How to Write a Feature Length Screenplay

Every great movie starts with a great screenplay; those words on paper that tell the characters what to say and what to do in order to tell a story. Writing a feature length screenplay means creating interesting characters and settings, whether real or imagined. It's the blueprint for a movie.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Computer (optional)
• Screenwriting software (optional)
• Notepad
• Index cards
• Pen

1. Start with a good story. Most scripts are written using the three-act structure. It's simply the beginning, middle and end. You don't always have to follow this method, but it's advised when you're starting out.

2. Introduce the characters and situations, present a challenge they face or have to overcome, and take us on the journey to how they resolve it. A good story has twists and turns to keep the reader (and ultimately the viewer) engaged. For example, the movie "Ransom" with Mel Gibson started out introducing a wealthy family headed by a man whose son gets kidnapped. The challenge he faces is getting his son back. We follow the journey to see if he will get the boy back alive and how the situation will be resolved

3. Develop your story. Some writers usually have the story worked out in their heads before writing it. Writing an outline is a good way to go. It's a basic summary of the beginning, middle, and end. It presents a good start off point for your script and you can edit an outline easier than a full screenplay.

4. Get to know your main characters. Many good writers know just about everything there is to know about the characters they create. Know your main character's birthday, whether they smoke or not, are they quiet or loud or even it they're honest. Answering questions about your characters for yourself helps you do more with them and put them in interesting or even challenging situations.

5. Write a summary of every scene on index cards. This process forces you to think through the script before starting to write it all down. Also, if you'd like to change where a scene should go in the script, all you have to do is move the index card.

6. Organize yourself to write the screenplay. A feature length screenplay generally averages to be 90 pages. The rule of thumb is that one page equals one minute of screen time. You can keep the idea in mind, but 90 pages is not a particular rule, it's more of a guide. The length of time needed to write is script varies from person to person, however it's widely believed that 3 months is the adequate amount of time needed to write a screenplay.

7. Start writing the screenplay. Most people use script writing software nowadays. Final Draft is a popular one, but it is not free. One good free screenwriting software is Celtx and can be downloaded at: www.celtx.com
   However, if you plan to send it to anyone besides your family and friends, you'll have to use computer software to help you properly format your script.

8. Edit your screenplay. What becomes the movie you watch is rarely ever the first draft. Sometimes there are several drafts from different writers all working on the same script at different points. The most important thing to remember is that the story has to keep moving forward and everything has to be relevant to the story. Film is a visual medium and it's always better to show rather than tell. If you can do this in a screenplay, it makes it easier for the director, if you won't be directing the film yourself. Once you've edited and polished your script, it's up to you to determine what happens next with it.

Tips & Warnings

• Read books on screenwriting, as they will help you better understand story structure and how to format a screenplay.
• Avoid companies that promise to sell your script if they haven't sold anything in the past. They're usually just trying to get you to pay them a fee to help you "modify" your screenplay.

[georgiarealtor]

on 5/4/2009 That 2nd sentence came out crazy. It is suppose to say,"I am going to write a soap opera (story's) and post a new show on youtube weekly.

[georgiarealtor]

on 5/4/2009 Hey where are you, I need some more how to's, on this type of articles. So I can going to write something like a soap opera and have a few friends of mine do the acting and post a new show on youtube weekly.Great article.