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expanding a 20 page script into a feature!!

Hi new here,
A question to any writers out there,,

I have this 20 page script I wrote which I feel pretty strongly about, so much so I'd like to expand it into a feature.

My question is: How do you fill all that space? Because another 70 pages is daunting as hell!!!
 
It all depends on the story. You have to remember that you aren't "filling space", you are telling more of the story. For your original story to easily expand to feature length, there has to be a bunch of questions that you didn't have time to answer in the original manuscript. Identify those questions and explore, not only the answers but the origins. Good luck.
 
I did this recently. I expanded an 11 page short into a feature, I hope to bring to 90 some pages, but not too long for a microbudget feature.

Basically there are only two things in it that are the same, the beginning and the end, but there is a lot in between as to how it gets there. I also added in a lot more characters with their own subplots and motivations.
 
take one weekend off... stock up on red bull and monster energy drinks. chain yourself to your computer desk, and don't finish until you've finished a first draft (you'll end up bleeding, your hair torn out, and covered in tears, but the first draft is the hardest.)
 
The script for my feature film ( http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1991191/combined ) started at about 30 pages; the final version was 91 pages, and the movie has a final running time of 87 minutes.

I worked on developing the characters more deeply, and on building out the story of how they got from point A (beginning of the movie) to point B (end of the movie), both of which I already had in the 30 page draft. I made the characters more complex, and added characters to make the plot more interesting, put road blocks in front of the characters, and add some lighter moments to a serious story.

Then I got help from people whose opinions I value to cut out the "blubber" - the extraneous crap that adds nothing and just takes up space.

Took me a long time, though...
 
I'll tell you something maybe none else will. I'm not the right guy to give advises of course. Anyway, don't write anything that doesn't come from your own feelings. What feelings do you have? What do you love? How do you like to fuck your enemies? What do you believe is righteous? Just write these.
 
I would say, don't try to expand your current script - tell the story. If you came up with 20 pages, then it's a twenty page story, if you come up with 80 pages, it's an 80 page story (if you don't wander). If you have dived deep enough into the world of your story, you are not expanding on what you wrote, but revealing more of it.

If you scratch the surface, go deeper. If you show a snapshot, look wider. If you leave questions, explore them.
 
It also depends on your writing style. If you're a left brain, fly by the seat of your pants writer or a more organized, must have all the plot points/characters laid out beforehand.
 
You are then adopting your own story. And the way to go about this is to forget you ever wrote it. Treat it as a new idea. Let your 20 pg script be a reference to the script you want to develope. Like it was staff you noted down just to prepare yourself. If you want to expand it your 20 pg script, then you will probably fail because you are writing a totally different script this time.
JUST FORGET THE FIRST ONE EVER EXISTED AND BUILD THE IDEA AFRESH TO FIT 90 PGS.

In that way, you wont be locked to having the begining your begining. Or the end your end.
 
You can turn a single image into a feature, if you care about it enough.

You can give the existing story a bigger past, or a bigger future, or both.

Or, you can make more things happen within the existing story, or weave another story through it.
 
I'm having a similar problem right now, I'll try not to bore you with the details...

I've started work on a Short film, but had all these ideas and thought it could expand into a feature. After one day, it was 5 pages - and I was really disheartened, as I wasn't sure where else I could take it - looking at that magic number of 100.


What I do is watch a film. Any film, preferably in a similar genre to yours. Pay attention, and see how much various parts have to do with the overall storyline/3 act structure. You'll see that most of it relates immediately, but you may have to make your own connections to the main plot. Base a character loosely on yourself, imagine what you'd do and where you'd go faced with whatever scenario the character is. Also, brainstorm side plots that could interweave with the original.

If all else fails, direct it in your head and think about what camera shots would look good, and how they could be used - then write around that.
 
Look, I'm not a big believer in pinning anything down at the beginning of a story. Especially not 3 act structure.

Think about who you're telling the story to, and what is it about the story that has got you so interested in it.

I'm also not a believer in "breaking" stories.

Horrible term. Gross outcome.
 
Consider the current 20 pages written your premise and start over, as you should have the whole story there from start the finish. Just expand on what you have and add more conflict. Anything to make someone care more what happens to your protagonist is good.
 
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