For the last 90 minutes I have been riding a creativity wave that led to an additional 10 pages to my six-year-old screenplay (yes, it should be going to kindergarten this year). It was a great feeling. It seemed like I was groggily stuck in Act 2 for about four years.
At first I thought the issue was characters, but I feel confident about their development. Then, I thought there was a disconnect in Act 1, and there was. So two years ago, I adjusted the plot so that I could conclude the film. The other issue was again, time and lack of inspiration.
Now, I need the wave to carry me through Act 3 to the credits. I looked up some screenwriting tips by Billy Wilder. Below are my favs:
- Know where you’re going.
- The event that occurs at the second act curtain triggers the end of the movie.
- The third act must build, build, build in tempo and action until the last event, and then—that’s it. Don’t hang around.
I look forward to the day I can hold my film “baby” in its entirety. The editing and revision process should be fun. I have some friends I will be recruiting to test out the authenticity and originality of my dialogue. My living room shall become a stage. Break out the clapboards!
Tags: screenwriting, writing, writing process
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