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I don't see how I can add any more scenes without changing the story. I have tried in the past to somehow add more scenes, but it is extremely difficult to do. My characters do not roam around very much, they are lazy and the world around them is pretty small. While I do think I need more scenes, I find it impossible and how I would ever get to fit more in.
Most of my characters are ones that do not get a lot of screen time. Only 2 characters in the story really interact with each other and they both get huge chunks of themselves in the story. I admit that I have struggled to give many of my characters a back-story. I have been mainly working on one person's back-story, and that person is the main character. I have given plenty of detail for my story, but I really don't think a huge description for a setting is important. I mean I describe my settings very well, but don't get too detailed in them.
Ever since I started writing scripts a long time ago, I used the internet for help on everything. That is why I came here instead of using a book because I thought that other screenwriters would understand me more.
Would it be alright with you if I emailed you a short script I wrote instead of the one I am currently working on? Another bad habit I have is giving away my scripts before they are complete. I just feel really uncomfortable about it and think you can understand how I write more with a short.
You could certainly try expanding on the characters as others have said but that will only do so much. I'm not sure subplots are the way to go either. I wouldn't hesitate from exploring either. Both add layers to a given story. I'm just saying simplicity probably isn't the problem. I saw Taken for the first time last night. The story couldn't have been more simple but there was always stuff going on. I enjoyed it because of the conflict. Conflict in a story is key. So my guess (and only a guess, of course) would be that your script is short because it's lacking in conflict. Add things that stand in the way of your characters' goals. Expand on those things that are already present in your script. I don't see how you could go wrong with that, even if that isn't the issue. It'll most certainly add some bulk to your script.
Yes I know. But the only characters that can really be expanded are the main character and another character that is in the story a whole lot. I really think subplots are a good idea, although they do not always work. I saw Taken too and didn't really like it. There were many parts where I thought it was just trying to waste time and not really get to the conclusion. My script has a conflict, but the problem is that the conflict isn't really "easy to see." It is something that you have to kind of realize as the story moves along. It is really hard to explain, but the point is that my conflict is invisible. I have a conflict and it is hard to see what it is for many people. Yesterday I was working on my script, which started at 50 pages, and I got to 55 pages. So I am slowly moving along, but man it is hard. I sometimes start to sweat while writing my script because it is so difficult and frustrating.
By the way Dreamscale aka Jeff, you can send me feedback on that script I sent you whenever you want. I will be on this site and at home most of the day. I am almost done with my script, but am getting really frustrated with it. I don't remember if I told you or anyone else this, but I wrote the script I am writing now before. I easily completed it in a week and was very happy with it. Unfortunately, I went on my computer one day to look at it and it was gone. I had no idea what happened. Many other files I also had were gone as well. I looked in the trash and searched all over my computer, but it was nowhere. Because of this, I had to re-write it with new stuff because I have bad memory and could not remember a lot of the things that happened in my first script I wrote.
I don't remember if I told you or anyone else this, but I wrote the script I am writing now before. I easily completed it in a week and was very happy with it. Unfortunately, I went on my computer one day to look at it and it was gone. I had no idea what happened. Many other files I also had were gone as well. I looked in the trash and searched all over my computer, but it was nowhere. Because of this, I had to re-write it with new stuff because I have bad memory and could not remember a lot of the things that happened in my first script I wrote.
I am so sorry this happened and I know it must feel awful. One thing I do is send myself emails of Wips I have going.
Usaking, I've read some of your posts and one piece of advice I will offer is perhaps you might try and take yourself less seriously. I completely understand your intensity. I get that way myself. Very serious about the work itself and although that's good. It's really good in many ways, it can also be unhealthy for you. Try and step back a bit. There will be many many other scripts besides this one. And, although you want to do it on your own, know that you have many "people" resources at your disposal. That's why we're here.
I don't remember if I told you or anyone else this, but I wrote the script I am writing now before. I easily completed it in a week and was very happy with it. Unfortunately, I went on my computer one day to look at it and it was gone. I had no idea what happened. Many other files I also had were gone as well. I looked in the trash and searched all over my computer, but it was nowhere. Because of this, I had to re-write it with new stuff because I have bad memory and could not remember a lot of the things that happened in my first script I wrote.
