Are you stir crazy from COVID-19 and shelter-at-home orders? Do you know how to write a script? It’s never been a better time to shelter-in-place and stay safe behind your computer while you write that script that’s been percolating in your head for years.
It’s impossible to condense narrative feature film writing into one article. Over the past 20 years, A-List screenwriters and their writing gurus have provided interviews for articles, lectures, seminars and podcasts; some have even written books on the subject. Combined with screenwriting software, it’s never been easier to pen that first script.
The first step
While the task of writing a script may sound monumental, there’s an easy way to start. Read a script! You wouldn’t attempt to write a book without ever reading a book; the same is true when writing a movie. Reading scripts used to be challenging to do if you weren’t already in the industry; however, scripts are now accessible online. There are several free sites such as Simply Scripts or Drew’s Script-O-Rama. These resources have global appeal to any filmmaker since examples of shooting scripts, as well as rewrites, are also available.
Formatting: It’s important
One question you might have is, what do agents look for in a script? You might think that story is at the top of the list; unfortunately, it is not. Typically, an agent will initially look at the aesthetics of the page. Is it in 12 pt. Courier font? Is it industry formatted? Can you see more white than black on the page? Is your screenplay within the appropriate page range for the genre?
Does it flow?
If your script passes these tests, the agent might then read the first ten pages to find out:
- What type of story (genre) is it?
- Are your characters interesting and well defined?
- What are their motives and what are they trying to achieve?
Sounds harsh? Think about being at home, watching a movie. After 10 minutes, if you don’t know who and what the story is about, do you keep watching? After the initial ten pages, an agent will flip to the end of the script and read the final page. The end of the screenplay should clearly resolve your character’s conflict(s) or achieve their goal(s). If your script passes these tests, while creatively hooking the agent in the process, they’ll go back to page 11 and keep reading.
Script length
Typically, each page of a script represents a minute of screen time. Acceptable page counts vary for different genres. For example, most horror films are between 90 and 100 pages. Think about movies that are similar in genre to your story idea. How long are they? (Avoid movies by A-List writers since they can break all screenwriting rules including page counts). Keep this page count in mind when writing both your beat sheet and your screenplay.
Do some research
There are many excellent books on writing screenplays. Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You’ll Ever Need has a fun approach, and his beat sheet (plot points) makes outlining your screenplay easy. For some, outlines are evil. However, by using a beat sheet, your characters can still control the story while you ensure that it maintains proper pacing.
Watch some of your favorite movies and outline them, noting the beats and when (timecode) they occur. You’ll eventually notice a pattern because audiences like structure even if they’re not aware of it. If you like Blake Snyder’s method, there is a beat sheet calculator that indicates page ranges for plot points given the length of your script. You can also use the beat sheet calculator when writing shorts to ensure proper pacing.
Many writers struggle with story development. Who is your story really about? Is your comedy really a drama, or is your horror film really a thriller? These are issues related to story and structure. Second acts (in a three-act structure) can be challenging. It’s common to know the beginning and the end of a story but have difficulties connecting all the dots to get there. Fortunately, much has been written on the subject, such as Robert McKee’s Story or John Truby’s Anatomy of Story.
In 1979, screenwriting guru Syd Field released his landmark book, Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting. The book covered the classic three-act story structure as well as the technical formatting of the story elements on the page. Today, scriptwriting software is your most essential tool because it allows you to focus on the story instead of margins.
There is software for every budget (including free!) Final Draft is the industry standard and, by far, the most accessible screenplay software to use. If you’re on the fence, you can get free trials for most software, including a free 30 day trial for Final Draft. Even if you’re directing and producing your feature, script formatting is essential; your cast and crew will expect your screenplay to adhere to industry standards. Remember, a script is not just your story; it’s a blueprint for talent to recreate the movie that lives inside your head.
Let’s look at a script
Let’s take a look below at a quickly written, sample script:
- “EXT. CEMETERY ROW – DAWN” is your heading. This naming of a location and the time of day when the scene occurs is also called a slug line. Sometimes, particularly at the beginning of a screenplay, a description of this setting may be included.
- CHARACTER NAMES (in caps), dialogue, and actions will appear in a format very similar to a stage play.
- Dual dialogue should appear on the page with the two characters speaking side by side.
- A (parenthetical) between a character’s name and their dialogue explains how that line should be delivered. Parentheticals should be used sparingly since most talent believes that the way they deliver dialogue is part of their interpretive job as an actor.
- “CUT TO:” or “FADE TO BLACK.” are elements called transitions. While “FADE TO BLACK.” is used to signal the end of your script, transitions like “CUT TO:” are typically used sparingly. Note the difference in the way the story reads when the transition is notated, impeding the flow, compared to further on when the transition is omitted. However, notations like “FLASHBACK TO:” might be essential for an unexpected, abrupt transition.
- “PUSH IN” is a shot element that can also impede the flow of your script. Additionally, directors and cinematographers believe it is their job to decide camera movements.
- “CHIMES” are notated in all caps because the writer wants this specific sound included.
Ask people for help
When you’ve finished your script, you may want to do a table read. In these times of COVID-19, Zoom reads also work. Send your script to your friends and family, casting each of them into a character’s role to read out loud. It would help if you also cast a narrator to read scene headings and descriptions. Does your dialogue sound natural? Does your pacing work? Avoid taking roles so you can attentively listen and take notes. This will help when you do the next pass or rewrite of your script.
COVID-19 may have impeded your shoots, but you can still exert your filmmaking muscles and write a script. It’s easier than you think; just start with the transition FADE IN.
