Mar. 3, 2006
Tim called me while I was having lunch with Velina and a friend from high school. Right in the middle of my Shrimp Po' Boy I got the call I knew was coming - a big rewrite! (But still - "Sorry, Tim Robbins is calling" is the coolest reason I've ever had to step away from the table. The high school friend almost plotted.)
The first act is still too long, so would it be possible to move the act break? Damn! I had been waiting to see what was going to happen. On the last day in LA Tim told me the first act was going to be long, about an hour ten, and I said I thought it would be about an hour thirty. I wish he'd been right.
So now I have to write a new ending to the first act. This is tough. I moved the act break during the readings a few time, until I thought I'd found the best place for it. The whole first act leads up to this moment that should leave the audience in suspence. But Tim is worried that the very important information at the end of the act will be lost on a tired audience. Good point. So now I'm moving the scene at the begining of the second act fifteen pages earlier, because it's a good act kick off, and have to make that make sense. I have to find a way to re-build what was the middle of act one to gain suspense and tempo to get to a point were the audience needs a break, and the break on stage during th interrogation works. Shit.