What version of the script is Matt Duriez working from? The version in the link is only 68 pp vs. 102 pp for his breakdown.

My copy of the script is indeed 102 pages. I can email it to anyone who wants it.

mattd_85: The logistics gets complicated. For me and others who don't want to post our e-mail addresses in a public forum. So how do we inform you? And then you have to respond to numerous requests. (And I would think I'm not the only one who doesn't have the time to read a 2nd version and cross compare at such a late date.) I would not have pointed it out if we were just talking about a few scene variations between versions. But your copy is 1/3 longer, no small difference when it comes to the detailed analysis and discussion that we are to engage in. Just staying.

Here's a link to where I got the script from: http://www.screenplaydb.com/film/scripts/gravity/ The link to the warner brothers page has been dead for ages so I sought it out elsewhere, didn't actually realise there were two radically different versions out there.

This is on me. I knew there was a longer draft (actually there's another one from 2009 floating around as well), but did not make the connection to the shooting script which is, indeed, 70 pages. So let's embrace this as a learning experience. Perhaps we can crowdsource two things: 1. A scene-by-scene breakdown of the 70 page draft (shooting script). 2. A comparison of the two drafts to see what was altered. Per the latter, having done a fair bit of these of comparisons on my own and as an arbiter on WGA credit arbitrations, you can learn a lot from reverse engineering the thought process: Why did they change the script? In the case of the shooting draft, we are talking about 30 pages of cuts, perhaps even more if there is stuff added to the SS not in the 2012 draft. So to recap: My bad, Matt, in not checking to make sure what draft you were working on. However as they say in Hollywood, "Make the problem the solution." I invite people to compare the longer draft Matt analyzed so well with his scene-by-scene breakdown with the shooting script. And if there's a hearty soul out there willing to do a scene-by-scene breakdown of the shooting script, massive amounts of creative juju for you as well as Matt.

>>Make the problem the solution Now that I am aware of the availability of 2 substantially different versions, comparing the two would be of keen interest to me. I am always comparing the published version of a script with final cut of the movie and the differences are illuminating. Indeed, I suggest that could be one of the wrap up topics on the takeaway day of discussion for the scripts going forward. (I was thinking of making a brief mention of variations between script and screen in my discussion of "Lincoln".)

Now that I've been through both scripts -- the 102 page version and the 68 page version -- it is fascinating how similar but different they are. Similar: The arc of the characters, the overall narrative, themes, and many, many of the specifics are exactly alike. Different: It's almost all about two things. (1) Pace: The shooting script just moves more quickly, less dialogue-reliant. (2) The longer draft tends toward too much exposition and melodrama. The less said, the better. We can get more into that in Friday's discussion where we really dig into comparing the two drafts. What really stands out about both drafts are these points: * Continuous time: While it technically covers at least 5 hours of actual time, it feels like a real-time story. And that pace once the shit hits the fan has a Go! Go! Go! quality to it, a breathless, even relentless sense of time. * There are more than three characters in this story. There are the space crafts. There is the space shrapnel. There is Houston. There is the Inuit dude. And most importantly, there is Stone's daughter. She is a ghost. But she is hugely present in Stone's psyche. In fact, that question I like to ask -- Why does THIS story HAVE to happen to THIS character at THIS time? -- is for Stone all about resolving the tragic death of her daughter. * Long scenes: Normally nowadays movies have scenes that average around 1 1/2 pages in length. There are many arbitrary 'cuts' in the scene-by-scene breakdowns, but there are some scenes which literally go on for 10 pages or more. Continuous action. They are, in effect, scene-sequences. Something to discuss on Wednesday. Finally I was struck once again about the Small Story / Big Story dynamic at work in Gravity. I did a seven part series exploring this very subject some months ago. Hardly drew a whiff of interest in terms of comments. Personally, I thought the analysis was top-notch. I'm even more in that mindset after re-reading scripts. People, we are talking the difference between Pixar and Michael Bay. The former provides characters with meaningful and emotionally resonant psychological issues to deal with. Those small stories give meaning to the big stories. Michael Bay? Not so much. So this is a HUGE takeaway from Gravity: No matter how big you go with your story conceit / universe, you have to ground it in something basic, human and universal. Here: Grieving mother, unresolved guilt, homelessness, trying to get away from all that rather than confront it. What did you get out of reading Gravity?

