How to Edit a Scene in a Film Screenplay

Henry James wrote, "You must be willing to kill all your precious darlings." During the editing process, a writer must make some brutal decisions. A feature length screenplay is traditionally 120 pages and events must occur at specific act breaks. Most of screenplay writing is rewriting. What to leave and what to take out is much easier when you know what kind of questions to ask.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Outline your entire screenplay in a mini-script format before you've written anything. This particular form of outlining is a brief description of the beginning, middle and end of each scene. It allows a writer to visualize every narrative block.
2. Ask the following questions of every scene from your mini-script to determine if the scene is necessary to the story. Does the scene advance the narrative? Does the scene have a clear purpose? Does the scene transition visually to the next one?
3. Cut any scene that is not necessary to the story.
4. Enter later. If you're running over 120 pages then it's time to trim up a scene's length. A character should enter a scene at the last possible moment, about two lines of dialogue before the purpose of a scene is determined. We don't need to hear small talk. Get to the point.
5. Leave earlier. A scene should end with tension so the spectator anticipates what will happen next. Each scene should lead into the next one visually and smoothly. When the business of the scene is over, get out and move on.
6. Go over all scene dialogue to determine if it should be edited. Does the dialogue compliment the scene not repeat it? Also, does the dialogue actually come from a character's emotion? A character should not be saying something just to move the story forward. It has to make sense for that particular character's motivation.
7. Correct any formatting issues. Make sure all slug lines and names are consistent. Edit any dialogue that is not properly marginated and spaced. Make all character names consistent and use caps properly.

Tips & Warnings

• Writing out your entire screenplay in mini-script format may seem agonizing. Writers want to write. However, outlining may be the single most important aspect of any screenplay. You need to know where you're going and how you're going to get there. Each scene must mean something.
• Plan on writing at least three drafts of your screenplay. Many experts even ascertain that over half of your original screenplay will change between drafts.
• Don't write a scene just because you like it. You will have to go back and erase it later. It will hurt. You will be sad.