How to Write a Screenplay

While this guide will teach you the process of creating a screenplay, it does not teach the technical aspects of screenwriting. The article assumes you know the basic format of a screenplay. This guide will focus on laying out the process of turning your ideas into a tangible script, that can be sold to production agencies.

CREATING YOUR FIRST OUTLINE

Your initial outline creates the general plot of your entire story. While this outline is important, do not feel obligated to always follow your initial storyline. The longer you work on creating the script, the more ideas will come to you that will allow you to improve your story.

1.
Come up with an idea for your screenplay. Think of other movies you have seen. What did you like about them? Why were you able to relate to the story? Use the work of others to create your own original storyline.

2.
Once you know the general direction of the story, sit and write down the important events that will take place as the film progresses. These events are to represent individual scenes of the film. At this point it is good to be vague, specific details will come later.

3.
Organize these ideas into a beginning middle and end. These will be acts one, two and three of your script. Try to separate the acts by significant events that change the fortunes of your characters.

4.
Write the events of the film on index cards and then place the cards in three columns, one for each act. Being able to visual the story helps writers flow from one scene to the next. It also allows readers to later move scenes around and change the order of the story.

CREATING A ROUGH DRAFT

Now that you have the story laid out, it is time to piece the puzzle together.

1.
Start by writing down the physical persona each character is supposed to portray. Think of the character in your head and the actions he/she performs later in the movie. What do you see that person looking like?

2.
After you have come up with physical descriptions for each of your characters, it is time to start writing the individual scenes. Start a scene by describing the situation your characters are in. Where are they? What time of day is it?