The Magic and Importance of Screenwriting
Part 2: Little Miss Sunshine: Deep Dive into the Writing Process
The screenwriting process can be a lengthy task, but with the right amount of time and effort put into it, the higher the chance writers will have of generating a magnificent life-changing story.
Michael Arndt had begun writing Little Miss Sunshine on a random Tuesday afternoon in the year 2000. Arndt wrote twelve pages on the first day, thirty-seven pages on the second day, and on the third, he had spent all night writing out fifty-four pages. Three days later, he had completed the first draft by Friday morning. After that, Arndt took the time to revise and rewrite the entire script for a whole year. Around two months later, Arndt’s script was purchased, and the production of the film would take place until its release in theatres on July 26, 2006.
Even though it took Michael three days to write out his first draft, going back to rewriting the script of the film is the most realistic approach for any screenwriter to take. It might not be ideal for many, but no great and remarkable story is made within a short amount of time. After all, having patience is the key to achieving a promising writing experience.
Revision is a crucial part of the screenwriting process when working on a film project. It is where the majority of the work takes place aside from filming. Throughout the revising process, the writer has to make sure that the story, dialogue, and characters flow well. Screenwriters have to make sure that the story follow through without running into any plot holes. Most importantly, dialogue is a vital part in the screenwriting process, it requires a lot of time to be revised because it is the foundation of the film.
Takeaway:
As viewers and as an audience and filmgoers, we usually do not take into account the importance of screenwriting and how it impacts us. Next time that you want to sit down and watch your favorite movie or TV show to relax, unwind, and escape from reality for a while, think about how it is all thanks to these writers and actors who put their everything into their jobs.
Film studios wanted to push more AI into the writers’ room, and the threat of diminishing writers’ voices and creativity would increase. Before the strike, there were also no regulations that protected either writers or actors and there was a lack of consent for this form of artificial intelligence. AI is being pushed more by studios into the industry because it comes with a cheaper cost than when it comes to paying actual human writers or actors.
According to Jules Roscoe, reporter at VICE Motherboard, “Currently, AI, is being used to generate new pilot ideas for new shows or to rework a script such that it can used by a studio without having to have a writer in the room when the script is being filmed” (Roscoe, 2023). Roscoe also explains, “A lot of actors have expressed concerns, especially background actors, about having their bodies 3D scanned and having those scans be used and manipulated by artificial intelligence to fill out the backgrounds of scenes and especially replace them as a workforce” (Roscoe, 2023). Therefore, supporting these screenwriters and actors allows us to connect with each other through the infinite number of human experiences that AI can’t simply recreate on its own.
Sources:
- https://variety.com/2023/biz/news/sag-aftra-responds-studios-progress-seen-1235769774/
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2023/08/09/hollywood-writers-strike-heres-a-timeline-of-what-led-to-the-100-day-mark/?sh=7ba7ce767ad3
- https://www.creativescreenwriting.com/how-daniels-pulled-off-their-sci-fi-multiverse-immigrant-story-everything-everywhere-all-at-once/
- https://k1047.com/listicle/the-daniels-works-before-eeaao/
- https://gointothestory.blcklst.com/how-michael-arndt-wrote-little-miss-sunshine-9fc9c5dea9c2
- https://deadline.com/2020/01/parasite-script-bong-joon-ho-screenplay-read-it-1202819558/
- https://gointothestory.blcklst.com/how-they-write-a-script-diablo-cody-dd96f5ce493f
- https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/why-artificial-intelligence-is-a-central-dispute-in-the-hollywood-strikes