15 - First Draft Critique        Sun, 07/26/09 - Scott

It isn't easy to critique your own work, but I'm not willing to subject any reader to a first draft and burn them out. I have up to 70 criterion that I rate screenplays on, and I have to be impartial and rate it fairly.

I rate on a scale of 1 to 5: Poor, Fair, Good, Excellent, Superior. A story has to have a few elements rated Superior before I consider it qualified to be a movie. Most elements have to be in the Excellent range. A few Goods are OK. (When I see TV pilots, they are typically in the Good range.) Fair and Poor mean no way.

I had 6 Fair elements, 15 Good elements, 15 Excellent elements, and 1 superior element. That is actually better than almost all of the screenplays that I read of others'. I rarely see any excellent elements. So if you are writing a screenplay and feel that it missed the mark, join the crowd. Most of us don't get it right on the first try. Rewriting is the secret that makes screenplays good.

Specifically:

1. The story arc was there, but I didn't see Martin's frustration loudly, nor visuals that show the problem.
2. Characterization changed as I wrote. I found things between characters that needed to be there, and other things that needed eliminated. I need to change character motivation in the rewrite.
3. The dramatic conflict in each scene needed improved.
4. Some of the dialogue needs changed for clarity and continuity.
5. Scene arcs need improved - this will happen by improving motivation, conflict, and focus.
6. Visual: Needs improved.
7. Theme: Seemed somewhat anecdotal. The mystery isn't fully explored, and needs continuity.

Next: Development Rewrite

Nowhere Man Blog Directory

Other distribution restrictions: None

Return to main page

Page URL:  http://www.visualwriter.com/Blogs/NowhereMan/Blog_Nowhere_Man_15.htm