What do you do when you have a huge problem in your script you can't solve?

C

c.g._eads

Veteran
Man, there is no time you want to run away more than when you have that huge lumbering problem you can't solve in your script. What do you guys do to solve this problem? What are your techniques?

Sometimes I just leave the script and go work on another one, even though I know this is the wrong thing to do. I just feel like spending two weeks writing is better than spending two weeks thinking. Then again, the author from Save The Cat had a good quote. The script you're not writing is always better than the one you are writing.

The truth is, you just have to hunker down and figure it out, no matter how frustrating it is. When you finally do, it's so rewarding. But who knows when that day will come??

So what do you guys do in this situation?
 
My first step is always to take a long shower.... I know that seems weird but it honestly works for me.... I get my best thinking done in the shower and have come up with many a great idea this way.

If the problem still persists, I will start to read some other scripts. If i can i will read some that are similar to my story.

I also will turn to music in many cases, i do this in all stages of writing but especially when i get stuck or have a big problem.

If none of that works, I will take 1 week off... I wont look at the script at all for a week and then i will come back to it with fresh eyes and usually this gives me a better perspective and i am able to fix whatever problems i have and move on. You would be surprised at how much good a week away from a project will do.

These are what work for me but everyone has there own ways.

I wish you luck hopefully i have been of some help.
 
c.g._eads said:
...The truth is, you just have to hunker down and figure it out, no matter how frustrating it is. When you finally do, it's so rewarding. But who knows when that day will come??

So what do you guys do in this situation?
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I think you answered your own question. :grin:

I am assuming you are talking about a plot conflict, so I will base my answer on that. If I have a huge issue that would require major reworkind and I cannot possibly figure out a solution I just out it away and go on with my business until I have a solution. The reason is, when I write something and I am deep in the creative process, things work themselves out. If I am not in that mode, forget it, because all I am going to produce is crap.

You have to wait until you are in that mode to write and write good before you can do it, once you are in that mode (and take out the script every once in a while and see if it sparks a thought) just do it and it will work out. At leats that's how it is for me.
 
Yes, working on other parts of the script instead of sitting there and worrying about your problem sometimes will bring to light a solution. That's how it usually works for me too. But in this case I'm almost to the finish line except for this one fairly big problem. So it's not like I can focus on other parts of the script. Everything else is taken care of. It's just this one thing.

I've gone back to the theme of the movie. I've thought about my characters' inner conflicts. I've taken four 2-hour walks in four days, trying to figure out a solution. Nothing's coming though. It's extremely frustrating.

I'm just looking for other little methods people use to tackle this problem.
 
I write a lame solution to the problem. It might be implausible, stupid, illogical, but it's something and takes me off the hook. The Vomit solution you could say. Then, late at night or early morning, that's when good ideas come to me. Also long drives--though that's getting expensive with the gas prices.
 
c.g._eads said:
Yes, working on other parts of the script instead of sitting there and worrying about your problem sometimes will bring to light a solution. That's how it usually works for me too. But in this case I'm almost to the finish line except for this one fairly big problem. So it's not like I can focus on other parts of the script. Everything else is taken care of. It's just this one thing.

I've gone back to the theme of the movie. I've thought about my characters' inner conflicts. I've taken four 2-hour walks in four days, trying to figure out a solution. Nothing's coming though. It's extremely frustrating.

I'm just looking for other little methods people use to tackle this problem.
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I didn't necessarily mean to work on other parts of the same script. I usually just put the whole beast away and don't look at the written word for a few days (aside from on here :D)

I, too, like listening to music when writing although that proved impossible the other day when I was doing a short which required me to write a verse of a song. I couldn't make up a song whilst listening to another.
 
I just ran into that problem with a recent script. How many times does does it take 4 months to fix a problem for a 15 page script?

I tried a lot of things. Certainly working on other parts of the script, watching other movies, talking through the story out loud, and the classic vomit approach of writing down every bad, terrible, useless idea you can think of. For me it's always a combination of things that helps me.
 
- ignore it for a week then look again
- explain the problem (without quoting the script) to someone who hasn't read it - they may think of something or you may think of something as you're forced to explain it
- work on somerhing else for a while
- peoplewatch
- watch some new films
 
Walking away is actually a good thing to do, contrary to what you might think. My grandfather was a professional mathematician and some of the problems he had to solve were mind-boggling. When he helped me with my struggles with algebra, calculus, you name it -- he always said, that if you get stuck, you must walk away and completely distract yourself from the issue. The solution lies in your subconscious and the way to access it, is to not think about it consciously. Nothing good will come if you create a pressure cooker in your head.
 
this might sound a little immature but i read it in a book, tried it and it actually worked.
kill someone (in the script that is) or add a love scene (the book suggested two women if possible). i know this sounds ridicules but it gets you thinking in a different direction. weather you actually use it or not, write it out and see where it takes you. it may open up avenues you never dreamed of.
-k-.
 
Trelkovsky said:
The solution lies in your subconscious and the way to access it, is to not think about it consciously..
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This is why it's good to be aware of those moments before and after sleep. That's when the subconscious and conscious are passing the baton...
 
Unfortunately for me, my subconscious and conscious are only passing the baton to one another so they have their turn to beat up on me...
 
lowercase said:
kill someone (in the script that is) or add a love scene (the book suggested two women if possible). .
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What if that is already my movie idea? :)

I typically run into a wall when it comes to certain character motivations. Such as, a character needs to steal a car for the scene/story to work but it makes absolutely no sense why that specific character would steal a car.

But yes, day-dreaming is definitely under-rated as a way of solving story problems. I find it helpful to do some other creative activity and let the problem work itself in the background.

Also I've found reading acting/film/writing books really helps. Even if the book has nothing to do with the story problem, I find it gets my mind working, excercising that part of the brain.
 
Go out to the movies too. Sitting in that theater before the movie starts, the soft lighting, the warm accoustics, it's like church. Good place for ideas.
 
Take a break. Get away from it, work on anything but the script you're currently working on. Don't think about it. When you do come back, in a couple weeks or months, re-read the script, so it's like you weren't involved in the script at all, and you can give it an objective, fresh take.
 
dopeyname101 said:
Take a break. Get away from it, work on anything but the script you're currently working on. Don't think about it. When you do come back, in a couple weeks or months, re-read the script, so it's like you weren't involved in the script at all, and you can give it an objective, fresh take.
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This is always the best advice. However, what if you're under a deadline and you don't have that option?

I like the kill someone idea.
 
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