Reflect in two page-equivalents on the entire Script Frenzy project....
First Impressions:
When first introduced to the project, I was surprised: it sounded like an unprecedented (for me) challenge in mass production of writing. I was not sure I'd be able to do it, but remained cautiously optimistic as to my chances of success.Final Impressions:
Of course--I was wrong. Final tally: 73 pages (out of the goal of 100), approximately 2 months from start of writing to finish (rather than the one).Page Count:
Now for some context. From the pace of the script as it developed, it probably should have run to at least 120 pages rather than the 100 I projected, to fit it the complete arc of the storyline without shorting the development. Of course, I said I finished the script--how did that work? I simply left out the missing 50+ pages and instead summarized them in one or two lines. Yep. But that way I got to write the ending, which I had already planned out in some detail, while not having to bother inventing another 40 pages or so of rising action... So, yeah, I "finished" the script.Time Management:
And then there was the humorous incident of the timing. Script Frenzy takes place in April. So, obviously, I began writing midway through April and finished midway through June. The late start was due to organizational difficulties, but the one-month overrun was of course entirely my own fault. If you exclude the days I didn't work on the script, I only did about 40 days' worth of work; so my writing speed was less than 2 pages per day of work.To finish 120 pages in 30 days, I would have needed to write 4 pages per day - and since most days I spent only about 3/4 of a 40 minute class period* writing, I should have spent at least an hour a day writing. (In reality, of course, my output and invested time was much more irregular, varying from 0 to 5 or more pages per day.) And then I would have had to squeeze that work into 30 days rather than spreading it out over twice that time span. So, in terms of time management, I think we can safely say I pretty much failed.
Script Frenzy Workbook:
Most helpful from the workbook were the sections on formatting; the storyline-designing sections were helpful mostly for occasional reference against how my story was progressing, and I didn't use them for planning. The section on shutting up the inner editor was nearly useless (but that was probably my own fault!)Strengths, Weaknesses, Revisions:
As in post XII, except applied to the whole script. In addition, further improvements would include ensuring that the storyline arc is better balanced, especially by filling in the missing third where development occurs. This should probably include a few well-developed secondary characters, because right now all the characters are the two protagonists, the villain, his henchman, and hundreds of minor, expendable, one-dimensional minions...Also necessary would be a decision on my overall intention; as of now it isn't quite clear where the script falls in the continuum from completely stereotypical action movie with all the usual tropes, to lame wanna-be action flick that even producers of stereotypical action movies would reject, to ironic send-up of such stereotypical action movies. Anywhere near the outsides of the range would be a success in my book, but I sadly suspect the script currently falls much closer to the middle.
What I Learned:
Writing 100 (or 120) pages in 30 days is hard, and as of now, I don't appear to be up to the time management challenges this brings up. I certainly am capable of conceiving and planning (at least the rough outline of) such a large project, but totally incapable of finishing it on time. :)
*One thing that slowed me down was always having to transfer my writing from home to school and back, which was often necessary to do more than a half hour of writing a day. After a while this became incredibly tedious and I just gave up doing it--which meant my writing progressed even slower.
