First Steps: Writing Your First Screenplay

Another year is coming, and every year you think I want to write a script, Well this year is the year to finally put your work out there. While taking a screenwriting class or two is likely a good idea, the reality is you don’t need anything more than your own ambition to produce something for a small screen (maybe a bit more for the sliver screen). In fact, I think it’s better to start off on your own before investing in a class. I’ve written a few scripts and while I’ve only produced one so far, I know that’s at least one more than most other screenwriters.

Writing your first script can seem a little daunting at first because you likely want to create a work of art on the first try. That likely won’t happen but I can at least give you a little bit of advice on how to go about writing your first script so hopefully, after a couple of tries you eventually get to that one money-making masterpiece.

Writing Your First Script

Decide on a Time Limit

If this is your first script then more than likely, you’re not up for writing a feature-length film. If you’re a complete novice at filmmaking you’ll likely have very little idea of how long it takes to produce a movie from start to finish either. I suggest keeping your first project short to 20 minutes or less. It’s a good way to get your feet wet and be slightly more experimental with your work. Also, it’s better to create a short novice movie with mistakes to force people to watch an hour-long movie with bad acting, editing, etc.

As a general rule for script writing, 1 page= 1 minute of a movie, and most people can like 5-20 pages of acting and dialogue to create an interesting story.

Brainstorm Ideas

Before you start clacking away at your keyboard, you’ll need to have a solid idea for the story you want to write. You won’t be expected to invent the wheel as far as developing an original story but more than anything having a solid engaging plot automatically raises the production value of anything you intend to shoot. I suggest sticking to what sparks your interest more. If you’re a big fan of horror then write a horror script. If you prefer action/adventure try your hand at writing an engaging adventure story.

When coming up with the plot of your script, it’s important to start small before going on to fleshing out your idea. Try to summarize the plot of your movie within 2-4 lines. If it takes anything more to explain your idea then the story is likely too complicated.

Examples:

Nope 2022

Two siblings running a horse ranch in California discover something wonderful and sinister in the skies above, while the owner of an adjacent theme park tries to profit from the mysterious, otherworldly phenomenon.

The Batman 2022

Batman is called to intervene when the mayor of Gotham City is murdered. Soon, his investigation leads him to uncover a web of corruption, linked to his own dark past.

Roppongi Heights 2022

A scam goes wrong in Tokyo after two friends accidentally make a man overdose in the hotel room. The girls must work together to get rid of the dead body before the first train comes and time runs out.

None of these summaries reveal any major plot points of the movies, but after reading them people will be intrigued to know more.

Establish the Tone

While I think it’s perfectly fine to mix genres, Roppongi Heights is both a drama and a comedy—there still needs an overall official tone established to keep your writing consistent throughout the script and keeps the pace of the movie. The marvel movies are fun to watch, but their constant reliance on jokes for every character can really pull you out of the experience of watching the movie. I remember enjoying my experience watching Age of Ultron in the theaters, but it’s annoying to go back and watch that movie simply because Ultron is constantly making jokes right up until he dies.

If you want to add fun moments into a script, it’s better to make them situational and let the character’s personalities lead the joke. It takes a very observant mind to write good comedy, so unless your film is purposefully comedic I’d avoid adding puns and gags.

Create an Outline

You’re still not quite ready to go HAM on the keyboard. Before diving into developing your script this is an excellent time to create an official synopsis of the script. Establish who you’re characters are the location, and how the story will unfold from beginning to end. This doesn’t have to be set in stone and a hard outline to follow but I think it gives you a direction on where your story is going and helps prevent writer's block.

Dive into the Conflict

If you’re writing a short film (40 minutes or less) you don’t really have time to develop a long drawn-out back story for your characters. So that means you’ll only be able to provide as much background as’s necessary for the audience to know. The shorter your movie the quicker you’ll need to be when getting to the root of the story. Black Mirror for the most part does an excellent job of this per episode. In the episode Metalhead, we’re placed directly into the beginning of the conflict for the episode— A group of people is interrupted by killer metal dogs while out on a scavenging mission. From the dialogue and setting, we can infer these metal dogs took over the world somehow and are trying to wipe out humanity. We don’t know the “why” because there’s no time to give any background.

Find a Good Format

From the first script, you’ll want to start using the correct format. One it makes it easier to write and organize your script and two if you want to break into the business, especially without experience it’s good to know the general rules of scriptwriting to not seem like a complete novice.

StudioBinder: How to Write a Script

Pull from Real Life

The phrase “Art imitates life” takes on new meaning when trying to create your own script. Even the most otherworldly stories still have an element of humanistic familiarity to them. The author Suzanne Collins talks about watching a news segment on the Iraq war and using that to write the Hungar Games. Although the concept of children being forced to kill each other in order to bring honor to their cities sounds insane, at its core The Hunger Games is about more than a death match. It’s a commentary on power, poverty, and capitalism— much like how the Iraq war isn’t really about Democracy and is more about power and oil.

You don’t need to copy and paste directly from real life but don’t be afraid to pull from real-life examples to create your characters and story. Roppongi Heights was inspired by an interview with Cardi B and the lifestyle of the City Girls before they became famous. If it wasn’t for the fact that I read about their stories, I’m not sure if Roppongi Heights would’ve come out as good as it did.

Writing your first script doesn’t have to be a daunting event. It can be fun and overall fulfilling after finally getting your ideas on the page. The hardest part is often just getting started. Hopefully, these tips will help you get your first draft done.