Organizing my screenplay

MonaLeigh · May 8, 2007

My writing partner and I started a screenplay last year. We didn't completely outline a plot, but we knew the general direction of things. Now, we have about 70 different scenes written, and they're all over the place. For example we have about 5 different scenes written for the first scene of the script. We came up with so many different ideas that it's a mess now and doesn't go together.

I want to finish it, and I have to start by organizing what we have. I don't even know where to begin, it's such a mess. HAs anyone ever done this? We have notecards, but like the script, we just have too many scenes that could go into the story. Am I making any sense?

My main problem is that I don't know how to organize the two folders full of printed out scenes. Help!

Rainy Night · May 8, 2007

Just a thought, start with the ending and work forward. Think of it like you are planning a trip - if you know where you are going it'll be a lot easier to plan your route.

NikeeGoddess · May 8, 2007

throw it all away and start all over. hopefully, you'll only remember the good stuff and it will rise to the top. and the scenes that aren't so good will be forgotten. you'll be amazed at how fast you rewrite it.

but before you start buy and read the book "Anatomy of a Screenplay" by Dan Decker. he explains how events from the second act are completely dependent on the first act, the path of the story, and the path of each major character, and etc... ie - this may help you identify which scene (of the five) is necessary and which ones are crap.

and write a scene by scene treatment/outline from beginning to end. the ending is totally contingent on the first act setup.

dgl · May 8, 2007

Write an outline now, keep the scenes that fit, throw out the rest, and write some new stuff to bring it all together. No problem.

You could also try organize the material into sequences. I've got a few templates, including a blank one at the bottom of this article:

http://www.scriptcafe.org/Scriptcafe/The%20Craft/13BE2DB5-1C91-4E9D-B2D6-D346BECFA730.html

Good luck

D.

seanie blue · May 9, 2007

NikeeGoddess said:
throw it all away and start all over.

this is the only thing to do. The second version will be much better!

dpaterso · May 9, 2007

Throw your scene notecards into the air. Pick up fifty at random, in no special order, leave the rest lying on the floor. Now arrange your scenes into the same order as the notecards you picked up. There's your screenplay. Critics will think it's a work of inspired genius. Audiences won't get it, but will always remember the experience. That's all any of us can ever hope for.

-Derek

scripter1 · May 9, 2007

I swear D,

the next smarty pants comment and POW! right to the moon.

Lake, what is your theme? What is the message or point that you want to explore? What do you want your audience to walk away thinking about?

Each scene needs to deal with some facet of that theme. They need to show either the cause, the effect, or the light and dark side of that theme.

SO, if you've got some scenes that do that then keep them and develop them. IF the scenes don't advance the theme then chuck em.

Then it is a matter of working them around so that they come in at the right story moment to pack the strongest punch.

dpaterso · May 9, 2007

Y-yes, mistress.

Tho' I thought mine was a more positive and inventive solution than "throw it all away and start over."

-Derek

MonaLeigh · May 11, 2007

scripter1 said:
Lake, what is your theme? What is the message or point that you want to explore? What do you want your audience to walk away thinking about?

Each scene needs to deal with some facet of that theme. They need to show either the cause, the effect, or the light and dark side of that theme.

SO, if you've got some scenes that do that then keep them and develop them. IF the scenes don't advance the theme then chuck em.

I need to remember this, thank you. Ditch scenes that don't move the plot forward. My writing partner and I are getting together next week to write out an outline or treatment, then we'll go back and go through what we have. I'll never write a script this way again!

thanks,
Lake

scripter1 · May 11, 2007

You are welcome.

That's why THEY call me the Master.

Um, they er, being me and my ego.

Organizing my screenplay

MonaLeigh

Wasting time

Rainy Night

INFJ

NikeeGoddess

dgl

seanie blue

dpaterso

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scripter1

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