Hey GITS. Here's my scene-by-scene breakdown. Better late than never, eh?! I broke each scene into "B" beginning; "M" middle; "E" end; "G" goal. Part 2: Gravity Scene Breakdown P1-3 Beginning: Introduce Explorer Captain Matt Kowalski (M), Dr. Ryan Stone (R) and Houston (H). M is the driver, R is installing comms card and H is NASA control on-ground. Middle: Comms card is not sending data to H. Medicine (as represented by H) is concerned about R’s ECG reading. End: R confirms her diagnostics are green; R reboots comms card (open-ended / cliffhanger); Goal: Introduce characters and their roles in the mission. Alludes to Ryan being brave / reckless and putting her work ahead of her safety. P3-5 B: M tells stories, unrelated to the mission (suggesting mission is in control). He is the veteran, having long-standing relationship with Houston. Comms card reboot in progress. M: Introduce Shariff (S), who is replacing battery module A-one and C. E: S succeeds in replacing battery. H and S celebrates his accomplishment. G: Introduce S and further unveil NASA workflow. P5-8 B: After multiple attempts, H confirms they are not receiving data from card. H suggest that R remove card and examine for component damage.. M: R examines card for damage and fine no problem. She suspects problem is with the comms panel. E: R has new plan, which will take 1 hour. M to assist. It’s his last space walk. G: Learn the purpose of their mission - to install comms card into Hubble. H depends on R to fix issue. P8-9 B: R is feeling nauseas, pushing her physical limits. M: R drops bolt and is not confident in space, but is determined to succeed. E: M picks-up bolt. They both ready to complete mission and are close. G: Determine they’ve been in space for 1-week and that R is inexperienced. P9-12 B: H notifies that Russian satellite has incurred missile strike, creating debris orbiting 20,000 miles per hour. It’s not in their trajectory. M: M, R and S continue working. R excited about NASA funding her project, despite dangers of space travel. M continues with stories. E: The mission will bring “new set of eyes to scan the edge of the universe”. S continues to celebrate. G: External: Introduce further complication (debris from Russian satellite). Internal: R’s work / funding is number one priority in life. P13-15 B: Identify problem, which has been plaguing R from film’s onset: comms panel dead. R requests permission to resolve problem i.e. “cut link to auxillary”. Lures audience into false-sense of security before drama hits. M: Abort mission. Emergency evacuation. Newly created debris from Russian satellite is traveling toward their altitude. E: After hesitation, R finishes working. M releases locks and pushes-up Hubble. G: Lure audience into false-sense of security, mission looks like it’ll be complete. Then activate Routine Killer (first major obstacle in Act 1): New debris predicted to hit. P15-18 B: New data. Systems are down. Debris is out of control and expanding. R is on robotic arm and communication black-out pending. Visual contacts with debris. M: R requests faster transport. Houston lost. E: M moves to R and asssits detach herslef. S dies. Debris punctures hole in shuttle, which starts to veer out of control. G: Act 1 Plot Twist. All bets are off. S is head and Shuttle hit. Act 2 mission is to get back to ear safely, no longer install card. P18-23 B: R still attached to robotic arm, which breaks off. M loses visual of R. R drifts. M: R panics and eventually calms, she gives coordinates to M. Oxygen at 10 per cent. E: She flashes light. M finds and grabs R, tethering her to him. G: Drive suspense and add obstacle: R drifts from base and is helpless, relying on M. P23-28 B: M uses thrusters to accelerate, pulling R, moving toward Explorer. Houston still lost. 90 minutes until next round of debris. M: M decides to collect S body. Ryan grabs S body. E: Make it back to Explorer, which has suffered extreme damage. G: Resolve S death; audience encouraged to believe M and S will survive. P28- 33 B: Back in cockpit and R apologizes for not complying instantly. M reassures she’s not at fault. New mission - make it to nearest space station: ISS. M: On way to ISS. R unveils death of daughter and its