As the last post of the year, and after a much needed hiatus I've decided to make this about all the drafts associated with scriptwriting. We've all been here, a draft, another draft, and then another draft that has left us stuck between a rock and a hard place. You've spent so much time re-reading, editing and cutting out the parts that don't work that you no longer know what it is you're staring at.

If you're anything like me, you've written the first draft without a care to what the budget would be. You've plotted, planned and shifted scenes on your cue cards to write a well thought out first draft. You put this draft down and walked away to celebrate its completion and come back a week later or so to read it over.

This is where you start to cut things out because you've found out the max budget and it wouldn't work. You cut some of the dialogue because it drags on with no end. You re-write a couple of scenes because they could be better and then the confusion of your own writings has stalled the entire plot structure process.

At this point, you could just send it to a reader, get some constructive feedback do a final draft and call it a day.

But then we wouldn't get to play the martyr now would we?

Let's face it, if we never complete a script then it never gets made, if it never gets made then we never really fail at filmmaking. I know the trouble indie filmmakers have sometimes when making said film is the fact that it might not sell. Then you're stuck with credit card bills and un paid debt while facing the question of "What are you gonna shoot next?"

So begins the cycle of the never ending script drafts. Fear not, some of the greatest scriptwriters in Hollywood take years to develop a well thought out structured script. There is hope for the rest of us!

Need constructive feedback on a draft? Email info@tovoice.c. to find out how!

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