The Three-Layer Writing Model
Rewrite the work on the page, through the performer, and in the edit
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 4
- Confidence
- 97%
The model treats screen writing as three connected acts. First, the creator designs story, dialogue, and structure on the page. Second, the material is rewritten through collaboration with an actor, adapting phrasing, rhythm, and behavior to the performer's authentic voice. Third, the creator writes again in the edit by selecting takes, changing duration, ordering shots, and removing material. Each layer exposes information unavailable in the previous one, so the process is cumulative rather than a simple handoff. Affordable phones, editing tools, and publishing platforms now let emerging writers practice the complete cycle directly instead of waiting to become a showrunner. The result is stronger audiovisual storytelling and faster learning from finished work.
Origin
Dave Goetsch teaches this model to USC students as a way to explain how modern creators can practice responsibilities that once belonged mainly to showrunners. Extracted from Masters in Business.
Core principles
- 01A written draft is only the first version of screen storytelling
- 02An actor's voice should reshape the material
- 03Editing is a form of writing rather than mere assembly
- 04Making the work teaches skills that isolated drafting cannot
- 05Creators can now practice all three layers without institutional permission
How to run it
- 1
Write on the page
Create the initial structure, scenes, and dialogue. Make the intention clear enough that collaborators know what the piece is trying to achieve.
Pro tip Keep the first production small enough that you can finish it quickly.
Watch out Do not confuse a polished document with a finished screen experience.
- 2
Rewrite through the actor
Listen to how the performer naturally speaks and behaves, then adapt the writing to fit that voice. Preserve the story's function while improving authenticity and delivery.
Pro tip Ask the actor which phrases feel unnatural before recording final takes.
Watch out Forcing every written syllable can make a strong performer sound artificial.
- 3
Rewrite in the edit
Use shot selection, sequencing, pacing, and deletion to produce the final version. Treat every cut as a storytelling decision.
Pro tip Watch once without stopping and note every moment where attention drifts.
Watch out Editing cannot reliably rescue a piece that lacks a clear premise or usable performance.
- 4
Publish and observe
Release the completed work and collect feedback from actual viewers. Feed those observations into the next page-level draft.
Pro tip Track where viewers stop watching as well as what they say.
Watch out Do not let one comment outweigh repeated viewing behavior.
In the wild
A creator drafts a short exchange, then discovers during rehearsal that the performer lands the joke better with fewer words. In the edit, the creator removes a pause and changes the reaction-shot order, making the punchline clearer before publishing the finished episode.
→ One compact production develops page writing, actor collaboration, and editorial judgment together.
Common mistakes
Stopping at the script
A script cannot reveal every issue in performance, pacing, or shot order. Writers who never make finished work miss two major layers of the craft.
Ignoring the actor's voice
Dialogue may be technically sound but wrong for the person delivering it. Adaptation should strengthen the performer's authenticity without abandoning the scene's purpose.
Treating editing as cleanup
Editing determines emphasis, rhythm, information order, and emotional response. Approaching it mechanically wastes a major writing opportunity.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for writers who can produce short videos, web episodes, sketches, or other performance-based work.
Not ideal for
It is less applicable to writing intended to remain entirely on the page without performance or audiovisual editing.
From the transcript
“there are three kinds of writing. There's writing on the page, there's writing when you're working with an actor and how you change it to…”
“you used to have to be a shot runner to do all those things, but now you can do it.”
From the episode
Dave Goetsch Discusses Media and Money
Dave Goetsch