How To Write a Screenplay for Beginners
Hey, So, you want to write a screenplay, but you don’t know where to start? no, no, hey, it’s okay, don’t cry. Shh, shh, everything’s gonna be alright. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Let’s just start with the basics, okay.
The first thing that you’re gonna want to have is a piece of paper or computer or iPad or something to write down some ideas. Just anything that pops into your head, write it down — even if it’s stupid write it down anyways cause it could spark other ideas. If you already have an idea floating around in your head, then you can skip this, but this can also help with scene ideas as well.
Next, once you have that great idea of yours, I’ll want to create a one to two sentence summary of your script, this is called a Logline. This can help you sell the script and to help you understand the story you are writing about. A good logline must have these four elements: protagonist + inciting incident + protagonist’s goal + central conflict. Here are some examples that can help you craft yours…
- Minnesota car salesman Jerry Lundegaard’s inept crime falls apart due to his and his henchmen’s bungling and the persistent police work of the quite pregnant Marge Gunderson. (Fargo 1996).
- A family determined to get their young daughter into the finals of a beauty pageant take a cross-country trip in their VW bus. (Little Miss Sunshine 2006)
- In 2002, an artistically inclined seventeen-year-old girl comes of age in Sacramento, California. (Lady Bird 2017)
The next thing that you should understand before writing your screen play is Plot Structure. Even if you don’t plan on using one you should learn the three-act structure. ‘Plot structure’ refers to the patterns the events of a story form. Even if you think it’s stupid and don’t think you’ll ever use it, it can help you build your story and can get you ahead of the game.
After that you’ll want to start outlining your film. Crafting a good outline can give you a solid plan for your where your story is going. I only outline sometimes, most of the time I like to be in the moment with my script and find the story as it pops into my head. I write some things down, but I try not to write every scene cause it just doesn’t work for me.
The next this you’ll want to accomplish is writing your screenplay’s first draft. Don’t get discouraged if feel like your script is a hot piece of garbage after you writing it. While writing it however, don’t correct your writing. Don’t look back at your script, finish it. I recommend reading a few screenplays before this step, you don’t have to, but it can help you learn how to format your script.
After writing your script, take a break, work on other things, what a movie, then come back to it in a few weeks or even a month and read it all the way through. Then write it again. How many drafts of a screenplay differ from person to person, but I believe most professionals write 10 to 20 drafts. I wouldn’t recommend getting feedback for your script until after you write your second or even third draft because your first draft will be sort of awful. So get feedback from professionals and I think letting your family member read it, is also fine, just take ever note and see if it works for you and your script. You don’t have to make changes just because people tell you you should.
That’s pretty much all you need to know to writing a screenplay. If you have anymore questions about how to write a screenplay, let me know in the comments. You got this.
