In the world of movies, writers are usually called in to rewrite the work of others. This mainly happens because the original writer cannot detach himself enough from the story to take a different and needed approach. You will be a much more valuable writer if you can revise your own screenplay.
Instructions
1. Once completing the first draft of the script, take at least two weeks off from reading. Do not even look at it. The only way to properly detach yourself from a script is to not think about it.
2. After the time off, go back in and give the script a read. I guarantee there will be lines of dialogue, action descriptions, and maybe even scenes that you cannot believe even came from your mind.
3. After reading the script, go in and read it again, this time writing down each scene onto a 3x5 card. On the 3x5 card should be written the scene number, the point of the scene to the overall movie, and how the characters involve act.
4. Look at your 3x5 cards and develop a document, typed or written, that traces the development of characters across the entire movie. As of now you should have each scene documented on a 3x5 card with how it works in the film and also how each character develops throughout the film.
5. Go back and read your results from Steps #3 and #4. If you wrote down that certain scenes did not really serve a purpose, get rid of those scenes. Everything in a script should have a purpose.
The same can be said for characters. If they do not develop or change throughout the course of a film, you need to go in and change certain scenes to cause the change.
6. Find some people very close to you, NOT involved in movies and ask them to give their thoughts on the script. People involved in movies will speak their mind on topics that do not even merit it because they want to prove they know film.
People not involved will give the unbiased opinion of someone who will actually pay to see the movie.
7. Rewrite the script according to your results, as if it is somebody else's script. If, by the time you reach this step it still feels like your script, you are not detached and need to take more time off.
