Thanks so much for writing this. I'm currently in the first pass of a script and I found several practical things to consider as I move to the next stages of revision with it, like pre-lapping as a transition tool and keeping action lines as brief as possible.
A few questions that came to mind:
1. Do you script in needle drops in all your scripts? Do you keep them in or take them out in revisions?
2. With the first pass, do you jump into script form immediately, or do you sketch the story out in more of a treatment style and then transition over to a script editor?
3. With the first pass, how much is page count a consideration (if at all)?
1. I tend to put a lot of needle drops in my scripts. They're so key to the vibes that I rarely take them out. For a lot of people, they seem to be pretty invaluable in terms of keying into tone, pacing, etc.
2. I usually go like this: in my email draftbox, I keep a running list of story and character ideas for a project. Details. Scene ideas. Character arc ideas. Once that gets pretty full, I usually transition into a treatment type of document and start writing the story that way, to give myself a bird's eye view. Sometimes I use keynote and use images along with text. This is usually just to sort of getting a sense of how these elements may interact. Then I think about an opening scene until I can see it clearly. Then I go into script form. Sometimes things go in weird different order, or I start writing a scene, stop and go back to collecting story ideas, etc.
3. I don't really think about page count until I get to the revising stage. Early on, I'm just trying to create an emotionally consequential dramatic experience.
Thanks for taking the time to respond! I feel less weird now about going back and forth between scene work and story ideas.
I used to be dogmatic about having an airtight outline before jumping into the first pass, but now I've realized that working the story out on the page can often help me figure out what the story needs vs. what I think it needs.
I know this is an old post, but I found it helpful. For a pilot I just finished, I wrote the series bible after the first two drafts of the script. I found that it helped me understand the context of the show and story better , in a big picture way.
When going back to edit and rewrite, the characters gained a little more nuance -- in dialogue, motivation and more.
I'm curious: Does a series bible play into the way you draft and write ?
What an amazing resource you’ve shared here. As an aspiring screenwriter who has just finished their 3rd feature, this could not have come at a better time. So helpful to get an inside look at your revision process specifically. Thank you so much for this Tony, can’t wait for Americana!
Hey Tony, another post that answers questions you didn’t know I was asking. I love your approach to the rewrite and this gives me the confidence to take a similar tact. How’s the strike treating you?
Thanks, Ben. In terms of the strike, I'm in Arkansas for the summer, so I'm just writing my own things & waiting out the strike, glad that the WGA has enough backbone to demand reasonable compensation for our work.
Hi Tony. I have been trying adapt a short story into a short film. The story's written in third person. I am thinking of using some of the text from the story as voice over said by the protagonist in the film. Can you please share your thoughts about how to write a voice over which doesn't feel overly expository and seem organic to the film. Also whether it is better to completely dramatize the story and not use V.O. at all ?
I'd say generally I think it's better to avoid V.O., but every script is different. In most of my favorite uses of the device (BADLANDS, DAYS OF HEAVEN, THE INFORMANT, GOODFELLAS), the character giving the voice-over has some other reason for talking. In the two Malick examples, the characters are almost innocent & unaware of the ramifications of the story they're narrating. While in Soderbergh & Scorsese's films the narrator is full of self-deception. I think a direct, overt narration will usually end up being pretty boring. There should probably be some kind of friction or tension between the narration and the drama.
I completely agree. Have you seen the french short film 'The Piano Tuner'? I really like it and it also uses voiceover. I wanted to try and write something in that vein. I cannot pinpoint why it works despite being expository. Anyway, thank you for the advice Tony.
Thanks so much for writing this. I'm currently in the first pass of a script and I found several practical things to consider as I move to the next stages of revision with it, like pre-lapping as a transition tool and keeping action lines as brief as possible.
A few questions that came to mind:
1. Do you script in needle drops in all your scripts? Do you keep them in or take them out in revisions?
2. With the first pass, do you jump into script form immediately, or do you sketch the story out in more of a treatment style and then transition over to a script editor?
3. With the first pass, how much is page count a consideration (if at all)?
I'll try to answer:
1. I tend to put a lot of needle drops in my scripts. They're so key to the vibes that I rarely take them out. For a lot of people, they seem to be pretty invaluable in terms of keying into tone, pacing, etc.
2. I usually go like this: in my email draftbox, I keep a running list of story and character ideas for a project. Details. Scene ideas. Character arc ideas. Once that gets pretty full, I usually transition into a treatment type of document and start writing the story that way, to give myself a bird's eye view. Sometimes I use keynote and use images along with text. This is usually just to sort of getting a sense of how these elements may interact. Then I think about an opening scene until I can see it clearly. Then I go into script form. Sometimes things go in weird different order, or I start writing a scene, stop and go back to collecting story ideas, etc.
3. I don't really think about page count until I get to the revising stage. Early on, I'm just trying to create an emotionally consequential dramatic experience.
Thanks for taking the time to respond! I feel less weird now about going back and forth between scene work and story ideas.
I used to be dogmatic about having an airtight outline before jumping into the first pass, but now I've realized that working the story out on the page can often help me figure out what the story needs vs. what I think it needs.
I know this is an old post, but I found it helpful. For a pilot I just finished, I wrote the series bible after the first two drafts of the script. I found that it helped me understand the context of the show and story better , in a big picture way.
When going back to edit and rewrite, the characters gained a little more nuance -- in dialogue, motivation and more.
I'm curious: Does a series bible play into the way you draft and write ?
What an amazing resource you’ve shared here. As an aspiring screenwriter who has just finished their 3rd feature, this could not have come at a better time. So helpful to get an inside look at your revision process specifically. Thank you so much for this Tony, can’t wait for Americana!
Hey Tony, another post that answers questions you didn’t know I was asking. I love your approach to the rewrite and this gives me the confidence to take a similar tact. How’s the strike treating you?
Thanks, Ben. In terms of the strike, I'm in Arkansas for the summer, so I'm just writing my own things & waiting out the strike, glad that the WGA has enough backbone to demand reasonable compensation for our work.
Me too. We're looking at getting out of town—indefinitely, if possible. Can't wait to see your film!
Hi Tony. I have been trying adapt a short story into a short film. The story's written in third person. I am thinking of using some of the text from the story as voice over said by the protagonist in the film. Can you please share your thoughts about how to write a voice over which doesn't feel overly expository and seem organic to the film. Also whether it is better to completely dramatize the story and not use V.O. at all ?
I'd say generally I think it's better to avoid V.O., but every script is different. In most of my favorite uses of the device (BADLANDS, DAYS OF HEAVEN, THE INFORMANT, GOODFELLAS), the character giving the voice-over has some other reason for talking. In the two Malick examples, the characters are almost innocent & unaware of the ramifications of the story they're narrating. While in Soderbergh & Scorsese's films the narrator is full of self-deception. I think a direct, overt narration will usually end up being pretty boring. There should probably be some kind of friction or tension between the narration and the drama.
I completely agree. Have you seen the french short film 'The Piano Tuner'? I really like it and it also uses voiceover. I wanted to try and write something in that vein. I cannot pinpoint why it works despite being expository. Anyway, thank you for the advice Tony.
Wow, do you use voice-to-text, or did you type all this really fast?
I don't understand.