Perils of working on two scripts...

B

brianluce

Carbonite Member
So I've been writing two scripts. I wrote about ten pages of script A. In the 10 pages a character jumped to life and began asserting himself. Whoa! that's cool, that's a good thing right?The character's name is "Gerry". I'm real happy about it! (Character is hard for me.) So then I start writing script B. after about five pages guess who barges in, without invitation, to my script? That's right, Gerry! Only his name in script B is Vince. but is obviously the same guy. Of all the nerve, can't he (Gerry/Vince) be content in one script? Does he have to show up again?

So now I guess I have to just work linearly and finish script A before moving on to script B. Damn you Vince!
 
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While some people often work on differerent projects at the same time, I think your story is a good example why most of us should only work on one.

EJ
 
Having a second script on weekends isn't bad. Something to clear your mind
from the first script. But to work on two scritps at once, I think one of the stories
will suffer. A screenwriter needs focus. Singlemindedness.

I may sketch an outline or a scene or two to get away from the primary script,
but I won't devote attention, a lot of attention to anything but that first story.
 
Recycled and redundant characters have never been taboo in screenwriting.
Different actors would create different characters.
Don't worry about it.
I CAN'T work on one project at a time.
Attention Deficit.
 
John Wesley Norton said:
Recycled and redundant characters have never been taboo in screenwriting.
Different actors would create different characters.
Don't worry about it.
I CAN'T work on one project at a time.
Attention Deficit.
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I don't really like working on two scripts but the problem for me is that I get excited about an idea or scene and just have to write. I have no control over these ideas, they just come out of no where.

Who knows.

Another thing I don't like doing is talking about my scripts before they're done. I broke that rule the other day and the guy got excited and said he could get it into the hands of a name actress. It's still 99 per cent the script won't get produced. but 99 per cent is better than 100 per cent.

no one knows anything.
 
EJ Pennypacker said:
Brian,

Do you outline?

EJ
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Yes and no. I started a lot of scripts that never got finished because I wrote myself into a corner. It's too bad cuz those unfinished scripts contain my best writing. By far. But....they didn't have the structure to sustain 90 plus pages. I wrote one script that I thoroughly outlined and I hammered it out into a neat little package but the script lacked passion and heart and i think it was because the detailed outline made the process too mechanical.

Though I believe structure is the single most important attribute of a screenplay, structure alone isn't enough.

What seems to work best for me is knowing my ending. If I have the premise and the ending in my head, that gets me through it without sapping the emotion outof the story. For me, a premise and an ending in my head is a crude outline.

This is how it has played out for me. Everyone seems to have their own style when it comes to outline. I think I'm at the far end/minimalist side of the the spectrum. Some people just sit in front of a monitor and type. Whatever works works.
 
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Recycled and redundant characters have never been taboo in screenwriting.
Click to expand...

I watched a movie and there was Tom Hanks in it. Then I watched another movie and there was Tom Hanks again, he just had a different name :).

Personally I have about six different scripts in different states right now, not counting the ones that are at least up to first drafts. If the plot and setting is different I'm not sure how much it matters that similar characters pop up... I am moving more and more towards completely outlining everything these days, I would imagine this is more of a problem for people who try to just write without working out the characters first.
 
Jay and Silent Bob have been in at least 6 movies, and only one was about them. Nothing wrong with a little redundancy once in a while. Nothing wrong with a little redundancy once in a while.
 
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