How To Re-Write

Anyone give any tips.

What constitutes a re-write.

Should I just go through, take out bits and tone bits that I don't like, or write the whole story again from scratch, keep that, mix and match or what?

Tips please!

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Originally posted by thelaughingduck2001:

Tips please!

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Read it, drink a cup of coffee, read it again, take a shover, read it again, go shopping, read it again, have sex (very important!), read it again ...wait 1 week and read it again and start modifying.

I think the trick is to give it time. And I also wouldn't write it all over again, just modify and change bits and pieces... unless you realize after a while that you really want to make a totally different movie. In that case just burry the script somewhere and read it again after a year to see if it interests you then...

one tip more: Write the names of the scenes on pieces of paper and re-arrange them on the floor to see if you get new ideas out of them? At least you can see the backbone of the script more clear when you can easily move the papers around...

Make sure you're not just writing for the sake of rewriting. Find the problems first and then try and fix them.

Problem of plot.
Problem of character.
Problem of structure.

Those are the things to look for.

everyone has their own ways. There seems to be a general consencus that you have to take some time off before you take the screenplay out of the closet again. Work on something else. Work on something else. Wait a while. Then take it back and read it. Take a big red pen.

This doesn't really work for me though. When I'm buzy with something I'm buzy with that and nothing else, so I try to rewrite it until I've got nothing else to add. Sad thing is, there's always things to add and change so you got to know when to stop and say 'ok, it can't be better now, just different'.

Letting others read it can help, but letting too many poeple read it might get you too many different opinions, and you'd probably want to have everyone pleased and fix everything. But you can't please everyone. It is thine screenplay, laughing duck.
[img]graemlins/present.gif[/img]

Well, after nearly completing the first draft, I watched Annie Hall. I realised what my script was about-Relationshops-And who my lead character is-Me-Albeit a bit older with a (gorgeous French) Girlfriend.

So, aftr being bogged down in a 'Southampton's answer to Woody Allen' (LOL) shtick, I've decided to just go with it. Keep the wink-wink to the audience V.O's, keep the neurotic central character, keep the zany Paris-set final set-piece, and if it's described as Allen-esque, or a comiedy/crime-caper, then, so be it. It's not what I intentially set out to make (It started out as a bizarre Charlie Kaufman-type script, and mutated into a comedy/drama) but it's shaping up to be one of my best screenplays.

Once it's finished, I'll see if I can get it up on the net.

Thanks for your replies.

ac_01 ...hmmm, that was a good advice. Allthough I have done that every time, I have never thought it so clearly. Thanks...

sounds interesting.

You met any french girls? I don't get them. I really don't. They're a weird bunch of people, those french girls, can't quite comprehend them.

Yes. Had some vacation troubles. [img]graemlins/devil.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]

That Audrey Tatou thing man, let it go! [img]wink.gif[/img]

I guess it really is like a Woody Allen movie-He'd have a fling with someone and write a movie about them.

well this is the script I thought I'd write after The Land Of Pies was done and dusted. I will be changing Audrey Tautou to a different name in the next draft, but she'd be great in this part. The real thing it's about however is the girl I fancy in my local HMV (southampton) It's about her really (but instead of seventeen the lead character, a screenwriter, is thirty-two)

It's all good natured.