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The more important I think a scene is, the longer it seems to take me to write. Thinking of something as "important" makes me freak out, because I need to get it "right".
But at this stage of the script, every scene should be important. Every scene needs to contribute. Every moment, too.
That means I'm going to have to develop some way off de-freaking-out. Being a full-time writer would be good too (more dedicated time to solve problems and get into a groove). Unfortunately, I may have to let that ambition go for a while, and content myself writing on the bus.
(Example: It's taken me five days to work on a single line of the script. It's an important line -- it has to let us know what Peter's worst fear is, and hint at some of the oddness that is to come.)
3 comments:
Again, when you write about writing, you often scare me.
One line. Days.
Does the line already exist? Are you rewording? Do you have a perfect idea of what needs to be communicated in your head, and are looking for the magic words to match the message? I can see how you would get into a head-space where you feel that you have the idea perfected in your head, and need to get the words right to do it justice. If you manage that, then that's awesome.
I can also see that bringing your creative faculties to a grinding halt as you get stuck on something which will occupy less than 10 seconds of a 90 minute film - that's something like 0.18% of the soundtrack of the film (it may be a similar percentage of the visual if the director doesn't busy up the screen too much during the line, instead having the actor's face visible).
One line. Days. It scares me too, sometimes.
The line already exists, but it's read ... unnaturally for a couple of drafts now. Part of my process seems to be - find those unnatural moments, figure out why, write something that addresses that underlying problem.
As a result, the script begins to read smoothly. Meaning, I don't question as much when I'm reading.
In this particular case, what was going on is that the line doesn't reveal anything about the character, and it needs to. So it's about really getting inside the character's head and figuring out what drives him. What he values. Which, in this case, turns out to be his relationship with his wife, and what she thinks of him.
I hope that wasn't ALL you were working on for five freaking days ! Sweet Jebus !
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