Wednesday, February 02, 2011

Today I blazed through about eight pages of script and then stalled. I knew what the next scene is, but I couldn't figure out what to put there.

I realized: this is the point where it might be a good idea to check in with my main character. She's in practically every scene of the movie. But only now and then do we get some alone time with her, to see how she's really feeling. (She's not someone who shows her feelings easily.)

You don't always have to make a whole scene out of checking in with your main character. It might be a glance in the mirror at the beginning of a scene, or a closeup of her face as she walks away from a scene. Sometimes, you don't even need to put the scene in the movie -- you can write the scene but keep it to yourself. But checking in with your main character can allow your story to take a breath and gather its strength for the next push. And it helps make sure your story isn't going off the rails.

Also, actors love it.

Labels: tools

5:37 PM

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