Writing for the Screen

Reinvention

Writing the Next Great Script

▶ By William Rabkin

This is how it feels now:

You’re standing outside a great door. You’ve been standing here for what feels like forever. Every once in a while the door swings open to admit someone else, and for a brief flash you get a glimpse of the beauty and riches inside. Then the door slams shut in your face and you’re frozen out again.

It’s impossible to say how long you’ve been standing outside this door. You’ve been given a series of tasks to complete, and there have been vague promises to the effect that if you finish them all successfully, you’ll gain admittance—but every time you do what’s been asked, you’re told to keep waiting.

You hate it here. You want to leave. You hear from your friends ...