I Can’t Finish Anything! New Ideas Keep Distracting Me!

Also in this week’s questions: Is film school worth it? And what do I call a character who hasn’t revealed himself yet?

Newsletter #2 - September 8th 2025

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QUESTION 1

From Ellie from the UK

Hi, I really love writing, and I think I’d like to try directing too, but I’m not sure if going to film school is worth the money… or if I could just learn most of it from YouTube and things like that.

’ll admit I may be a little biased — I’ve spent much of my career working in film schools, and one reason I started this newsletter was because I missed that interaction with students.

There are plenty of online resources to learn the craft, and honestly, you could pick up much of what film schools teach and save money by going that route.

However, I find that there is value in going to film school. But film school can speed things up — what might take six years on your own, you could achieve in three when you’re immersed in a creative environment and your time is just focused on learning.

There is also the buzzword of networking, You’ll be surrounded by peers who may become future collaborators — I’ve seen production companies formed in school still running a decade later. Add to that dedicated lecturers who want to help you improve, access to equipment, and crews to work with.

Of course, all of this costs money — so it comes down to what’s best for you. I suggest reaching out to the schools you’re interested in and asking a bunch of questions to find the right fit for you.

Since you’re in the UK, you already have some great schools nearby. And if you’re unsure where to start, CILECT.ORG lists some of the best film schools in the world.

I hope you find what works best for you,

QUESTION 2

From Dan in Australia

I’m always struggling to stick with one idea. Every time I start a project, after a while a new idea pops up and I end up chasing that instead of finishing what I was working on. Any tips on how to stay focused?

Thanks, Dan — now this question is really my jam.

I’ve seen this happen with students, and with myself as well: you’re developing an idea when another one pops up and suddenly feels so much better. There’s that little voice saying, “Switch! The new one will be easier.”

And I think that’s key here. Your brain is going, this other thing will be easier.

But usually, when I feel that pull, it’s because I’ve hit a snag in my current project. It’s a close cousin to writer’s block, rooted in fear. The new idea looks shiny because it hasn’t yet revealed its problems. But here’s the thing.

Here’s the truth: every script has stumbling blocks. If you always jump to the next idea, you’ll end up with a pile of unfinished projects.

Which means, if you fall into this trap, always going to that new idea, you are going to end up with a bunch of unfinished work.

My suggestion? When a new idea arrives, write it down, then go back to your current project with a single goal: finish it.

It doesn’t have to perfect; it just has to reach the end.

Because once you finish, you’ll get that rush of dopamine from achieving your goal. And with that dopamine I find, you’ll usually see fresh ways to fix what you’ve just written.

Stick with it, finish, and trust that the ideas you’ve parked will still be waiting for you.

QUESTION 3

Ripley from Nostromo

This is probably an obvious question, but what do you do if a character has two identities? In my script it’s a masked killer, and the reveal of who they really are doesn’t happen until late in the story. Should I write them as two separate characters, or just use the real name from the start?

Thank you, Ripley. I love this question, because it’s exactly the sort of formatting detail that tripped me up when I was starting out. (I remember spending hours debating things like whether a driving scene should be INT or EXT!)

When I face something like this, I usually look at how similar scripts have handled it — it’s always helpful to see examples.

In this case, the short answer is: write it as two characters. You don’t want to spoil the reveal earlier than the film itself does. The reader is your first audience, so the script should mimic the viewing experience as closely as possible.

So, when the masked killer first appears, introduce them as MASKED killer. Then for dialogue and scenes, call him MASKED until the point where he is revealed - at which point you switch to the real character name.

Thank you so much for your questions and I look forward to more.

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