Writing Screenplays: First Steps

Are you considering writing screenplays for the first time? Or have you just started and want to know a bit more? Then, read on.

What is a screenplay?

A screenplay is a written document containing a simple and clear description of the dialogue and events which are to take place during a film.

Be aware, you are not trying to convey every detail. You are creating a blueprint around which the producers of a film will build the production.

This document is similar to an architect’s plan for a building – it simply provides instructions on how to proceed.

Filmmakers may want to change the screenplay during the shooting. In some cases this can lead to disaster, depending how far the filmmakers stray from the original.

What should be included?

Traditionally, a screenplay includes certain elements. To help you and the production team understand what’s going on and how much screen-time is going to be used, stick to the agreed rules of formatting. Screenplay format hasn’t changed much at all in the last 50-60 years.

These are the basic elements which are generally used:

Scene headings

Looks like this: INT. CHARACTER’S HOUSE, LIVING ROOM – DAY

The scene heading tells the production team where the scene action is taking place and whether it is a day or night scene.

You must write a new scene heading each time the story changes to a different TIME or LOCATION. So, even if the story continues in exactly the same location, if time changes you add a new heading.

Int or Ext

An interior scene (a scene which takes place inside a building) is marked as INT, at the beginning of the scene heading. An exterior scene (a scene which takes place outside, on the street or in a forest, for example) is marked EXT.

When producing a film, shooting a scene inside often requires different organisation than outside. For example, if you are shooting outside you are vulnerable to changing or adverse weather conditions. There might also be difficulty with lighting and power supply. The producers of the film might need permission to shoot on a street or to close a road off.

Location

This scene heading example contains a general location title (Character’s House) and a more specific title (Living Room). There may be several scenes taking place in this character’s house, but this one is in the living room. There might also be CHARACTER’S HOUSE, KITCHEN or CHARACTER’S HOUSE, BATHROOM.

From your scene headings, the production team will be able to work out how many pages of your script take place in CHARACTER’S HOUSE. They can also work out the rooms needed in that house, when hunting locations. Does it need 3 bedrooms, a kitchen, a living room, a garden and a swimming pool? Your screenplay will let them know.

DAY or NIGHT

Like interior and exterior, whether a scene is intended to be a DAY or NIGHT scene cane make a big difference to the production. If your location is exposed to sunlight, a day scene will generally need to be shot during daylight hours, a night scene when the sun has gone down. There are ways around this, by blocking the light or by shooting “day for night” for example.

By specifying DAY or NIGHT, your screenplay will be informing the producers and production team what needs to be considered when filming.

Action description

Written like this: The bar is dirty, more than a little run down. The guy holding court is CHUCKIE SULLIVAN, 20, and the largest of the bunch. Morgan gives Will a look, but Will only smiles.

The action description tells the production team what is happening – which character is doing what and when.

When writing action description, be as efficient as you possibly can. Most of what you will write here should be only what the camera SEES. In other words, you are writing what a series of MOVING IMAGES might look like, when used to tell your story.

Action description is written in the present tense.

You do not write: “David got up out of bed and scratched his head.” Instead you write: “David gets out of bed. Scratches his head.”

Do you see what a screenwriter is doing? By using the present tense, she’s telling the actors what to do.

Character dialogue

Written like this:

The dialogue part of your screenplay tells the production team which character is speaking, what they are saying and when.

Sometimes dialogue has a short sentence in parenthesis under the character name as an extra instruction on the line about to be delivered. Eg: (whispers) or (to Jack) or (out of breath).

Other elements

Scene headings, action and dialogue are the 3 elements which will form the basis of your screenplay.

You can include other elements, such as scene TRANSITIONS. This would be things like “CUT TO:” or “FADE TO BLACK” placed at the end of a scene to indicate a style of transition to the next scene.

Tip: you really don’t need to write “CUT TO:”. Ever. Upon seeing a new scene heading, the production team will assume there is a cut. If you intend to go from one scene to the next without cutting, then you may want to specify that. Because to do so would be the exception, rather than the rule.

Is it like writing a novel?

No. A common mistake for new screenwriters is to think they have to describe everything, as a novelist would.

A screenplay (like a stage play) simply tells those who might one day make your script into a movie what is going on.

Those who think a screenplay is a complete art form in itself, are probably deluding themselves. Well, they certainly have a niche audience. Ask your friends if they’ve seen a movie, and then ask them if they’ve read a screenplay and see for yourself. Because the only people who read screenplays are filmmakers or film buffs.

Essential Tips:

Write visually

Almost all of what you write in the action description should be visual.

Don’t write: “Julie walks down the street dreaming of becoming a doctor.” Because what would that look like? Presumably it would look exactly like Julie walking down the street dreaming of becoming an astronaut.

Do write: “Julie walks down the street in a dream”. We have no idea what she’s dreaming about. So you’ll have to find a visual way to tell us.

Eg: “Julie walks down the street in a dream. As she passes a TV STORE she notices MEDICAL SOAP OPERA playing on the TV inside. She stops and gazes longingly at the TV.”

You see how we just gave the audience the information visually? This is also far more powerful storytelling than having Julie simply announce: “I really dream of becoming a doctor one day”.

Show don’t tell

This most common advice to writers of all kinds is really a great one. For example, don’t have Julie say: “I’m so tired of running away from these zombies”. SHOW what that LOOKS like.

Eg: Julie is running through the forest. She is gasping, almost collapsing. Sweat pours down her face as she stops and doubles over – she just can’t run another step. SOUND of ZOMBIES MOANING nearby…

Be dramatic

Remember, you’re writing a drama.

I don’t mean the genre called “drama”, I mean every genre of film or play is some form of drama.

And drama essentially equals conflict. Yes, you are writing about a battle, of some form or other. And, generally speaking, whether you are writing about a world war or a guy stranded on an island, that struggle focuses on the personal human experiences of your characters.

So, if you find you’ve written 10 pages with your characters leading a rather undramatic life, you better have a good reason for that. Or, most likely, your screenplay is going to be very dull.

That doesn’t mean every line has to be about aliens invading or zombies attacking. But your screenplay will be much more gripping if it contains conflict and drama, than if it doesn’t.

The drama in your scene might be an argument between the main character and her boss. Or a character struggling with inner fear and frustration. But remember to make those inner feelings visual, somehow.

Is formatting really so important?

If you format your screenplay to an industry standard, you and the production team will have an agreed system to determine the structure of your story.

Put simply: each page of screenplay = 1 minute of screen time.

This is an approximation, but it still the clearest way to know how long your screenplay is in film minutes. Is it 20 minutes or 6 hours? If you format it as a word doc without using the format, how would you know?

Here’s why

I was once involved in a low budget production. The writer – director sent me his screenplay, which he insisted was going to come out at 90 minutes. However, it was formatted as a word doc, with small font, tiny margins etc.

Just from reading a few pages I knew this script would come out way longer than 90 minutes. But how much longer?

So, I pasted the script into a screenplay formatting program (and spent hours fixing all the glitches). It came out at 200+ pages. He was about to set out to make a 4 hour movie, thinking it was only 90 minutes. When I told him, he refused to believe me, claiming they had had a read through with the actors which lasted 90 minutes…

And guess what – the film went massively over budget, with the director spending his own money. When the first cut indeed came in at about 4 hours, he claimed the actors had delivered the lines too slowly.

So, is formatting important? Yes. For exactly this reason. As I explained at the start – the screenplay is a plan for making a film. It is not a work of art in it’s own right. So the screenwriter must stick to certain formalities, just as an architect must when designing a building.

Having said that, the most essential part of your screenplay is a great story. So, don’t get too obsessive about formatting. Because another error made by aspiring screenwriters is to believe a perfectly formatted script must be a good one. And, having a read a few, I can assure you that is not the case…

Plus there are a load of great programs for formatting your screenplay now, so it’s very easy.

Good Luck!

Next: Why is the script for UP better than the one for SUPER 8?

Eager to learn more?

Join our weekly newsletter featuring inspiring stories, no-budget filmmaking tips and comprehensive equipment reviews to help you turn your film projects into reality!



