Format - The very first thing you need to do is format your screenplay properly. The last thing you want to do is spend a good amount of time writing something that looks unprofessional to industry insiders. For more information, visit our scriptwriting format page.
Story - When determining how to write a screenplay, you need to start with story. If you are writing a Hollywood story, choose a plotline that will hook your reader. The classic suggestion is to make your idea "pitchable" in 25 words or less. For example, a great movie such as Shawshank Redemption could be summed up in the following: "A man wrongly accused of murder battles to find new meaning to life and keep hope alive within the confines of a brutal prison environment". That doesn't mention anything about a prison escape, but it does describe the movie in 25 words or less. Shawshank is an exceptional movie in many ways, and if you look at most financially successful films these days, they can be summed up in one short sentence. Armageddon: citizens unite to stop a meteor from destroying the earth. Legally Blonde: A ditzy Beverly Hills blonde follows her boyfriend to law school. Now, if you'll think about most of There are many exceptions to the rule, and if you believe you're on the way to writing a great, unique screeplay, don't let our advice deter you in any way. A gut instinct can often replace all the good advice in the world. Character - If you're writing either a Classical Hollywood or Independent screenplay, you need to have characters that come to life on the page. They need to be unique, flawed, funny, and they must, at times, surprise us by their actions. Many independent films such as Sling Blade or Swingers have been successful due to the strength of their characters. Get your backstory down...we all have secrets and issues from the past. Your characters should be the same. Establish quirks and idiosyncracies based on people you know. Anything you can add to make the character more real to you will ultimately make the script worth reading. Writing what you know - Most sage advice dictates that you write your script about what you know. While that can be fine for some writers, it doesn't work for those who are tyring to write a movie about a lunar colony uprising or a secret plot to assassinate a foreign dictator. Our suggestion is to write the story you truly want to write, and make sure you do enough research to bring your world to life. As far as your characters are concerned, if they're exceptional, you can place them anywhere and they'll do just fine.
Schedule - Establish a time to write. There's no sense in learning how to write a screenplay if you can't be serious about it. If you're like most people, you have a job, and maybe even children to raise. Just like exercising or anything else you prioritize, you need to establish a writing schedule. Whether it's in the early morning while everyone is asleep or at the evening after dinner, pick one hour when you sit down and devote yourself to the craft of writing a screenplay. Luckily, screenwriting is something you can do for one hour a day and actually get somewhere. If you don't have a job or kids, then you have no excuse...write, write, write. |
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