There's also not that much going on with my writing other than writing. I've been spending my time working this script and working it and working it and working it. I'm waiting for notes on draft five at the moment. Then I'll do another draft, get another set of notes from a group of brutal note givers, do one more draft and be done. So altogether that's 7 drafts before I even hand it to anyone who can do anything with it.
This may seem excessive, but I've learned over the years that I may only get one chance to impress somebody, so I'm going to write the best damn script I possibly can.
I keep imagining Jennifer Garner reading my script to see if she wants to play my villain, so I'm also writing to impress her.
Of course I'd love it to be done and out and getting passed around town, and I'm tired of rewriting, but I'm more tired of not having a screenwriting career. This script is miles above anything I've done and the difficulty level is high. I know a few people who've come up with an idea like mine and abandoned it because they couldn't make it work. If I can pull this off I'll be in like Flynn.
So here we go. Draft 6.
I think the whole thing should be allowed to fail, so it can be built up from scratch. No, I don't hate kids, but the education most of them are getting right now isn't capable of sustaining their futures. The majority of teachers are awesome people, and I think many of them would do a great job building a new privatized system through tax credits. This problem didn't show up overnight. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteOh boy, only 6? I envy you. I had a script optioned and was on draft 26 when I finally pulled the plug. I never want to look at that script again!!! (except of course when someone pays me loads of money to look at it again.) rewriting certainly has a tipping point, I notice, from joyful to hellacious. ;)
ReplyDeleteYou have inspired me, Dear.
ReplyDeleteThe detail that stayed most with me from Ben Ripley interview at Scriptshadow re Source code? Wasn't until the third or fourth draft he saw his story required only two settings. That you can steep in a story so long and continue to find truths and better ways to weave it all together, inspires.
ReplyDeletePaul Schrader in interview, to help get fresh perspective (on words you've read many times), use different font, copy and paste elsewhere, to see it anew.
Damn exciting you got something special, Emily.
How many drafts does it take before you let your manager see a version?
ReplyDeleteI have a post coming about parting with your representation - which I did - but before that I probably let her see the fourth draft or so. I think it depends on the script, though.
ReplyDeleteThen I will look forward to that post.
ReplyDelete