today.  When I finish entering those pages in the computer – do my edits along the way – I will have a pretty much finished script.  In three and one-half drafts.

After that, it’s tweaks and polishes and on to the next script.

Which sits in my computer at draft 1.5.

Keep Writing,

  Mike

My Script Writing Process

Okay, today I would like to discuss my screenwriting process for the few of you who have managed to find this blog.  LOL.  First, let me state that this process works for me.  Second, I have only used this process for a short time.  Third, the process is evolving as I learn by doing.  That said –

Write your script.  Write that shitty script.  Get it down on paper.  The whole thing without stopping.

Now, go back and write every scene from that shitty first draft on a 3×5 card.  Across the top write the scene slug as it appears in your script.  Then, write a brief synopsis of the action and list the characters.  Use different colored cards for each of the four acts.  I use white for Act I – blue for Act II – green for Act III – and red/pink for Act IV.

Using your script and 3×5 cards and a yellow legal pad, explore the following:

Motivation – explore the scene’s main character’s motivation – what I refer to as Who Wants What? Or W3 for short.

Conflict – What is keeping this character from getting what he wants?  Who/what opposes him?

Reaction – how does your character react at the end of the scene?  Has he won?  Did he lose?  How does he feel emotionally?

During the process you will discover new character traits – bits of dialogue – whole new scenes.  You may also discover that your scenes need to be shifted about to make more ‘story sense’. 

Now, put everything away.  Read a book.  Start a new script.  Hike the Appalachian Trail – well, that may be a tad too long. 

Rewrite the script based on your 3×5 cards and your notes.  Should be complete in short order and when you are finished – think about repeating the process.  But whatever you do—

Keep Writing!

   Mike