Research: After the first draft...

After the first outline and the first draft, I should re-read this as a reminder about the importance of narrative, storytelling, and character  development. I could do without the complaining, indulgent tone of the article, but it makes many good points.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-cesca/its-okay-if-you-didnt-like-boyhood_b_6694772.html

Research: Reading screenplays

I read the first half of the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind today. One of my favorite films.

A few of my notes:

• The writing is clever. With simple, short descriptions about the ways that Joel and Clementine order coffee, we really see their characters and personalities. 

• Reading scripts that I am familiar with is helpful to show how the words on the page created the movie on screen. However, I think I also need to read scripts for films that I haven't yet seen. In reading Eternal, I am so enamored with the film that I bring that favorable bias to bear on the script. The foreshadowing is easy to spot. The character traits are easily seen. However, when sharing a screenplay with a potential producer, they don't have the luxury of such a favorable bias. They are reading it as words on a page, completely new, rather than words on a page that connect with a finished film.

• Clementine is fascinating from the start. She is in stark contrast to Joel (orange hair vs gray suit, outspoken vs mumbling, brave vs timid, inconsistent vs consistent, unpredictable vs predictable, colorful vs blank). Her character makes me want to turn the page, but especially to discover what has drawn these two characters together. 

http://www.dailyscript.com/scripts/Unprocessed/eternal-sunshine-script.pdf

Research: Writing a Killer Script

My takeaways from this article: http://www.stylist.co.uk/stylist-network/how-to-write-a-killer-script

• "Depending on how complex your story is, it (the outline) could be three to 10 pages of running copy set out in sections"

• Keep notes (if you have a change, just add it to notes for the re-write).

• Don't be afraid of a terrible first draft.

• 8 to 12 weeks for writing. Ideally with one week of downtime, then revisit for last edits.

• Emotional movement in every scene. Character's emotion should move/change. 

• If it doesn't move the story forward, delete. 

• Developing characters. Four character traits (drives action and reactions)