So it is back to work for the writer, who must then rewrite the script with necessary changes and resubmit to Mr. Alan. This process is then repeated again and again until Alan hands back a draft with no major changes left to make. The writer then makes any remaining small changes, and meets with Alan to review the final draft. Although “What Teachers Want” underwent serious revisions from the first draft, it took only three drafts to make the necessary major changes. Other scripts, such as that of “Valentine’s Day,” a story about a lover who repeats the same day over and over until he can win his date for the big dance, underwent as many as nine or ten revisions before a final draft was approved. The number of drafts is unimportant however as long as one is finally approved, and Alan refuses to give approval unless his own high standards are met. Once Alan has approved the final draft, the writer’s work is done. The script is printed and made available for viewing by potential directors whom may choose to make it into a WHS Film Festival film.

Stage One: The Idea and Screenplay

by Matt Romines

The first step to creating a Walpole High School Film Festival movie is writing the screenplay. Film Festival scripts are written either by students in English teacher Michael Alan’s creative writing class or by independent directors looking to write their own films.

It all starts with the idea. It sounds simple, but as a writer coming up with a good idea is tough. When a writer has an idea for a script, he or she must first make it into a premise. The premise is a few sentences which communicates and sells the basic idea of the movie. The premise is then taken straight to Walpole High School’s toughest critic, Film Festival director Mr. Alan. This is tougher than it seems, as I had three ideas rejected before being approved to write the script for the film “What Teachers Want,” a film based on a student who gets knocked out by a dodgeball and then wakes up to realize that he can now read teachers’ minds.

Once the writer has his or her premise approved, construction of the script begins. The writer takes ideas and maps them out in order to ensure a well balanced script with proper plot structure. Once this general criteria is approved, the writer creates a final outline in which he or she maps out his or her script scene by scene. The writer then goes back to Alan in order to get the “green light” to write the script.

At this point, all of the basic ideas, characters, and plot for the film are in place. The writer now can begin  writing the first draft. The first draft puts all of the pieces together. The writer must use professional style format, and describe each scene, giving visual descriptions as well as character actions and dialogue. When the writer is done, the script should be written in such a way that a potential director could pick up the script and read it as a book for plot, but also picture every moment of the script on screen as well.

When the first draft is done, the writer feels a great sense of relief and accomplishment. This is short lived however, as the draft is soon returned covered in Mr. Alan’s red pen. Alan’s reviews are very thorough, and he returns the draft with minor corrections written in, as well as a list of major changes which need to be made. The first draft of “What Teachers Want” was returned with a list of no less than nine major changes to the story which needed to be made.

Here are the scripts written for the 2007 Film Festival: