"Rearrange Your Perspective on Redrafts: A Fresh Take on Story Revisions"
In the world of screenwriting, rewriting is a fundamental and essential process that transforms a good idea into a compelling screenplay. Hal Croasmun of ScreenwritingU asserts that most scripts are turned down due to structural issues, plot holes, character problems, dull scenes, and missing subtext. He emphasizes that writers who are willing to look beneath the surface and do the work will get tremendous respect from producers.
Carson Reeves of the website Shadow advises new screenwriters not to show their script to anyone until they have completed at least ten drafts, each one better than the previous one. Rewriting can be painful, but it can also be revelatory, leading to a better product. Chris Soth, screenwriter of Firestorm, and author of Million Dollar Screenwriting: The Mini Movie Method, agrees, advising that a rewrite should be approached as if the idea was just conceived yesterday. He likens the script to a block of marble, hacking away at it to create the best possible version of the idea.
Rewriting is not just about polishing; it involves ripping apart and rebuilding scenes and sequences, as John August, screenwriter of Big Fish, Corpse Bride, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, distinguishes. Effective rewriting involves cutting unnecessary elements, focusing on visual storytelling, sharpening conflict and stakes, and ensuring dialogue is purposeful and reveals character and tension. Avoiding rewrites often leads to scripts that fail to engage viewers.
To approach rewriting effectively, a screenwriter should understand it as an ongoing process, not just a one-time fix after the first draft. They should focus on sharpening the central conflict, make dialogue purposeful, take strategic breaks, use feedback and collaboration, and be open to revisiting scenes multiple times. Doug Richardson, screenwriter of Die Harder, Bad Boys, and Mooseport, emphasizes the importance of loving rewriting as a screenwriter.
In the process of rewriting a feature script, the writer finds that despite significant changes, the core of the story is coming through more strongly and clearly. Even though they've "lost" many aspects of the story details they've loved, the deeper essence of the story shines through now, making it worth the effort. This reaffirms the importance of rewriting in screenwriting, as it is where the real work of shaping, clarifying, and tightening a script happens. No first draft is ever final or perfect; the initial draft just gets the idea down, while rewrites transform it into a fully functioning screenplay that connects with the audience.
[1] Croasmun, H. (2021). Structural Problems in Screenplays. ScreenwritingU. [2] Reeves, C. (2020). The Art of Rewriting. Shadow. [3] Soth, C. (2019). Million Dollar Screenwriting: The Mini Movie Method. Michael Wiese Productions.
- In the world of screenwriting, structural issues, plot holes, character problems, dull scenes, and missing subtext often lead to scripts being turned down, according to Hal Croasmun of ScreenwritingU.
- Carson Reeves of Shadow advises new screenwriters to complete at least ten drafts before showing their script to anyone, with each draft being better than the previous one.
- Chris Soth, screenwriter of Firestorm, compares the script to a block of marble, suggesting that rewriting involves hacking away at it to create the best possible version of the idea.
- John August, screenwriter of Big Fish, Corpse Bride, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, differentiates rewriting as not just polishing, but ripping apart and rebuilding scenes and sequences.
- Doug Richardson, screenwriter of Die Harder, Bad Boys, and Mooseport, underscores the importance of loving rewriting as a screenwriter.
- Rewriting is where the real work of shaping, clarifying, and tightening a script happens, reaffirming its importance in screenwriting.
- The lifestyles of screenwriters often revolve around home-and-garden as they spend countless hours rewriting their scripts.
- Effective rewriting includes focusing on visual storytelling, sharpening conflict and stakes, ensuring dialogue is purposeful and reveals character and tension, and using feedback and collaboration.
