I am just curious, how long does it take others to write feature film screenplay? And it different if you're writing your own spec or if your writing for someone else timewise? i have discovered my own work doesn't take as long.
Screenwriting : I am just curious, how long do… by Wendy Casey
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My specs take longer as there is no deadline. My assignment work has a contracted due date so I need to stay on schedule to honor the agreement. My fastest time writing a feature first draft was twenty days.
I take about thirty days to lay out the storyline and characters and then plan out 8 weeks to write the actual script, about four pages per day and I work four days a week. But I am writing my own scripts and am not under contract. Mark is right, when you write contract scripts you pretty much work around the clock on a deadline.
I'm working on my feature right now and I put myself on deadline every now than to push myself harder. But I also take my time if you rush and don't think it all through it will come back. EDIT* I've been working on my feature for 4 1/2 years, several variations. I can tell you Billy Bob Thornton wrote Slingblade in I think 7 days. It depends on how well you know your story and how hard you want to work on it. As far as contract work, I can't say anything about it other than you should negotiate for at least a year. Speaking in terms of working on a feature of course.
I've written features that have taken months to mold and I've written one in 6 days - not including 3 days of outlining - that required little rewriting. I think Steven said it best - it all depends on how well you know your story and how dedicated you are to reworking it.
hi wendy im lookin to write a screenplay for a short film , ive never wrote a screenplay before , and tips u cn give me for were to start . thanx x
Hi Keith, know your story! Know your ending before you even begin and have a plan of how you're going to arrive there. Also, perhaps the most important, remember to only write what the audience can see. We can't see what someone is thinking. SHOW US! Tell the story in pictures, dialogue, and action. I'm sure some others here on 32 can also give you some tips. Good Luck!
thanx wendy , gonna let my imagination take over lol , good luck x
most welcome and have fun!
If you are thinking of writing a screenplay, it's best to imagine it this way. A Novel is the human body and a screenplay is the Skeleton. Don't worry about appearance, rather; concern yourself with structure.
It took me 4 years to write WOPS the MOVIE and it was being rewritten during the shoot .. I am also still writing BUTTONMAN to keep it fresh and up to date. WINGMAN took me two years but TEENAGED HIGH SCHOOL ZOMBIES RUN AMUK took me 6 months. but then again for ZOMBIES, i want to wait 3 more months before I go back and do another edit