The Table Reading

We had our table reading, and it was very, very good. Okay, it wasn't easy to hear all the suggestions, but I think they were very helpful ones. I'd rather hear these things now than tons of time, energy, and money later, after the film is already made.

The table reading is definitely a great low-budget tool. At no cost, actors I found through Craigslist read the script. They, as well as several screenwriter friends offered their comments after. They filled out a survey, but the discussion was so rich I'm still chewing just on that.

And listening to my own voice -- I sometimes try to take suggestions too literally and thereby sacrifice my own vision. How can their comments help me fulfill my vision and not theirs?

It was very helpful also simply for me to listen to my script being read. I realized -- and this matched some of the comments -- that the scenes of the all-night ritual still don't have the juice that the flashbacks have.

Comment below on your experience of table readings.

Give Your Input On Our Script!

How do you receive feedback on your script? In the past, I've asked people to read the script on their own time, and I'm continuing that practice.

But we're also arranging a couple table readings for the Zola script. Another great tool for the low-budget filmmaker, I think.

The idea is to get filmmakers, people who know gang life, film lovers, etc. to read through the script together and have a conversation about it before I write the ?final draft.