Read to the cadence of the woodchuck tongue twister: “How many outlines could two screenwriters write if two screenwriters could outline right?”
Alrightie then, we have accomplished step one on our path to adapting the novel GREEN DARKNESS - getting the option. We can mark that off our checklist.
Wait! We don't have a checklist. Let's start one -
Step 1 - option the rights. Check.
Step 2 - breathe as the realization of the accomplishment hits home. Check.
Step 3 - let the screenwriting and literary worlds online know about step 1. Check (otherwise you wouldn't be reading this blog).
Step 4 - outline our take on the novel.
We can't put a solid 'check' after that step. Not yet.
From the start, we agreed to modernize the setting for the novel's “present” happenings. That and keeping the time spent in the Tudor time period to a minimum, yet conveying all the passion of the star-crossed lovers would be a primary concern. This was just one way we wanted to eliminate any reasons a producer might come up with to say 'no' to considering our script adaptation. Both of us have been involved in screenwriting for a long enough to learn that producers can create roadblocks on a project to make it easier for them to 'pass' on the work.
We have also taken comprehensive courses online from ScreenwritingU and studied Blake Snyder's SAVE THE CAT books. So... we both speak the same language when it comes to outlining. However, our brains work in different, but complementary ways: I tend to be more logical, more detail-oriented; Angela adds the emotion and mood essential to the tone of this material.
End of pt 1--more to come--
Marla
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