Every movie ever made, from the Academy Award winners to the box office flops, can trace their origins back to one thing: an idea. Be they inspired by books or constructed in dreams, ideas form the basis of movies, books, television shows, etc. All it takes is someone saying, "I have an idea that would make a great movie!" If you've ever had this thought, you're obviously going to want to know to write a screenplay if you want to make it a reality. There are some simple steps you can follow to set yourself on the path of the screenwriter.
Right out of the gate, you're going to want to get Final Draft. This is a computer program designed to create screenplays and it's absolutely essential to writing a good script. Not only does it format your screenplay properly and keep track of things like characters and locations, but it also removes a lot of the guesswork that goes into writing a screenplay by hand. You can do this with any word processor, but Final Draft is considered the industry standard. It's expensive, yes, but you're going to need it if you want to get serious about screenwriting properly. Pick it up as soon as you can and spend a lot of time with it. It will become your best friend.
With that out of the way, it's time to start your treatment. This is a document, typically up to six pages but they can be longer, that details your entire film from beginning to end. You will explore the entirety of your story here, from plot twists to character deaths and so on. This will also detail the length of your script and tell you if you're writing a feature film or a short. You're going to use this as your foundation, so keep it basic and don't go overboard. You don't want to add much in the way of dialogue or special effects. Keep it simple.
When you're done and comfortable with your treatment, it's time to begin the real writing process. Stick with your treatment as best you can to avoid getting lost in the story. Don't get excited and start adding "cool" or "exciting" elements where they don't really belong. Keep your dialogue grounded as best you can. You can accomplish this by acting out the scenes in your head and saying the lines as you would say them. Try to keep it from feeling too artificial. Also, keep in mind that the more you add, the more money it'll take to create the screenplay. The budget it something a producer is going to take into consideration, so try and keep it as low as possible. You can accomplish this by avoiding length action or stunt sequences, keeping the locations and characters to a minimum, and cutting out any unnecessary scenes. You also want to make sure you get your screenplay registered with the Writer's Guild of America. This will ensure your work is protected, so make sure you include the WGA number on your cover page.
Now that you're done, read through your script from cover to cover and make sure you're happy with it. Make any changes you need to and get ready to send it to producers. Producers are responsible for getting your movie made, so they're the ones you want to deal with directly. More often than not, producers are going to be working with independent productions. If you did well enough, they might want to pick you up. If they do pick up your script, work with them to get your project completed. Make any necessary rewrites and be prepared to make changes. That being said, don't compromise your vision for the producer's. Stay on top of your script but don't become obsessed with it. If it's not selling, it's time to rewrite it or scrap it for something new.
Stay with it and you'll have a box office smash in no time. - 30222
Right out of the gate, you're going to want to get Final Draft. This is a computer program designed to create screenplays and it's absolutely essential to writing a good script. Not only does it format your screenplay properly and keep track of things like characters and locations, but it also removes a lot of the guesswork that goes into writing a screenplay by hand. You can do this with any word processor, but Final Draft is considered the industry standard. It's expensive, yes, but you're going to need it if you want to get serious about screenwriting properly. Pick it up as soon as you can and spend a lot of time with it. It will become your best friend.
With that out of the way, it's time to start your treatment. This is a document, typically up to six pages but they can be longer, that details your entire film from beginning to end. You will explore the entirety of your story here, from plot twists to character deaths and so on. This will also detail the length of your script and tell you if you're writing a feature film or a short. You're going to use this as your foundation, so keep it basic and don't go overboard. You don't want to add much in the way of dialogue or special effects. Keep it simple.
When you're done and comfortable with your treatment, it's time to begin the real writing process. Stick with your treatment as best you can to avoid getting lost in the story. Don't get excited and start adding "cool" or "exciting" elements where they don't really belong. Keep your dialogue grounded as best you can. You can accomplish this by acting out the scenes in your head and saying the lines as you would say them. Try to keep it from feeling too artificial. Also, keep in mind that the more you add, the more money it'll take to create the screenplay. The budget it something a producer is going to take into consideration, so try and keep it as low as possible. You can accomplish this by avoiding length action or stunt sequences, keeping the locations and characters to a minimum, and cutting out any unnecessary scenes. You also want to make sure you get your screenplay registered with the Writer's Guild of America. This will ensure your work is protected, so make sure you include the WGA number on your cover page.
Now that you're done, read through your script from cover to cover and make sure you're happy with it. Make any changes you need to and get ready to send it to producers. Producers are responsible for getting your movie made, so they're the ones you want to deal with directly. More often than not, producers are going to be working with independent productions. If you did well enough, they might want to pick you up. If they do pick up your script, work with them to get your project completed. Make any necessary rewrites and be prepared to make changes. That being said, don't compromise your vision for the producer's. Stay on top of your script but don't become obsessed with it. If it's not selling, it's time to rewrite it or scrap it for something new.
Stay with it and you'll have a box office smash in no time. - 30222
About the Author:
If you are searching for an opportunity writing screenplays, Visit Here for a current selection of available jobs. If you already have experience, it is easy to get discovered by creating a profile.
