Reviving the forgotten screenplay

I haven't ever forgotten a story I've finished, only one I started or had just an idea for. But I recently turned one of my dustier scripts into a novel and I'm quite pleased with it, just putting on the finishing touches right now.

I've never forgotten about a script.

The first script I ever wrote, was also the first one I optioned. Every now and then, I pull it out - tune it up and send it 'round'. (The script was written well over a decade ago.)

I talked to a producer last week - who is interested in optioning it. I should know in another week or two if it happens.

That close enough for an answer to your question?

Yeah, the premise is solid - it's actually become MORE relevant in the decade since it was first written. I go in, and put a few updated technical notes and such. For instance, the reality show craze didn't exist when I wrote it, now I've crafted it so that the reality show craze helped to CREATE this near future world.

Likewise, I have a time travel piece I wrote back in '01. Every now and then, there's an advance in quantum physics, and I go adjust the dialog a bit. Keeps it current.

I have a romantic comedy that is in the hands of an agent/packaging Pro Co. When I wrote it, the internet was in it's infancy - and a big part of the plot was trying to locate a 'long lost love' - now of course, Long Lost Loves stalk us on Facebook - so I had to adjust some of the plot elements, but again - the PREMISE is solid - so people seem to like it.

Hillgate said:

Has anyone here ever revived a screenplay they virtually forgot they wrote (maybe written 3,4 or 5 years ago), tightened and polished it, given it a new title and sold/optioned it?

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"Virtually forgot" is putting it a bit strongly, but I'm currently polishing up a script from... 2006, I think it was. It got some minor interest back then, but never really got anywhere. It did get our foot in the door at a few places, and we got some (small-scale) assignment work out of it over the years, so it served us well already.

Once in a while, we'd send it to someone again, when we met someone new. Looks like this time that may (or may not) lead to something. One of those "if you change the main character and tone down this and that expensive scene, this may be just what we're looking for" type things, so who knows.

Took me a few weeks to come to terms with those changes - I don't really consider them improvements. But heck, so it goes.

My old drafts and notes are a treasure trove of ideas. I recently did a major spring clean and discovered a copy of a story I thought I'd lost. I could've turned it into a screenplay was it not for the rights problems attached to the thing...

Still, it was fun to read it again, and I might just revisit the idea in the future.