I'm a very visual person, so the first thing I do when approaching a new story to write is to close my eyes and try to envision the film—its textures, emotions, moments.
The key for me when imagining the story is to seek images that will convey the emotion I am looking for. The shot below is one of the first things I visualized while working on The Hideout. Holly, played by Christa Beth Campbell, is at her desk, feeling isolated and alone. Through the use of a 360º shutter angle, we were able to achieve this compelling shot.
By having a clear picture in my mind, I found I was able to write better. I began imagining other key points in the story. Here is how I dreamed that the scene would take place...I wanted it to be intimate yet private, foreboding yet hauntingly beautiful.
After going through the process of envisioning the key images or "set pieces" I was able to work on the screenplay's structure.
No matter how strong a concept is, if it doesn't continue to have a string of set ups and payoffs that fall like dominoes as the story progresses, then the film won't work. That can be challenging to pull off because what you're needing to do is keep one-upping yourself.
"There is no such thing as good writing, only good rewriting."
Just when you think you've got your script to how you like it—dialogue flowing, plot points snowballing forward—you awaken the next day to see that your masterpiece hasn't aged very well. That can be a big bummer. It can also be a fantastic opportunity to hone your story from something good into something great.
I've found that a person who will give you an honest critique of your work is absolutely invaluable. My photographer friend Tanya Musgrave is also an excellent writer. I would bounce ideas off of her and she had a magical way of providing fresh insight.
There is no greater feeling than the rush of figuring out the final piece of the story puzzle or suddenly seeing the story from a whole new perspective. Two heads are better than one, and I found Tanya's contributions to be a large part of why The Hideout's script is successful.
I had an epiphany just a month away from shooting and ended up rewriting the entire third act of the film, unifying elements and bringing the events toward the central location of the treehouse, which lent further meaning to the film's title.
The writing process is not bound to the screenplay. Through each phase of making the film, the story is rewritten as it is interpreted through the process.
Before we began production, we got our cast together and had them read the script for the first time. It was exciting and insightful—some lines didn't sound right, and the talented actors provided valuable insight into their characters that further strengthened the script.
Once we finish filming, the film has taken on a life of its own. It is no longer just words on paper.
This calls for some tough choices to be made in the edit room—I ended up cutting two of my favorite scenes, including the one shown here.
Despite Brogan giving a great performance and the scene being beautifully shot, I felt that it ultimately didn't work in the greater context of the film and was cut as a result.
Writing can be a lot of fun and a lot of hard work. What I enjoy most about screenwriting is how fluid the process is, and when positive collaboration occurs, it can be magical. I'm looking forward to sharing the finished film with all of you!