How long does it take you to write a first draft?

[belac]

Bill, I don't really want to do this to you, but I think you left yourself wide open and I find it very hard to drive an accident without looking. I think that filmable 9day draft is the reason they don't allow scripts to be filmed if they haven't worked on them for at least 10 days, it is now a Hollywood mandate called the 'William Martel' rule.

[Craig Mazin]

I just did a page one rewrite in five weeks, including breaking the story. That was insane, but it oddly worked out.

On the other hand, I've been writing my spec on and off for a long time now. Finally finishing it during March.

Like practically ever answer, the only real answer is "it depends." The average for me is 8 weeks. Two for story, six to write.

If you're writing a script in a week or two weeks, you're just doing it wrong. You cannot write a decent screenplay in that amount of time unless you're John Hughes, and he's dead.

C.

[mariot]

Originally Posted by Craig Mazin

I just did a page one rewrite in five weeks, including breaking the story. That was insane, but it oddly worked out.

On the other hand, I've been writing my spec on and off for a long time now. Finally finishing it during March.

Like practically ever answer, the only real answer is "it depends." The average for me is 8 weeks. Two for story, six to write.

If you're writing a script in a week or two weeks, you're just doing it wrong. You cannot write a decent screenplay in that amount of time unless you're John Hughes, and he's dead.

C.

What's involved in "breaking the story"? I've heard that term a lot here but I'm still not clear on it.

And when you say "two for story, six to write" is that outlining for two weeks?

Thanks.

[silvercop]

Over a year for the first. Four days on the second. Who knows going forward.

I have four others shelved incomplete. Started them a few months to over a year ago.

[TheConnorNoden]

Recently finished the first draft of my feature. I'd say it took about 3 months because I was just being lazy for a long time, I did 2 thirds of it in the past couple of weeks. But its the quality of the writing not how quick its done, whatever ends up with the best results is the best way. Even though I took the most time on the first act its by far the weakest part, the remaining acts I wrote in the short span ended up being great (at least in my eyes).

[Craig Mazin]

Originally Posted by mariot

What's involved in "breaking the story"? I've heard that term a lot here but I'm still not clear on it.

And when you say "two for story, six to write" is that outlining for two weeks?

Thanks.

Figuring out what the story of the movie is, from start to finish. Characters, theme, plot, narrative... everything but the dialogue. Putting the movie up on note cards, or outlining it, etc.

C.

[mariot]

Originally Posted by Craig Mazin

Figuring out what the story of the movie is, from start to finish. Characters, theme, plot, narrative... everything but the dialogue. Putting the movie up on note cards, or outlining it, etc.

C.

Thanks. Is this schedule after you've gotten the assignment?

What do you have to have figured out in order to try to get the assignment and how long do you get to prepare for the pitch?

[Paradis]

Originally Posted by mariot

Thanks. Is this schedule after you've gotten the assignment?

What do you have to have figured out in order to try to get the assignment and how long do you get to prepare for the pitch?

Mariot why don't you post some pages in the script-pages forum? Let us see where you're at. At some point, you just gotta write brother. All i've seen in the past month from you is a human obsessed with guidelines and boundaries. It really comes off as uber-insecure.
Start with just writing a script if you haven't. Even if it's 200 pages. Then learn to trim. Then get it read. Then learn what you're good and bad at. Then write another. then repeat. then repeat x100.

I'm not saying you're like the picture i painted, but lets forget about intensifying your mental schema for what a script should look like, and see what your stuff... looks like.

[Craig Mazin]

Originally Posted by mariot

Thanks. Is this schedule after you've gotten the assignment?

What do you have to have figured out in order to try to get the assignment and how long do you get to prepare for the pitch?

It's rarely scheduled. Usually I just fold it into the time allotted for the first draft.

The answer to the second question is more complicated. Over the last few years, the business has been squeezing writers more and more for VERY detailed pitches.

It depends on your position in the business. For most gigs, I can get away with just pitching a "take," i.e. a generalized point of view on how I would approach the material.

Many professionals right now cannot, however. It's a real problem.

C.

[Jeff_Shurtleff]

If I see the film in my head when running... I can basically write an outline within a half hour.

If I know the beginning, the plot points, and the ending...

The first draft is done in three weeks.

Jeff Shurtleff