Monday 18 July 2011

"Allen Bridge" blog #23...

The tweaks to Act III have been made - I know have a complete Draft 1.2 of Allen Bridge - and after further trimming (with some additions) it stands at 112 pages.

I'll now have a break from it for a while before I head back to the very beginning to do a top-to-tail re-draft (2.1) with further tweaks dotted around the script (2.2). I'm really trying my hardest with this script - not that I hadn't tried before - perhaps a better way to put it would be that I'm applying all my skills and knowledge gained so far, and taking great care with this script.

The first script I sent to the BBC Writersroom didn't get past the first ten pages and, even though it was very disappointing, I agree with the decision (at some point I want to do an entire re-write of that script, as I maintain that it would make an enjoyable comedy).

The second script I sent to the BBC Writersroom - Summer Road - actually got through to a full read-through ... which is a significant step forward, especially seeing as the Writersroom get 10,000 scripts a year and only 10-to-15% of those scripts get a full read through with feedback (meaning 85-90% get rejected after the first ten pages without feedback).

Naturally, with Allen Bridge, I want to go further - so lessons have been learned from Summer Road (which I'm still immensely proud of, although I would make some tweaks to it now a year down the road), and I'm trying hard to tickle all the right fancies to succeed. Indeed, in the feedback I received concerning Summer Road, I had been successful in pulling off the hardest things to get right in a script - particular characterisation and motivation - two elements that have been very important to me up to, and including, this project.

Anyway - a little break from it has been well and truly earned - although, having said that, I'm heading back to finish off the rest of the Abortion-themed educational DVD project (which is coming along quite well).

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