"Maybe in America, Irish, maybe in America."

We've got a snow day today.  I did some writing.  Then some shoveling.  Went to the barn.  Did more shoveling.  Then more writing.  Actually got to type FADE OUT which is why, despite the snow day, I’m late posting the blog.

Fade out is a big deal, but in this case it isn’t quite as big as it could be.  Rather than being a first draft, it’s more like a 75% draft.  I wrote the story, not the back story.  Now that I’ve decided how it ends, I can add in the bits pieces to make that ending both logical and satisfying.  That’s the plan anyway.

The first screenplay I wrote came in at a whopping 180 pages.  Trimming it down has proven impossible for me.  I didn’t want that to happen again so I wrote lean – intentionally and on purpose.  I even deleted a few sections/rewrote scene in progress a couple of times.  Not true editing, but a distinct change from my “no edit until the end” rule.  It didn’t slow me down, this has been a two week journey, and I think it’s a more workable draft.

2 months from now I may be singing a different tune.

"I ain't no flatlander."

I’m hoping to capture some of what I learned from “Captain Phillips” with this script.  That film built and maintained an incredible level of tension throughout.  There was no memorable dialogue, no major surprise plot twists, just people reacting so believably you felt you were there.  I’m going for that immersion – and deep caring about what happens.

I’ll also be sure not have a character attempt a New England accent.