14/02/2024
When writing a screenplay the general rule is one page per minute, but one thing that isn't always clear is that sometimes you have to dictate that pace by adding more or less description. At the moment we are working on an 80-90 page all out action horror and the pace of the writing in the script moves from tense to frenetic - each time the writing style has to change and reflect that. I personally have found this script a huge learning curve as I'm more accustomed to writing balanced or even dialogue heavy scripts. Another note of interest was that I found myself in a position this weekend where I had all the elements of the story but couldn't move forward with the plot, bearing in mind we already have a well charted structure for this screenplay. Over the weekend I felt irritable, I wasn't trying to write but any human interaction made me feel almost interrupted, like I was in a low level state of concentration constantly. On Monday morning I was in the shower, not thinking about much then suddenly PING, all the elements aligned and I had answers for 3 of the script issues one after another. It's important to let ideas marinate in the grey matter sometimes, clearly my CPU was processing something heavy in the background for a few days. Writing eh - it's a strange thing for sure.
- Oliver
