I have been blocked on a screenplay that I'm working on for several days now. I have trouble when I get into the second act just like so many other writers do. I was approaching my midpoint, and I was trying to think of how I could transition from one scene to my midpoint scene. When I finally reached the conclusion that less is better, I solved the problem. Instead of adding an unnecessary talky scene, I decided to rearrange a scene I already had written and go straight into the next part of act 2. This is a roundabout way of saying -- which is what I do in my screenplays ... say things in a roundabout way -- that I cut out an expository scene and expanded an action scene. The midpoint in my play is a great moment of tension and now I am ready to get on with the second half of the screenplay. I'm also close to the beats that Blake Snyder established in his Save the Cat work. He calls for the midpoint to be at 55 pages; I'm at 61. However, when I tighten up some other scenes, this should not be a problem.
The screenplay I'm doing is very different. It's about a boy who is mentally ill and can't distinguish reality from fantasy. His sister disappears under mysterious circumstances and he fears he may be partially responsible for her death. That's kind of where I am with it.
We are having a nice snow at the moment. Steady. Pretty. Big flakes. We could get as much as 4 inches. I'm hoping, however, it might be winter's last hurrah. I want spring to get here as quickly as possible. My life could be changing drastically this spring beginning with my daughter's marriage. 2011 was not a good year. I'm hoping 2012 is better. I think it can be. I need to be dealt the right cards and then play them wisely.
Not much else happening at the moment.
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