Six Pack, From Script to Screen

The development process is sometimes the longest part of production. During Six Pack, in which I was the screenwriter and one of the producers, we spent June through October in preproduction. We came up with characters, their dreams and goals, plot structures (A, B, and C) for each episode, etc. 

The scripts were bounced back and forth between producers for editing and feedback, then back to me, where I chipped away at the six episodes. In September, we had a reading with the cast, which prompted more feedback, questions, and edits.

I've included the shooting script for Six Pack episode six, FROM THE ASHES, where the usual group reflects upon the year they've had and strives to be better. Here are the first three pages:

Now for reference, here is the completed scene within the episode:

The scene is played out in Caboose Brewing Company, located in Vienna, VA. It's one of my favorite breweries, and the whole loft was ours to shoot in for the morning to early afternoon. Most of the dialogue remains the same between the characters with some improvisation, some trimming of lines, a new prop.

What did you think of the scene? Was it what you pictured from the script? 

Being a writer on set is not easy. It is often taking the picture you envisioned and handing it to a production team for their own interpretation. Like a delicate game of telephone where you don't know the end result. But, in being a producer, once the script was written, there was a bit of detachment. Attention was focused on what people will eat, when they will arrive on set, etc. 

I would highly recommend for every screenwriter or playwright to be involved in a process where they are not in complete control, to see your world through another's eyes, to understand interpretation, and through that, to discover more about yourself, your characters, and your story.