Uncooperative scripts.

The American collaboration screenplay has hit a slight snag. The story is being uncooperative.

I'm looking at what I want in the rewrite, and the effing thing is laughing at me!

Grrrrrrrrr.

Have no fear. I shall pummel it into shape. I just need to work out the best angle of attack. :)

Holding your breath ...

... is universally a bad idea.

Aside from the whole turning blue, keeling over, and waking up with a bunch of strangers staring at you worriedly thing. - - That's normal. Bunch of strangers staring at me worriedly happens every day*. Virtually everyone I meet or pass on the street reacts like that. - - Aside from that, there's the whole time wasting aspect to it (which could be classed as procrastination I suppose, or maybe a variation on writer's block?) where you are waiting instead of doing.

In this case I have not been wholly holding my breath as I wait for the verdict on The Grim; I've been mulling other projects, but not actively working on them the way I should have been. Bad Eleanor!

Producer No#1 was kind enough to let me know there has been no decision as yet, because they are having a BIG RUCK over the script. He loves it as is. The folks behind the scenes want to transfer the setting from the UK to the USA. - - Hmm. If you've read the story you'll realise that I think Producer No#1 is a man of rare insight and spectacular story know-how who should be listened to at all times.
... However, if it really comes down to it, I can always write them a brand new script about a monster eating people in the USA it just won't be this monster. Maybe it's cousin?

So, it looks like interesting times (the Chinese type) are headed my way. Again. Oh joy.

I'd better pull my finger out and get back to working on the other story with my American co-writers ... before they lynch me for falling off the face of the planet. :)

*Well, every day that I venture out of my cave into the view of other people.

Errors In Judgement

The production company who love my screenplay ... indications are that after the rewrite, not so much.

So what changed? I followed their notes, it's a much stronger story and Producer No#1 is still very keen, but it seems to have cooled down a bit behind the scenes. So why is that? Afterall, it is essentially the same script with some tweaks.
- - I think I have an inkling.
Although before you read this as discovered wisdom, bare in mind I have almost no exposure to the process and I could be talking total bollocks, as is my usual want. D'oh!

But, I think I can point to a change I made in the third act - climax, penultimate battle ... previously I had not intercut the scenes, or split them with slugs. It read really smoothly, but wasn't particularly in proper format. So I added the slugs, thinking they've already said they like it. This change will bring it that one tiny millimeter closer to shooting script layout, so that change helps me visualise all the extra things I need to do to get this set of scenes to that next step.

However, this is still supposed to be a reading script, and by adding those slugs, instead of an intercut (which in hindsight is the option I should have taken) I just made it LESS READER FRIENDLY. Removing some of the flow adds distance between the words on paper and the consumer of those words.

At least, I think that's what is happening here. Still waiting for a verdict, so this is a huge guess on my part. But in the next pass I'm going to change it to intercut and see if it flies any better.

Then again, maybe it's a budget thing, or some other screenplay has turned up and knocked their socks off? *sigh*

Moral of the story? - - Even when you think it's in the bag, never relax!
Oh, and the perennial - - assumption makes an ass of you and me.

Guess I'll have to wait to see how the damage translates. ... Then again, it's such a small nit-pick, maybe it's a budget thing?

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UPDATE: 17th November 2008.
D'oh! Okay, that's not it at all! Phew! Although something to bear in mind for next time I start getting all ahead of myself. Keep a reading script a reading script. Worry about the next step after the contracts are signed.

SPRING FORWARD, FALL BACK.

An extra hour in bed today! Woo-hoo!

Or it would have been, if I hadn't woken up at silly o'clock to discover an email waiting for me and got on line to discuss a writing project with my American co-writers. *rolls eyes* :)

Still, means I get to start day-job type work an hour later than normal, so that's a bonus! LOL

Same old, same old.

Another rejection on the Tarot book.

*sigh*

I suspect finding a home for it is not going to be a doddle, if memory serves from all the leg work I had to put in before I found it the house of collapsing cards last time.

Oh well. Onwards and upwards.

As one door shuts...

... another door gets cranked open wider.

The Grim has lured another producer out of the woodwork.

So now there's two of them circling the script at a distance, like sharks around a baited hook.





I don't know if either of them will bite. So far they're just looking and nibbling on the chum.

...

Pressure's building. Eek!

I'd better get back to the keyboard.

...

What does it all mean? Not a lot. They could evaporate like mist in the morning sun.

But the fact that they are there is so cool! Are you all green yet? I am. Exhilarated and terrified. And a little seasick.

Look at those beauties; I love sharks, but they've got that whole primeval, gonna kill you predator thing going on. All muscular and sleek, can out swim you without even breaking a sweat, and with so many teeth. Makes me want to wet my knickers just thinking about them ... er, sorry, got side tracked there for a bit.

Back to the keyboard.