I finally got a chance to sit down and view "The Revenant", which is one of the most visually spectacular films I've watched in a long time. Because the movie relies on long intervals of visual storytelling with no dialogue, I wanted to take a look at the screenplay. However, I was only able to download a PDF version of a 2010 draft written by Mark L. Smith. Since then, the shooting script (currently unavailable) was heavily revised in a collaborative effort between the writer and the director Alejandro Iñárritu. That being stated, even the original draft demonstrates the talents of a writer with a great ability to visualize the action. Earlier this week, I worked with a director to streamline the first thirty pages of the script we've been rewriting and editing for several months. To emphasize the visual impact, he had me remove all the dialogue in the first scene. He also had me trim a lot of dialogue in the opening scenes. The director only wants dialogue essential to moving the story along. He was very thoughtful in his approach; and in putting my writer's ego aside, I realized his editing ideas got us to the meat of the action a lot quicker. For those of you who wish to have a real master class lesson in writing action; and one that won't cost you a penny, I recommend that you have a look at the draft script for The Revenant. It's a real "eye opener." I’ve attached the link for the PDF download. http://screenplayexplorer.com/wp-content/scripts/The-Revenant.pdf
Screenwriting : The Revenant script, a master's class in visual storytelling. by Phillip E. Hardy, Prolifique
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You've convinced me. Going to read this weekend.
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James: Well worth a look. Every time I start feeling really good about my writing, I read something like this; and realize there's some really tough competition out there.
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Thanks Phillip. I'll check it out for sure.
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Looked at it on subway ride. Reads like a novel. Very fluid pace. Requires full concentation. Cant skim the script. :)
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Dan: Agreed.
Thanks Phillip, I look forward to reading this script, great that you found it, loved the movie.
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Philip thanks for script. finished reading. lots of changes from 2010 script to Oscar movie. biggest change is adding Glass' son into the story; helps with the Revenge theme of the movie. As for the script, I didn't see/or read any strong motivation for Glass to pursue Fitzgerald in the Last Act. What is Glass' true story and what is make-believe? Both versions, script & movie, take huge leaps of fiction, internally (what characters are thinking) and externally (what characters are doing).
Chanel and Brian: You are both most welcome my friends.
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Dan: I read the real historical account of Hugh Glass and think Smith's script was a truer rendering of what really happened. Since Glass didn't have a son and didn't in fact kill Bridger or Fitzgerald and though he definitely sought them out, he forgave both of them. Of course, revenge is always a powerful movie motive. Great writing by Smith in any case eh?
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Philip- Yep. I like how Smith writes flashback/Dream scenes without identifying them in the SLUG LINE. Clever Writer :)