3 days ago
Monday, June 30, 2008
Page 40
Okay, it feels like a slight cheat, cos before I was halfway down page 36 and now I'm just at the top of page 40- but it seemed like a good place to stop. After a slow start, where I was wondering if I'd manage my four pages today, it all unfolded pretty easily. I have general beats for each subplot but haven't figured out where they're each going to fall in the script, so when I reach a new scene I usually have to stop and figure out which scene would be next. I'm trying to take some advice I heard years ago from an editor on a Vincent Ward movie (the one with the snow and the pilot) - Don't cut to what you'd logically see next, cut to what you want to see next. I wasn't a writer (or editor) at the time, but I've never forgotten that advice.
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4 comments:
The Navigator. The boy in that, Hamish McFarlene, lived next door to a friend of mine when that film came out. I remember having a talk with him in which he said how cold and miserable he got. I belive I heard he became a second assistant director in order to make sure someone was there to protect the actors.
Not so much a comment on your writing. But it is my Navigator story. Good movie.
Or do you mean 'Map of the Human Heart'? That's also the one with the hot-air balloon and the sex. I liked it at the time. Would I still now? Not sure.
But I think that's really interesting advice - and I think it works with other kinds of writing too. Cutting to something that might be a surprise, or might resonate or clash with what came before, but which makes the two things stronger together than they would be apart. I'm ranting a little now, so will stop.
But good on you for writing your three-and-a-half pages today.
Just noticed that Ben said The Navigator is a good movie. I must disagree.
Actually I disagree that it's a good movie. But I do think it's a good comment.
There you go, there are some movies I don't like.
(Although the Navigator does have good points...)
(It is an interesting film.)
Bah.
PS: Congratulations on reaching the top of page 40.
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