Arrghh, that sucks, man. Alway back-up your work. Always.
I've got all my scripts (completed and in-progress) stored on two seperate computers, on a flash drive and on the net. You can never be too careful.
Down in the hole / Jesus tries to crack a smile / Beneath another shovel load
It sounds like you really need to open your mind to the various methods of writing. Sometimes, these methods will help you when you get stuck. You can also have a look at the "Screenwriting Palette" thread and go through some of those questions. They've helped me occasionally when I've been stuck. It's great to have a beginning and ending, but when you get stuck in the middle, you've got to do something proactive to help yourself through it, especially when you know you've got a great story. The best one I've ever written (in my opinion, anyway) had the beginning and ending written first, and lacked a middle portion. I struggled with it for a couple years before I finally got the middle fleshed out. Longest it ever took for anything I've written.
Another suggestion is to watch movies in the genre you're writing to see how others have done the same thing. Sometimes that will get the creative juices flowing. It's not plagiarism; it's research.
The one thing that strikes about your description that is a concern, however, is that you state that this is a fantasy/drama, and yet you have lazy characters in a small world. Lazy characters don't make for much of a story in most cases. And why have so many characters if they don't appear that much? Is there a way to combine some of these characters into some fuller personalities? Sometimes, if characters don't appear together and they perform essentially the same functions, you can often make them the same person.
Finally, don't cling too religiously to what you've written. It sounds like you're very attached to what you have and are quite afraid of ruining it by changing it. This plays into the backup suggestion. When I start making significant changes on a script, I save the previous version as a different file (I usually save the existing version as the name of the script with the date behind it, so I know when I decided to keep that version), and then go to town, knowing that if I stray too far, I can pull up the old version and just copy it back in. But you know what? I've never, ever used anything from those old versions, because since I was unafraid to make changes, I made something better every time.
So don't be afraid to tear apart your own work, but just back up the old version and never touch it. This might help you to try different avenues of getting your script to do what you want it to do without affecting what you've already done.
George, I agree! I save drafts the same way...title followed by date. I've got so many, but as you say, I've never once actually gone back to a prior draft...but I always could if I wanted to.
I really should go back and delete some of the older ones. I know for one script, I posted the three major revisions of it to show its evolution...not that anyone would actually care about it, but hey, it's all in the name of education. Worst I've ever done was a musical that I wrote with some Swedish guys. I had 5 or 6 saved revisions before they translated it to Swedish. Then we were talking an English version from there, so I reset the revisions back to one and had 7 more. That's probably overkill. But hey, can't be too careful. I always back up a final version before I start making significant changes.
Sandra, I have always been a self-motivator type of person. I am thankful I have this site to help me and all, but I prefer to do many things alone. I know I sometimes get to caught up in things, especially with script writing. Even though I am not the best at it, I struggle and try very hard to complete the one I am working on everyday.
Jeff, I sent you one of the short scripts I wrote yesterday about 15 minutes after I told you I was going to. You should look again in your email. It could have accidently went in the trash or junk. If it isn't there, I would be happy to send it to you again.
George, only one film in the entire history of cinema is close to what I am writing. I know it sounds unbelievable, but it's true. By lazy characters I didn't quite mean that they don't do anything, but there are parts where they really just talk and don't move. I like all my scripts to have multiple characters, even if they don't appear much. It just makes the flow of the script seem much better to me. I have constantly tried to make some of my characters much more than they really are, but I am more concerned about the actual story than them. While the characters in my script are very similar, they are much more different.
It is impossible for me to not cling on to what I have written. I have put my entire life into this story and just want it to be fantastic and amazing. I do not plan to make a copy of my script at all while making changes. The only reason I would do that is if I had a completed script and wanted to make changes.
And just to update everyone, today in the morning I had 55 pages in my script. Now, which is about 4 hours later, I have 60 pages. I have a massive headache and plan to rest for a little while. I will be back on this site in an hour or so. Thanks again for all the help you guys have been giving me.
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My script seems to be too short. What should I do?
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