Embracing the Unexpected: My 20-Day Screenwriting Process

Every filmmaker has their process for bringing a film to life, and for me, as a writer and director, the journey is often full of surprises. Lately, I've been busy writing short scripts, a treatment, and revising one of my existing scripts. But there's one idea that's been simmering in my mind for the past year. After bouncing it off other writers and friends, it kept coming back to me.

I decided to break from my usual writing routine. I didn't outline, write a treatment, do an act breakdown, or create a beat sheet—none of it.

I opened my laptop, launched Final Draft, and wrote.

By the end of the day, I wrote five pages. The story just poured out of me; the only challenge was my typing trying to keep up with the scenes and dialogue. I made it a point to write every single day, whether it was a scene, a few pages, or rewriting what I had done the previous day.

By the end of the first week, I had 25 pages, and I didn’t want to lose the momentum. I told myself I’d take a day off, but it felt like I was barely holding on to a runaway train, and it was better to keep going.

Twenty days later, I finished my screenplay.

The script is 86 pages. Was it a relief? Yes, but now comes the hard part, lots of rewrites! As for the story, here’s what I have. I don’t have a title yet (that always takes me forever). This is a work in progress but here's the logline --

Two aging television writers, grappling with the end of their careers, embark on a night-long journey through New York City, confronting the ghosts of their past and seeking solace in the bonds of a friendship tested by time and regret. 

P.S.

A quick update! I took a few weeks off and went back into rewrites and uncovering some gems in this story. Next up is to create a pitch deck, a budget breakdown, and a teaser trailer of how I envision this film.