emotional impact, she now “just drives”. R oxygen low. E: Approaching ISS and learn Soyuz 1 is missing and Soyuz 2 is damaged. G: Critical step in R Internal Plot: why she’s a workaholic (she needed this journey to snap her back into living life). External plot: ISS will not get them back to earth. P.33-36 B: Smash into ISS. R tether to M snaps, she is left detached and is entangled in Soyuz’s parachute rigging. M: R grabs M’s tether. M tells R to let go, he’s pulling her further away from Soyuz. E: M unclips tether and floats away, leaving R floating toward ISS. G: External: Kill-off M; Internal: leaves R to really confront her emotional flaw: inability to “let go”. P.36 - 40 B: M continues to give R instructions to board station. She must hurry, she’s breathing carbon dioxide and is losing consciousness. M: Next stage of mission: use Soyuz 2 to get to Chinese station (it’s too damaged to get to earth). E: Again, R forced to confront internal issue re: letting go, with M unsavable (emotional arc palpable). M forces R to say, “I’m going to make it”. Hope restored. G: Identify solution and restore hope re: R’s survival. P.40-42 B: R is in ISS, removes suit and re-pressurizes oxygen. She lets go of M M: R attempts to use fire extinguisher to put out fires. E: She fails, but luckily gets to second Soyuz. G: Place R on her own and set-up her solo-mission. P.42- 46 B: R tries to use instruction manual to activate Soyuz toward Chinese station. 7-min until next round of debris hits. M: R thrusts toward Chinese station, but parachute is still caught, stopping Soyuz. E: Wearing a suit, climbs down the station to detach the parachute rope. Debris scheduled to hit, but nothing in sight. G: Add another obstacle of Soyuz tethered to station via parachute. Increase suspense. R is determined to make it on her own. P. 46-47 B: As she tries to remove parachute, debris makes visual contact. She resumes tearing at parachute. M: Finally she removes the final rope stopping Soyuz. E: She returns to interior of Soyuz. G: Solution to last obstacle: Soyuz being tied to ISS. Another cliff-hanger moment. P.47-52 B: Sozuyu is now below freezing. R steadies Soyux into stabilized position. The periscope displays the Soyuz in a position to head directly towards Chinese station. M: R attempts to launch Soyuz, but it doesn’t move. Tries again with no result. Fuel gauge frozen due to temperature. Houston remains lost. E: R hears indistinct noise playing over Aningaaq. She loses faith and accepts her pending death. G: External obstacle: Soyuz stuck due to weather and no valuable communication. P.52-56 B: R decreases oxygen and turns off lights, accepting her fete. She sits back in her seat and closes her eyes. Aningaaq continues to sing. M: M appears outside and enters the Soyuz. He turns on oxygen and provides solution - to use landing jets to launch into Chinese station. E: Internal: M confronts R on her decision to shut-down lights and oxygen, drawing a parallel to R’s kid dying and giving-up. He pushes her to “start livin’ life” again. G: Further spotlight R’s emotional arc. Deal with the death of her daugher. P.56-59 B: R repressurizes the cabin and turns lights on. M: She lauches landing, just like M advised. R separates the cabin, airlick and engine. Ready to launch. E: Climax of R’s emotional arc: she let’s go of her daugher, telling M to relay a personal message. G: Fulfill R’s emotional arc. It’s the “big confrontation” / climax moment. P.59-62 B: R ignites landing jets, hurling the Soyuz towards the Chinese station. M: The Chinese station is dropping towards earth. R determined to catch it. E: R grabs fire extinguisher and exist the Soyuz. She uses the entinguisher to thrust back towards the Chinese station and crawls inside. G: External plot: closer towards making it back to earth, now at the the Chinese station. P. 62-68 B: R moves her way to control cabin. M: R launches herself from station and hurtles toward earth and drops into lake. She hears random radio voices. E: Finally she hears Mission Control, who have deployed a rescue mission. R gets out of sinking vessel, and floats on her back. She crawls to show and unsteadily walks off. G: Aftermath scene, mission to return to earth complete.