Some of your favourite movies, whether it is Julia Roberts’ Pretty Woman or George Lucas’s epic Star Wars, originated from completely different scripts and ideas that are total opposites of the iconic films that we know today. While Roberts’ character was supposed to be a drug-addicted prostitute with a doomed romance and no happy ending, Star Wars originally featured a Dark Vader as a bounty hunter and Han Solo with green skin and gills. These could have been interesting stories on their own, but the versions of these movies that made it to the screen are so iconic that we can’t imagine them any other way.
Film drafts go through major transformations as they progress through each stage of production. By the end of the process, the final draft of the film that gets made turns out to be completely different than the original script. Sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. The dramatic difference can come from factors, but it often serves the purpose of enhancing the story, evolving it into something that works better for the audience. The changes also depend on the final product, whether it is a film, a short, a book, or something else. The evolution of the script, or a screenplay, works in similar ways. This could be impacted by many practical constraints, or creative evolution, collaboration, and often real-world feedback when backed by big studios. Development, pre-production, production, and post-production all have their own way of influencing the script of a film.
The First Script Draft — Foundation
The first draft of a script serves as a blueprint, but it is never the finished plan. At this point, the writer has already been through several drafts on their own before it gets to see the daylight, or is called an official script or a screenplay for a movie. But the first draft’s purpose is to spark collaboration or problem-solving, and it most definitely should have room for creative adjustments. This version is the creator’s raw vision for the story. It can have rough dialogue, or incomplete story structure, even unrefined characters. The idea of Mean Girls first came when the writers saw a cut of Freaky Friday, and it too was completely different than the film we know. Lohan was expected to play the leading Mean Girl, Regina.
But the feedback of the producers, studio, and directors after looking at the first idea of the story is what changes the game. Coming back to Freaky Friday as an example, when the studio reached out to director Mark Waters, the makers had a different film in mind where both the mother and daughter were nerdy. It was Waters who made the suggestion of creating a more compelling contrast between the duo. The biggest revisions involved their careers, personalities, and the role of the band, Pink Slip. These probably went on through the production stage, which is later in the process.
Development Stage
Changes are never one and done. Once you have the idea of what could work and what the producers are willing to invest in, the conceptualization begins again. Say you are writing for a big studio. At this stage, it could be about bringing in someone to collaborate with on the writing front, someone who has more experience in a trope, genre, or theme. This is where the rewrites mostly take place on paper, to make sure the tone, pacing, and structure shine. It’s about making a blueprint that can be easily understood by the people who will be making it, whether it is the actual producers, financiers, or potential directors you are looking into. They read, critique, and suggest changes even before production begins.
Pre Production Challenges
This version solely depends on how things are going for the directors and producers. The feedback on this stage is about the impact of casting and budgeting. In the hit show, Parks and Rec, there was no role written for Aubrey Plaza. Her role was added in when Allison Jones told Michael, “I just met the weirdest girl I’ve ever met in my life. You have to meet her and put her on your show.” And Michael agreed when he met Aubrey, as she made him uncomfortable in his own office. Once the actors have been cast, even table reads and rehearsals can bring changes to their roles with back stories, character traits that enhance the film even more. Even location and logistical realities can majorly impact the script, whether in the pre-production or production stage. When collaborating with so many people, every new team member can add ideas and suggestions, which can dramatically reshape the script.
Production — On Set Adjustments
At this stage, things aren’t in the hands of the writers anymore. As the production begins, even before the cameras start rolling, things often change due to two reasons: interpretation and technical limitations. Directors and actors usually make adjustments when filming as they reinterpret scenes on set and improvise dialogue for authenticity and a better flow. Meanwhile, location weather, scheduling issues can also lead to last-minute changes in scripts. One of such changes can be seen in The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, where the screenwriters needed to find new ways to portray the Ring’s corruptive power. With a location as remote as that of the film, it wasn’t easy to bring in more crew or change the sets and production. This is why the makers decided to change the script to have Faramir bring Frodo and Sam to Osgiliath. This was a deviation from the book, and it ended with Faramir more quickly recognizing the dangers of the Ring.
Post-Production — Final Storytelling Decisions
Editing is the final rewrite of the script. Oftentimes, filmmakers choose to film different versions of certain scenes. It could be as minor as where the dialogue delivery for one scene changes the tone of the character’s intentions. Which of these scenes makes it into the final cut decides the final draft of the script. The makers also end up cutting scenes, rearranging sequences, and refining narrative flow throughout the editing process. Voiceover re-writing also takes place to enhance the clarity and flow of the film; music composition also leads to layers of the story that the writer may not have intended at the beginning. This can also lead to rehoots for scenes or complete alternate endings.
There is one other reason makers could consider rewrites or making major changes to the plot, which is after test screenings and studio notes on the final narrative. Test screenings reveal how much the audience will love or hate the film; it also means how much the studio could earn from the film, and that can influence the decision to change parts, endings, or more.
Films have a collaborative nature, and scripts are living documents that are molded throughout the filmmaking journey. While the story begins with a few people, it grows into entire teams with big names that define what it ends up as. Without this collaboration, we won’t get some of the biggest and most iconic films today. Without George Lucas editing the script, Star Wars would have been forgotten, or without the studio’s input, Pretty Woman would have never been made.
Understanding the kind of changes each stage brings can help you see the kind of work that goes into each name in the credit list at the end of the film. It can even help you appreciate the little changes on screen that go unnoticed to many. The knowledge is bound to enrich your experience of films beyond the screen.
