The Rotating Triangle Approach to Screenwriting

This specific approach is an experiment born from the desire to try new ways of working and with a specific goal in mind.

In this case to make progress across the board on three new projects in a short amount of time. But also to feed the desire to reach an exciting project a littler earlier.

Well, a lot earlier.

Instead of spending four to six months + on one project to reach a second or third draft before starting for real on a new project. The time spent and wait can be anything from four to six weeks. This is due to dividing the process into stages and rotating to another project after a significant stage on a project is complete.

Dig The Rotations

So this approach is about writing and managing three projects over the course of a year. For the greater the challenge and reward, I have gone for projects in different formats, genres and across two mediums, and each occupy the corner of an imagined triangle embedded on a wheel.

Essentially after completion of the preliminary work on the project at the top, "the primary project," the triangle then rotates to bring the secondary project into the active zone, which then sees the completion of its preliminary work, and then it rotates again to the third and minor project, which is interchangeable.

Naturally with projects they can change drastically over time and develop into new beings; some are often experiments and can wither away and die, or stay strong and blossom. This third and minor project is interchangeable because it is the experimental slot and is subject to change. It's also the smallest of the three projects.

But it doesn't have to wither away and die to be replaced. It can be replaced by a new, better and more exciting project that trumps the existing one and would benefit from immediate development and writing. Or it can also be replaced by a rewrite of an existing project outside of the triangle.

What's the Preliminary Work?

This stage consists of a rough proposal document as the project stands and includes and touches on, premise, pitch, genre, target audience, character briefs, early ideas, designs and exploration of the arena, and the stage's main document, a story outline for the script. All for expansion and reference later on. As well as including a roadmap type note to self on areas and sources of future research and development.

So when it's time to return, there will be a lot to get on with having the groundwork already done.

Will it Work?

I haven't experienced the full year of writing and managing projects by the Rotating Triangle Approach yet. But I expect that it will aid in an increase in productivity due to its quick moving nature; discipline with optional time deadlines, as opposite to completion of the stage. As well as the month or so away from each project which will allow significant time in order to return with fresh eyes and new perspective. It will certainly keep me on my toes.

At the moment, I have completed the preliminary stage on the primary project, which was exactly a month. I hope to repeat the same time frame on the next project, which begins today.

To end with and important to note, all three projects are not starting from scratch but have some development behind them and a vision of what they are and where they are going. This helps to know to get the most out of the preliminary stage and set a good momentum going into the future.

Does anyone have their own tailored way of working? Or have recently decided to try a new approach to their writing?