BERNIE ANGEL REVISITED

I am having a really good time working on Bernie Angel. I am trying to think of a more compelling title that says something about what the movie is about, but I have time for that.

Screenplays are fun. All the stuff you need to delve into in a novel- the scenery, the character's emotions, the motivation -it's all portrayed so much simpler in a movie. The scenery is explained in a few lines to tell the director where you are. I always feel like I have to sneak into a novel. Scenery description is not my strong suit.

Also in a novel, the motivation of the characters needs to be apparent by the stuff they do, and what is going on in the movie. In a novel, the character thinks and the audience hears it. In a movie, the character thinks and the audience has to see it.

On the flipside, formatting for a screenplay is more work, even with screenwriting software.

Screenplays are also short, the max you want is about 80-130 pages, although it seems 110 is the target, compared to a novel which you aim for about 80,000 words unless you're famous already, and that works into about 300+ pages. You would think shorter would be better, but it's difficult sometimes to get everything you want into a shorter work, knowing what to chop out of your baby is difficult.

When I have finished it, come up with a title and registered it, I'll likely post a few pages to see if it captures anyone's interest. Whether it does or not, it has been a good experience. Writing is always fun, and the more you write, the better you get.