I wrote a screenplay some time ago. Then a treatment with minor changes in the plot. I'm finalizing it, but I'm suck on should I keep the original heart of the script, or go with what's edgy?
Screenwriting : Old or New by Vincent Turner
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Stick to the core of the story. Once you change that, its a new story and requires a new plot.
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You shouldn’t force your story to be one thing or another. It’s natural for a story to evolve. If it wants to be edgy, let it be edgy.
Always keep focused on driving the character's story. People get invested into the emotional journey of the characters.
What is more truthful. Is the story edgy or are you forcing something on to the story that isn’t really there?
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Best advice a major screenwriter told me is right what you want to write. Write for yourself. Because if you don’t you’ll never get anything good down on paper. Hope that helps.
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Keep the original screenplay as it is but if you have a strong gut feeling changes may add dimension, don’t censor yourself. Occasionally a story takes writer where IT wants to go. With a copy of original screenplay add ideas from new treatment and compare both screenplays. Add and subtract changes one at a time, not all in one big info dump. ONE change might work where another won’t. SUBTLE change might not make screenplay disjointed but as others mention here, you don’t want big change. It all depends what the changes are? A slight story twist in another direction that does not stray too far from already established rhumb line might just work but total game change won’t. Maybe these new ideas of yours belong in a new separate screenplay or sequel to what you already have. Also as others have mentioned here, the reader is following characters and their story, so any new info must seem natural and organic to character. In the past I’ve ended up with 5 treatments and one screenplay containing bits from each treatment. However this was for films I was writing and shooting myself and as @Dan Max pointed out in a writers studio you all have to stick to one treatment with no time wasting. Do not forget that you might have some very clever dialogue in existing screenplay, that will be erased if you change that particular part of the treatment.
That is the thing. I would have to make one by one changes, pretty much. The edgy parts help the flavor of the story that is missing. Thanks for the help