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Phases of Script Development |
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First draft
Tips:
- Stick to the funder’s format requests. The HG Fund likes to
see treatments at 20 – 30 pages, and Telefilm’s Screenwriting
Assistance Program (SAP) asks for under 25 pages.
This, of course, is the first version of the story told in screenplay format. The finished first draft will be far from production-ready, but it should give a clear sense of what the writer intends for the final version of the script. It should convey the plot and structure, and readers should be able to tell how the characters will progress and who they are likely to be when they are more developed. It should have a clear genre and tone, and the reader should be able to infer the theme. It is the ‘bones’ of the finished screenplay, and the bones have to be well aligned before you can move on to the next stage.
Realistically, a script is often revised several times to create one draft, since the writer can’t accomplish every goal for the development phase in one pass. Also, this process is useful for dealing with the “ripple effect,” that is, elements in the script that no longer work because they’ve been affected by previous changes. As long as everyone understands the limits on goals for the phase, this process should have a clear end in sight, and should not result in the writer being asked to do more work than is fair.
Polishes
Tips:
- Although this is an early draft of the screenplay, formatting,
spelling and grammar must be perfect. To format your script properly,
you can purchase software such as Final Draft, Movie Magic or others.
They can all be found on the web.
Both the First Draft Phase and the Second Draft Phase include a draft (which may require several passes at the script) and a polish of that draft for the fees you have paid. The purpose of the polish is to smooth out the rough edges created by the changes, and to address issues within scenes. Bigger issues such as how the main conflict is structured, or how the protagonist progresses through the story, should not be dealt with at the polish stage. If the writer you’re working with is a WGC member, be aware that the Writer’s Guild has very specific guidelines regarding how much work can be done and the kind of changes that can be made at the polish stage. For more details, go to www.writersguildofcanada.com.
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