11 Rewriting and the End

Rewriting

I am sorry to break this to you, but once you have a draft of your screenplay finished, the real work begins. OK, that is not exactly true. You have been doing hard work creating the first draft. You did a complex outline, focusing on the plot and the character arc. You created scenes. You have a finished draft. That is a magnificent accomplishment. Pat yourself on the back – for a few seconds.

OK, enough of the scare tactics. Rewriting is a critical part of the writing process. No first draft, and let me stress this emphatically, is a finished draft. We might wish that to be the case, but it actually takes multiple drafts to have a finished screenplay.

Just as we used a process to complete the first draft, we can use a process to rewrite.  The first thing to do once you complete the first draft, after patting yourself on the back, is to put it away for a couple of weeks. You want to approach the rewrite with fresh eyes. Give yourself some distance from the script.

Then read it and try not to panic. Honestly, that first reading is often difficult. What stands out to us are all the problems, the mistakes, the corny dialogue, etc. At this stage, we don’t see the positives. Maybe put it away for a few more days if you can. If not, try to focus on positives. Go through it scene by scene and pick out elements you like. Trust me, those are there.

When you are ready to start rewriting, begin by focusing on structure. Look at every scene and where that scene is placed. Are scenes where they should be? Are there any scenes missing? Are there any scenes that are redundant and thus need to be cut? Be brutal here. You might love the dialogue or a funny action in a particular scene but if that scene isn’t necessary, cut it.

When looking at scene placement, we are focusing on two primary aspects: plot and character arc.

For plot, we are looking at how the plot unfolds. Are there confusing elements? Is the plot logical? Does the plot build as it goes along? Do the stakes rise for the main character, particularly in the second act?

For the character arc we are looking at that rollercoaster ride we mentioned before. Are there appropriate ups and downs? Do you hit the emotional moments, the high of the direction, the confusion of the midpoint, the low of the low point? When you look at the end of the script, can you see how the main character has changed? Is that change earned?

Your first pass at rewriting should focus on those two elements. It might even be beneficial to do one rewrite focusing on plot structure and then a second rewrite focusing on the character arc.

Not until you have looked at the plot structure and the character arc with laser precision, do you move on to rewrite dialogue. You want to make sure that the dialogue fits the characters. Basically, characters talk like they should. Secondly, start cutting unnecessary dialogue. As discussed in the section on dialogue, generally, we write too much dialogue and the dialogue gets repetitive. We do not have enough faith in ourselves as writers of dialogue so we repeat points to make sure an audience gets what we are trying to say. You don’t need to be repetitive.

Next, look at the style of the script. Do all of the descriptions capture the style and voice you want? Are there some descriptions that do not fit the style? This is the time to rewrite those.

Lastly, review spelling, grammar, etc.

At this stage, if possible, have a reading of the script. Preferably, cast local actors for the character parts. You can have this type of reading around a table or in your living room, wherever. This is an information event so you can hear how scenes flow. Make sure you have one person to be the “narrator” and read the sluglines and action description. Hearing the action descriptions out loud will highlight awkward and/or overly wordy phrasings.

Take notes during the reading. Dialogue that you thought is perfect may sound clunky when spoken by an actor. You may realize that a scene you have already cut down, once an actor interprets it, can still be edited. After the reading and review of your notes, do another rewrite.

Once you have done several drafts, you may feel your script is ready for public consumption. Before sending it out, register it with the WGA. The Writers Guild of America is the union for screenwriters. You have to be a working screenwriter to join the union (meaning you have to have sold a script) but anyone who has written a screenplay can register their script. This is a form of protection for you against someone claiming your ideas. You will receive a registration number and date stamp. The WGA website contains lots of helpful resources too.

Finally, now is when you can start researching producers, directors, agents, etc. Remember this, though, do not send your script out to any of these people until it is ready, until it is the best you can do.

Writing takes practice. The more you write, the better writer you become.  You will improve with each screenplay you write. Do not expect your first screenplay to be the best you can do.

Conversely, keep writing until you finish that first screenplay. We shouldn’t abandon a screenplay just because we are struggling with parts of it. You improve exponentially when you  complete the entire process. You gain experience every time you do that and that will pay dividends on future scripts as your writing skills grow.

The more you follow this process, the more it becomes ingrained in you. Writing is full of joys and frustrations. Sometimes it seems the frustrations overshadow the joys. Just remember that you can do this.

Making Connections

The movie business is a lot like other businesses: connections are vitally important. Meeting people, whether virtually or in-person, takes time and effort. I am not going to cover every opportunity you can explore, but I will give a few suggestions.

Production companies are the entities really responsible for making a movie. They are the ones that purchase scripts, get others involved, etc. You know all those company names you see at the beginning of a movie after the studio? The first logo you see is usually the studio (20th Century Fox, Paramount, etc.) Then, you see these other company logos: Sadie the Dog Entertainment, or Peaches Media, etc. These are the production companies. Many actors have their own production companies to put projects together. Research these companies and see if they allow unsolicited screenplays. You will be submitting an unsolicited script, meaning the script is not coming from an agent. Most of these companies do not accept an unsolicited script, but there are a few who do.

You can also do some research and find screenplay agents. Many are open to new clients. Doesn’t hurt to reach out to those agents.

Film festivals are great places to meet other film people, producers, directors, writers, etc. Find festivals that have screenplay competitions as part of them and enter your script. You can attend screenings and most likely be able to meet producers and directors of movies you enjoy.

Yep, this is all networking and networking is something that makes a lot of writers uncomfortable. We are often solitary creatures. However, to get that screenplay made we have to venture out and sell ourselves.

Let me reiterate: the script you show these people needs to be good. You need to give them your best work. Follow the steps we have gone over in this book and your script will get to that place.