This is an excerpt from an interview in the Hollywood Reporter. It addressed a question that’s always tumbling around in my head and causing me a lot of anxiety.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/maggie-gyllenhaa...
How do you know when you’re done with a script? Because one could go on and try to perfect things forever. . .
Maggie Gyllenhaal: “. . . my [film] editor said. . ., “Here’s what’s going to happen in the cut. We’re going to get to a place where we start making changes and then undoing them. Once that’s happened a few times, we’ll know we’re done.” With the next thing I wrote, I really found that to be true. I’d take someone’s note, and then put it back. Or I’d try to change something, and then put it back.”
Jeymes Samuel: “For me, it’s when I say, “OK, that’s dope.” There’ll always be something else. But a script is exactly like a song. I get to a stage where I go, “Wicked. Now it’s time to hit the streets with it.” On set, Idris always goes, “Is there a world in which …?” Which means he’s going to change what you wrote. So, things are always going to change, but you know when you’ve got the foundation, I believe.”
Zach Baylin: “I’m not a director, so, for me, I know that whatever I hand off is going to take on different iterations. I just try to close my eyes and throw it out there."
I guess it's for me to decide when I'm done.
Thanks, Dana Jackson. I agree with Maggie Gyllenhaal.
This is just one writers opinion, but I think you’re done with it once you’ve written it, really like what you’ve written, and then produce yourself. Because if you submit it to a producer, they’re always going to wanna change it. So it doesn’t do any good to get it perfect if you plan on submitting it to it producer, because it will never be perfect enough for them
2 people like this
When I sell it. It's no longer mine, so I'm done with it unless the buyer wants/needs my help.
1 person likes this
I'll often think I'm done with a script only to change my mind later, sometimes six months later, out of the blue. One good clue that I'm not done is when the script doesn't attract any talent, no producer or director interest, for example. And of course if you do attract talent then that talent invariably doesn't think the script is done. It needs a rewrite. I've got one script I've rewritten periodically over five years now. I've got 25 drafts saved on my computer.
After I send my screenplay to my agent I never look at it again unless it sells.