HOW TO PROCESS NOTES FOR YOUR screenplay REWRITE

​So you finished your first draft of your screenplay and received back a ton of notes. But where do you go from here and how can you get started on your rewrite? In this article, we are discussing how to implement notes on your script's first draft so you can build an effective rewrite process.

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​HOW DO I GET STARTED ON MY REWRITE?

Getting started on your rewrite after receiving notes on your screenplay can sometimes feel overwhelming. But as you know by now, writing is rewriting! And remember, screenwriting is a collaborative effort. So as a professional screenwriter, you’ll be working with directors, producers, and executives who will all have varying degrees of feedback on the draft of your screenplay. Coming into the process knowing that a rewrite is bound to happen can set you up mentally for success when you get your first set of notes back. Some of your favorite films and television shows have gone through multiple revisions and rewrites. (Check out our Screenplay Vault and look for the draft date or color for proof). 

​Getting over the feeling of overwhelm and getting back to your writing routine is step one in approaching your rewrite. Be sure to check out our article How to Rewrite Your Screenplay for tips on how to tackle your rewrite before you sit down to write. Now that that’s out of the way and you’re sitting down to write, where do you even begin? See below for three tips on how to implement feedback when rewriting your screenplay.​

​3 TIPS FOR REWRITING YOUR SCREENPLAY

1. Return to the outline. Your very first step to tackling your rewrite, after thoroughly reading through your notes, will be to return to your outline. Once you know what changes need to be made, the outline is where you will first re-configure the story before beginning to write your next draft. If your note is that your protagonist does not have a clear goal, you will first want to establish a goal for your protagonist (check out our #Goals Workbook for a step-by-step plan on crafting a goal for your protagonist). It is in the outline where you will decide the new beats that reveal the character’s new goal. A thorough outline gives you a game plan to rewrite your screenplay. To learn more about outlining be sure to check out our article The Blueprint: How to Write a Script Outline.
   
2. Not everything needs to go. Once you process the notes, this doesn’t mean that everything needs to be scrapped. Maybe that one scene where the climax comes to a head is super clear, but it’s the scenes and beats leading up to that that needs some work. Don’t feel like you have to toss a perfectly good scene away, especially if it is working for the direction you are heading for the new draft. This goes back to the importance of the outline. But if you’re keeping a scene just because you “like” it but it no longer serves the story you are telling, this will be clear in the outline.
3. Start from page one. On the flip side of the previous tip, sometimes, just like a close-out sale, everything must go! This means scrapping everything and starting from page one. Use the notes and your new outline to guide you in what your next draft will look like. Try not to get too stuck on something happening a particular way because it happened in the last draft. Create something new, but still keep the essence of your story by starting here: who (protagonist) is trying to do what (goal) but something (obstacles) are getting in the way. Keep it simple. You've got this.

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​READY TO MAKE YOUR SCREENPLAY BETTER?

Check out our Development Notes service to get personalized feedback from one of our Story Experts and take your screenplay to the next level!

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author

Khadija Roane is a Magna Cum Laude graduate from the illustrious Howard University where she received her BFA in Theatre Arts. Khadija then graduated from UCLA's MFA Producers program where she interned in film and television development at MACRO, Vertigo Films, Gamechanger Films, and Pamplona Productions before working as a Scripted TV Assistant at WME. She has placed in the Pittsburgh Shorts Screenwriting Competition and the Atlanta Film Festival, and received the Barbara Boyle Promising Producer Award. Khadija lives in Los Angeles where she is an independent filmmaker and a Story Expert at The Professional Pen.