Reformatting from left-justified

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  • #76
    Re: Reformatting from left-justified

    Originally posted by Bono View Post
    Hack down the length is the same note everyone on this forum gave you before we read it too. Ha ha.
    Sure, and it's not harsh in the way of hurt feelings or anything. It's harsh in that:

    * I spent 1,5 years on it and hit my limit for how much tinkering I want to dedicate to this one project, so it's an extra smack in the face of a few weeks work.

    * I realize that their reaction is basically how most in the US film industry will react to a first time writer. My personal preference is that page count doesn't matter, but honestly if it's that close that tightening up the material a bit could be the difference between a massive struggle of getting it read and people will actually consider it, I'm willing to try it.

    My preference is not to edit and move on, but I know that if people won't even look at it at this length, it's pointless for me. Better to get to a length they'll check out and of course there can be some feelings this way or that way, but I need to get it to that point where the attention is solely on the content and not amount of pages.

    I expect things will change along the way if it actually makes its way to production. I'd love to workshop it with actors and crew before shooting. So it's not like my feelings are hurt by honest feedback. I just want to move on, as there is a lot in life to get done!

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    • #77
      Re: Reformatting from left-justified

      Understand. If you want to move on to script 2 that's the best advice I'd give. At first you seemed like you were 1 and done. Glad you're not. And I'm telling you by the time you reach script 10 you will also come to agree on the page count. Make your next one shorter and you'll be happy you did.

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      • #78
        Re: Reformatting from left-justified

        Also attention spans are getting worse and worse (squirrel!) that 2 hours to a teenager or younger feels like 3 weeks. They watch 3 minute videos. I’m even getting that way. So the people reading our stuff as we get older they get younger — page count is even more of a thing.

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        • #79
          Re: Reformatting from left-justified

          Originally posted by Bono View Post
          My current thing is 38 pages TV pilot. Lots of white space (act breaks, tag). I don't know if I need that crap in 2019 but right now it's there. And a big note I got from all readers is it's TOO LONG. OVER-WRITTEN.

          Prefer it be 30 pages.

          And you know what? They're all right! Now maybe I land on 32 pages, but 6 pages out of 38, do that math on a 160 pages script and you'll lose 40 pages easily.

          I got great but hard and helpful feedback from many including two people on this board. I was going to name names like Gucci just now but then I'm afraid those people will get PM'd to death. But thank you.
          Ha! I'm probably dead in this industry. The truth??? You can't handle the truth, bruh (not you, "them")! LOL. FUKK IT! I'ma go out like Thelma and Louise. They're dead, but at least people respected them!
          Bruh, fukkin *smooches*! Feel me? Ha!

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          • #80
            Re: Reformatting from left-justified

            But yeah...

            I agree with Bono. I can barely stand to read a text. Bruh, hit me quick or I'm super skimming...

            But, agreed, the more scripts you write, the more you'll be like "This should be WAY shorter."

            You want it long? Dude, write a book. No prob!

            But understand this: We had a writer who had to adapt her own book. She was able to cut that story from... I forget the original script draft page count, 177? Down to something more reasonable.

            BUT! If you have a hit book, 26 weeks on the NYTimes best seller list in the #1 spot, you can pull sh!t like that and the town will be like "yeah... whatevez." For the rest of us... pretty much, nah.

            If your story MUST be that many words, why not just write it as a book.

            Regardless, if someone pays you to adapt it, you're gonna have to cut. Fincher cut it. That's just reality. Final running time 2h 29m. Budget $61 million. Box office, $369.3 million.

            A MADE movie is far better than a NOT made movie. The checks you'll receive will reflect that.
            Bruh, fukkin *smooches*! Feel me? Ha!

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            • #81
              Re: Reformatting from left-justified

              You can't go wrong with less pages.

              Let's be clear it's what's written on page 1 to 110 (where I like to stop myself) that's important.

              If it's amazing, maybe they will read 160 pages. But if it's crap, they won't even read 6 pages.

              And yes your brand and success of course play a part in what you can get away with. See Stephen King's 1000 page books.

              Also to learn how hard screenwriter is see Stephen King's screenplays.

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              • #82
                Re: Reformatting from left-justified

                Alright "told ya so" people. I already dug into the first 30 pages and hacked out literally 5 pages just by cutting a few extra lines.

                It's almost ridiculous how easily you can cut pages in a script.

