Fade Out

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  • Fade Out

    OMG - been lurking here for many years, under a few different names.

    After 6 years (maybe even 7) working 2 jobs most of the time, two inter-state moves, one heinous marriage mistake, and almost getting a kid through college....I have finally written FADE OUT on my 2nd screenplay. It's the vomit draft and almost 70 pages too long from what it should be....but it's DONE.

    What a feeling.

    Now, come the re-writes.

    But at least I finished it.

    Thanks for all the advice that I've read from you guys.....and all the info.

  • #2
    Re: Fade Out

    Congrats. Everyone will chime in on what a big accomplishment that is -- and we all mean it. With all you've got going starting is hard enough -- finishing really is a huge accomplishment. Make sure you celebrate and reward yourself.
    If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving an infant's life, she will choose to save the infant's life without even considering if there are men on base.
    Dave Barry

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    • #3
      Re: Fade Out

      awesome! congratulations

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      • #4
        Re: Fade Out

        Well done. A lot of people never even make it that far.

        Now the real work begins... :P

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        • #5
          Re: Fade Out

          Congratulations to you.

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          • #6
            Re: Fade Out

            Yes, congratulations. Many people say they're going to write a script, few finish one. Nice going.

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            • #7
              Re: Fade Out

              Congrats! It's a good feeling.

              (Hopefully you didn't take much advice from me. I was high on grape-flavored Robitussin expectorant most of the time I was posting here and I didn't include a disclaimer in my signature.)
              Last edited by Ire; 11-23-2014, 02:10 PM.
              #writinginaStarbucks #re-thinkingmyexistence #notanotherweaklogline #thinkingwhatwouldWilldo

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              • #8
                Re: Fade Out

                Originally posted by Centurio View Post
                Congrats. Everyone will chime in on what a big accomplishment that is -- and we all mean it. With all you've got going starting is hard enough -- finishing really is a huge accomplishment. Make sure you celebrate and reward yourself.
                Thank you. I think only the folks on these boards really understand. The two writing friends I do have are poets, and so not familiar with what it takes to write for the screen or the stage. I've thought of putting pages up here many times, but didn't feel they were good enough, in view of the talented writers I see posting.

                And the family/friends? BAH. Not even worth mentioning until maybe someone (ie, a stranger!) shows interest in it. My writer friends LOVE the concept, so I do know it's marketable, and have not seen any comparable plot lines on IMDB either. So, maybe something will come out of it eventually. I'm obviously not the most prolific "wannabe screenwriter" but all it takes is one kickass one, right?

                So, now the real work begins, as someone said. REWRITE....then some coverage. LOTS of that I expect.

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                • #9
                  Re: Fade Out

                  I'm at the end of writing a long script. Almost finished. And now people tell me "so you're ready to begin the rewrites". <sigh> And when I ask for advice they say "when you're not writing, read good scripts."

                  Looked up the script for The Last Samurai on IMSD today and was much comforted. What they have is an early version. Deftly written, but very bad. That is, the choice of scenes, the way it tells the story, is lightyears from the final product. Still, the basic idea held.

                  If someone could make a pretty good movie from something that started out like this, then all is not lost.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Fade Out

                    Originally posted by Merlin View Post
                    I'm at the end of writing a long script. Almost finished. And now people tell me "so you're ready to begin the rewrites". <sigh> And when I ask for advice they say "when you're not writing, read good scripts."

                    Looked up the script for The Last Samurai on IMSD today and was much comforted. What they have is an early version. Deftly written, but very bad. That is, the choice of scenes, the way it tells the story, is lightyears from the final product. Still, the basic idea held.

                    If someone could make a pretty good movie from something that started out like this, then all is not lost.
                    That John Logan. What a hack.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Fade Out

                      Originally posted by Merlin View Post
                      I'm at the end of writing a long script. Almost finished. And now people tell me "so you're ready to begin the rewrites". <sigh> And when I ask for advice they say "when you're not writing, read good scripts."

                      Looked up the script for The Last Samurai on IMSD today and was much comforted. What they have is an early version. Deftly written, but very bad. That is, the choice of scenes, the way it tells the story, is lightyears from the final product. Still, the basic idea held.

                      If someone could make a pretty good movie from something that started out like this, then all is not lost.
                      Don't know which version you read, but the one that I read (BEFORE the movie came out...which is how long I've been writing.....my first script then!) was beautiful. It did differ from the movie, but not greatly. That script has been one of my inspirations, matter of fact.

                      As this script is in the vein of "THE FUGITIVE", I re-read that again, and that puppy (at least the one on Drew's Script O Rama) is WAY different than the movie. So, I know that if anyone likes what I've done, and a miracle happens and it gets bought and put in production.................it probably will not look ANYTHING like what I've written. And that's not necessarily bad....I just hope that a couple of the scenes I've penned are in the finished product.......because they are what inspired me to write it to begin with.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Fade Out

                        What a writer does during the rewrite process makes or breaks not only the script but they as a writer as well. I may have given out a handful of second reads after I read the first version I was handed, and I've never read a second version that was drastically different then the first. It was 95% the same.

                        Its easy to get married to material because just like marriage it becomes complacent and easy to accept.

                        You just finished a passion draft that probably took a real writing commitment to complete and it wasn't easy. There were probably a tens of hours worth of blank stares at the keyboard and long pauses in writing. Now people want you to tear this thing up and be willing to complete slice out complacent material that needs to be better.

                        Pick out two films in the genre of your script and read them what I call 'inside-out'. That means read the script as a writer not as an audience. Get a piece of paper and after each scene write down in a single sentence what you as a reader was supposed to take away from the scene. Start at 1 and go to the end of the script. When done, just read the list out loud starting from the beginning - that is essentially the pace of the story you've extracted - you will probably be surprised at how fast it moves. Tape those two lists to the wall of your desk and then come up with your list for your story - keeping in mind the story points that were hit in the two lists you made of other films.

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                        • #13
                          Re: Fade Out

                          Originally posted by Cyfress View Post
                          What a writer does during the rewrite process makes or breaks not only the script but they as a writer as well. I may have given out a handful of second reads after I read the first version I was handed, and I've never read a second version that was drastically different then the first. It was 95% the same.

                          Its easy to get married to material because just like marriage it becomes complacent and easy to accept.

                          You just finished a passion draft that probably took a real writing commitment to complete and it wasn't easy. There were probably a tens of hours worth of blank stares at the keyboard and long pauses in writing. Now people want you to tear this thing up and be willing to complete slice out complacent material that needs to be better.

                          Pick out two films in the genre of your script and read them what I call 'inside-out'. That means read the script as a writer not as an audience. Get a piece of paper and after each scene write down in a single sentence what you as a reader was supposed to take away from the scene. Start at 1 and go to the end of the script. When done, just read the list out loud starting from the beginning - that is essentially the pace of the story you've extracted - you will probably be surprised at how fast it moves. Tape those two lists to the wall of your desk and then come up with your list for your story - keeping in mind the story points that were hit in the two lists you made of other films.
                          Great advice. Thank you. I know that the beginning of this script is too slow, but the last 30 or so pages is full throttle and I actually didn't notice it at the time I was writing. It just spewed out from I don't know where and when I read it later, I'm thinking..."Damn", I don't remember typing all this!

                          Pacing was an issue with my first effort so your suggestion is spot on. I also have a bit too much 'character development', but the problem is they are cool characters I like. And judge's notes I received on that odious first script actually scored high for "interesting characters', so maybe I don't suck in that area. Even if the rest was a steaming pile of parrot droppings.

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