Fastest you've ever written a script?

My current script 'A day without a smile is wasted' Has taken me a month and a half so far. And i'm only about 1/3 of the way done. I think it's sloppy to rush a script and get it done in one day. So many details need covered. Character development, Minor character to help drive the plot, Sub plots. There's no way to push out a full length script without any revisions and have it be good. I'm sorry, I just don't see that happening.

My script on the other hand, I wanted to finish it by the end of october but I dont see that happening. I just went through a major plot change. Took out some minor characters that I felt were taking away from the pace of the story.

When this is finished I will talk with an editor and take the next steps to getting this out. I'm happy with my progression of this script and the story is Solid. Probably my best to date.
 
Feature script, I have gotten one done (110pgs) in about 2 days. I do a lot of feature scripts, but they suck, and I spitefully delete him.
 
This reminds me of the George Lucas interview. He said in his younger day, writing scripts was his weak area. Eventually Steven Spielberg took him under his wing and said something like, "Look George, the only way to write a decent script is to lock yourself in a room for two days and write the entire script. Don't worry about the cohesion on the first iteration - that will be clear enough as you set pen to paper and you can clean it up later. Its paramount (sic) to initially have a clear picture of the mega-theme, so lock yourself in the room and don't come out until you've written the entire script."

At any rate, the point is Stephen was advocating a rapid, tops-down scripting writing approach as opposed to writing a sloooow book, chapter by chapter.

Ironically, over the years I've seen an exact parallel in software engineering. Back in the good ol' days, the "waterfall" approach was very rigid - lock in customer requirements before starting a high-level design. After signoff on design, then and only then start the detailed design. Later decompose the design to modules, with well-documented interfaces. After all this, you could FINALLY begin coding. NO MORE - these days it's all Rapid Application Development/Joint Applications Development (RAD/JAD), with the mantra being:

Build a little, test a little...

This helped to avoid the "big bang" in the old days - finding the requirements weren't quite right, the design had a critical flaw, engineering limitations led to a imponderable problem (see the Tacoma Bridge wind-shear disaster), etc.

Anyway, I'm a believer of the Nike logo - just do it!

Regards, Michael
 
Sober???

Sober???

Two years. But it sold.
Four days. Used it as toilet paper.

Ultimately, they both served their purpose . . .






______________________________
LunarLodge: "The Last Best Space"®
 
I think Syd Field said it best "know your ending", I think it's fun to write just whatever comes to mind but it makes me desperate not knowing what direction the idea is going.
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I think there's some truth in that, but on the other hand I've seen scripts which seem rather false because they're trying so hard to push the rest of the story towards the ending they wanted.
 
"Know your ending" - problem is, that's all I ever know - the begining and the ending - it's the journey in between that causes all the trouble.

As for how long - 1st script (huge epic, historical, tons of research) took 3 years - one of my best scripts ever. Never produced, never optioned.

Shortest time - 7 days - currently optioned. Estimated $23 million budget - go figure.
 
Geoff_R said:
I can write a feature script in as little as three or four days but that's only after spending three months outlining. Even then, that's only the 1st draft; then I'll rewrite at least five or six times off that draft.
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Seriously, though.

And after three months, it still takes me like two more weeks.
 
[SIZE=+0]It usually takes me a month for something I'm proud of. I write the meat and potatoes during the week and spend the weekend adding gravy.[/SIZE]
 
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