                So, I'm gonna go through this over the next few days. If this is any average ... and I hope it is for my own sanity's sake then I can get this below 140 with very easy cutting that takes a couple days max. A very easy trade off of a couple days tightening towards actually getting it read.

                Thanks very much to those who weighed in and gave tips.

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                • #83
                  Re: Reformatting from left-justified

                  Once you start cutting you can't stop. It's fun! Welcome to rewriting, aka the real writing of the script!

                  You can lose entire scenes and GAIN!

                  If you have 10 characters maybe you only need 5. If you have 3 best friends make them 2 best friends and combine characters.

                  Can one action or smile replace 3 pages of boring dialogue? Think Indiana Jones shoots the guy with sword because the actor wasn't feeling well and they didn't have time to shoot a giant action piece. And it's the best thing in the movie! (yes I know this is on set note, but just saying...)

                  I just cut 7 pages out of my sitcom and that's a lot for 38 pages. And I didn't lose anything, I gained! It's a better read. I had a lot of scenes that were saying the same thing.

                  Also just cut pages 65-80 and you won't even notice it. (this is a joke and not a joke).

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                  • #84
                    Re: Reformatting from left-justified

                    It's the fifth draft now, so I know about rewriting. Let's see how low it goes. Feeling relieved at least that losing pages is really easy. I haven't cut any characters or any (real) scenes, just a few small non-dialogue scenes and trimmed some back-and-forth exchanges.

                    Hopefully I get it in the 130s or low 140s. If so, I'm calling it done cause I need to move onto other things and can't tinker with the same script forever. Especially knowing if it ever gets made, there will be plenty of people with notes at that time. So, no point trying to make it perfect for everyone now.

                    Making it perfect for me and great/readable for others is all that's needed.

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                    • #85
                      Re: Reformatting from left-justified

                      Do this pass... then do the character and scene pass.... then call it done and move on. Getting it to 135 pages if of course better than 160, but it's so close to what THEY WANT 120, you deserve it to yourself to actually finish it.

                      Also that will HELP YOU with your next script by seeing that you can easily tell your stories in less pages.

                      It's not a waste of time at all.

                      In my opinion it's unreadable if it's 121 pages or more.

                      Also you're editing it, you're not rewriting it. There is a difference. You'll know it when you get rid of characters you love, lines you love, scenes you love and cry then 10 days later you read it and you forgot they were even part of the script.

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                      • #86
                        Re: Reformatting from left-justified

                        Appreciate the insights! I did two quick edit passes and got it down to 139. But I'm going to cap it there.

                        I realize I'm still over the recommended maximum. The script moves faster than I would wish, but I'm still happy with it.

                        At this point, I'm just hoping it's about the quality of the writing. So, I'll let you know if anything happens with it.

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                        • #87
                          Re: Reformatting from left-justified

                          I'll let it go after this, but also should point out sometimes when we want to direct things, we forget to put on our writer hats. When you say it reads too fast -- you're talking about the pace of the film I feel not the length, page count. Because we've all seen movies that were 90 minutes and felt like 3 hours and ones that felt like 15 minutes it was so fast paced.

                          So keep that in mind too. Right now you just want people to read the script. You can always make it longer (add back in the stuff you love) after it sells or you decide to make it. But you won't want to make it longer because every page costs$$$$.

                          good luck.

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                          • #88
                            Re: Reformatting from left-justified

                            You're right. I guess what I mean is the writing like zoom zoom zoom, but the film is not meant to be like that, so it feels like a bit of a cheat. That said, it can of course be directed at a slower clip. So, this is what I'm going with.

                            Thanks again for all the advice! And I'm really enjoying Fade In. Easy to use, worth the purchase.

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                            • #89
                              Re: Reformatting from left-justified

                              Update to everyone who hammered me on this point: I got the beast down from what was originally ~240 pages to 121.

                              I'm working on draft 6 now in advance of submitting to Nicholl and Sundance.

                              We'll see where it ends up at the end of this draft, but the impossible became possible. Thanks to many comments and encouragements from friends and associates. I also hired a subject matter consultant that helped on focusing in on certain issues and discarding others.

                              Getting through this draft is proving torturous for me, so there's no way I'll do another draft after this. Thought the page count would at least make you folks proud.

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                              • #90
                                Re: Reformatting from left-justified

                                Thank you for giving us an update.

                                Far too often, people just disappear and we never know the end of the story.


                                "The fact that you have seen professionals write poorly is no reason for you to imitate them." - ComicBent.

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