Watch Your Movie

During the writing process I’ve taken time to sit down and ‘watch my movie’. Yes, the very movie I’m writing. What do I mean?

With a pile of note cards representing your movie, go through them and watch those scenes in your head. Scene after scene, until you get through the whole stack.

Don’t rush it. Let the characters talk. Let the action happen.

This is a great way to understand your film before it’s written. It’s awkward at first, but you’ll see any major errors or inconsistencies that need to be smoothed out. I’ve done this twice already and it’s helped immensely. It’s great for me as a director also because I’m seeing it in shots, cuts, and edits. I’m already editing this film and I haven’t shot anything yet!

Do it with a stopwatch to gauge how long it’s currently running. Have a notepad handy to jot down any ideas or corrections you notice along the way.

Here’s what a stopwatch looks like, in case you forgot: