How to Write a Movie Script

Every year thousands of people write movie scripts hoping to get them produced and make a lot of money. However, very few scripts are actually bought. The reason is that movies are expensive to make and only the best scripts are produced. If you are interested in dabbling in movie writing, then follow these steps to write your first, third or fiftieth movie script.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Select a genre and come up with a story idea. Use story creation techniques like brainstorming, headline fishing or sound boarding. Before you can do any writing, have a solid direction for your script.

2. Familiarize yourself with the story "rules" for your movie genre. For example, if you want to write a horror genre movie script then include a hero who has a flaw and a fear. Your "monster" needs to be truly evil, and you need to include several "false alarms" during the second act to increase tension. You also need to isolate your hero so that he or she has no escape from the movie's monster, and at the end of your script, indicate that the monster is not really gone.

3. Outline your store idea. Break up your outline into three acts. The first act of your movie script needs to have a hook (opening scene), it needs to introduce the hero of the story, introduce the problem the hero has to overcome and introduce the supporting cast as well as the antagonist for the story. The second act needs to move the protagonist of the story into the heart of the problem that they have to face. By the end of the second act, have your characters at a point of no return. This is usually the most difficult act to write. The final act needs to bring the hero of the story to a point when all seems lost or hopeless. Then you need to include the final confrontation and resolve the problem.

4. Conduct research for your story. Look for information that can help you flesh out your characters, locations and events.

5. Format your movie script. The industry standard is 12pt Courier single-spaced. The header needs to be right-justified and include the title of your script and the page number. The header should not appear until the second page of the script's body. Do not number the cover page or the first page of the script. The cover page needs to include the title of the movie script, the author's name and a note that your script is copyrighted by you, centered. Space down and left-justify to add your contact information.

6. Open your movie script with FADE IN and end your movie script with FADE OUT.

7. Allow your characters to speak by tabbing in 4 or 5 times and then spelling out their name, hard return. Then tab in 3 times, and type out the dialogue. Keep the dialogue block within a two-tab width space. If your dialogue spills over to a new page, end one page with CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE, and then start the next page with CONTINUED. When referencing a speaking character, spell their name in all caps.

8. Keep the voice of your movie script in the present tense. For example use descriptions like, "Jason moves toward the axe, breathing heavily and dragging his leg," instead of "Jason moved toward the axes, as he breathed heavily and dragged his leg."

9. Label scenes. You need to label each scene as it opens. For example, if you are about to write a love scene, then your scene label might look something like this: INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT. On the other hand, if you are writing a car chase scene, then your scene label might look like: EXT. HIGHWAY 6 - DAY.

Tips & Warnings

• Tie each character to the plot line or moral of the story. This can help to round out your movie script and create a better overall movie.
• Unless you are going to be the director, do not include acting directions or shot directions. The director and actors can add these later on.