2 days ago
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Drafting day six. Page 21.
Going okay so far. Have just got to what is my first turning point, more or less. I'd really like to have this more plotted out than it is - but I'd lost momentum with outline, thus the drafting. So far it's hanging together. Just need to push on and it will be what it will be... one thing I'm doing with this first draft is trying not to try to write 'well'. Just getting it down without polishing. Because I figure that if it was written relatively effortlessly (or rather less laboriously) then it'll be that much less painful to chuck out huge swathes that don't work or aren't quite right. That's the theory, anyway.
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2 comments:
First turning point at page 21. Interesting.
I’ve noticed that feature films do seem to be getting into the second act sooner these days. So maybe your instincts are right.
Actually. I’ve also noticed that a lot of blockbusters seem to go for a four act structure which often doesn’t quite work for me (I’m thinking “Hancock” and “Get Smart” which were both films I enjoyed but sort of seemed to tack an extra story on for the last half hour). Although I don’t mean to imply any criticism of the early 1st turning point in your script… I’m just commenting that four acts seems to be another recent change to the old-fashioned Syd Field-style ideal of feature film structure.
Yeah, well, it's first draft, so anything could end up anywhere. It does seem to me though that first turning points are often around the 20 minute mark these days. In fact they seem to pretty much never wait till 30 mins any more. As far as acts go, I'm coming to believe in four act structure (i.e., that the midpoint is hugely important). For me, the midpoint is actually a bigger transition than first or second t.p., and is well and truly an act break in its own right. At least that's how I see it at the moment.
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