Writing and Revisiting

I've been spending a significant amount of time writing recently. More and more ideas for short screenplays have been popping in my head faster than I can outline/write them. I currently have three shorts close to being done (after several drafts each) that I hope to shoot soon. They sort of increase in ambitiousness: the first is a horror, the second is a drama, and the third is a romance (and drama too I guess). I think I mentioned a couple of them in previous blogs. Writing has become easier as I work on it more, but I am by no means skilled. In fact, I'd say I'm pretty unskilled. My dialogue feels unpolished and I tend to think too realistic/get focused on minutia. But hey, practice makes perfect, right?

The hardest part about writing (once the basic outline gets pounded out) is knowing when you're done. I think the answer is that it never is. There will always be second guesses and room for improvement, but you have to work on something until you're satisfied with it... until you're convinced that it's the best work you could do given whatever particular circumstances you're under. It drives me crazy!

Nothing against writing, but I'm looking forward to shooting these things already. I tend to be more energized and excited by the visual aspects of film. Of course, I still have a lot of prep to do for each one before I can turn on my camera but I'm really excited about how these projects are coming along. I already have at least one more short in my head that I haven't put down on paper that will be more "fun" than all my other shorts. I look at making these shorts as my own personal film school. I know these films won't change the world and probably won't even be particularly good, but as long as I can try out new things and learn from my mistakes, I'll be satisfied.

In addition to this, I've been rewatching a number of films from the past. Most of them I've seen, but don't remember too well. So far this week I've caught Brokeback Mountain, The Blair Witch Project, and Reservoir Dogs. I've got The Usual Suspects and Assault on Precinct 13 (1976 version) up on my queue next.