By choosing film script writing projects in genres that you are familiar with, you will save yourself a lot of research and avoid many common errors that vary from one genre to the next. You should also think about what actors might want to be in your movie, or which people would fit the parts that you have created best. There is a lot of thought and creativity that goes into film script writing, and you should be able to take the words of your script and create a blueprint, if you will, that shows you what every little detail will look like in the form of a film once it is off paper.

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Concept

You’ll need a basic idea or concept before your movie ever takes production. This will include a plot, a storyline, characters and the location where your movie takes place. The best way to do this is write down your ideas on a piece of paper. Write down all the details, big and small. Then sort them out into topics and main ideas. This piece of paper will become your script and you can build off of that.

Script

After you have developed your concept, start putting your script together. Keep in mind that a script is not just dialogue. The script includes the location, what’s taking place and basically gives the overall mood of the movie. Script writing is the longest part of filmmaking believe it or not. Don’t get frustrated if your script changes along the way, that’s normal. Even for major filmmakers.

Storyboards

This is the fun part of filmmaking. After you have finished the script, put the scenes on storyboards. This will allow you to visualize the movie. You may need to hire an illustrator for this, but it’ll be worth it.

Funding

Yes, you’ll need some funds to put your movie together. If this is your first stab at filmmaking, then you’ll probably just pool together your own money along with the people you are working with. However, if you expect a studio to fund your film then you’ll have to follow these three guidelines: have a professional presentation, have a unique script and make sure your film is marketable.

Location

Now that funding is out of the way, you can focus on the location of your movie. Brainstorm a list of possible locations then check the sites to see if you need a permit to shoot a movie there. Many sites will require permits so don’t be surprised at this.

Cast/Crew

At times this can be a challenging part of filmmaking. Once you have your site location set, you’ll need to hire your cast. Many times you can post an ad in the paper online directories. A great place to start is at colleges. Colleges usually have a drama club and you can hire college kids pretty cheap.

Equipment

Keep in mind this is not some big production like Star Wars alright? You don’t need all the high tech equipment that Hollywood uses. But at minimum you should have a decent camera, lights, sound equipment, props, costumes and set pieces. Don’t go overboard on this or you’ll break the bank.

Start Filming

This is where the rubber hits the road in filmmaking. A film can be made in as little as 6 weeks, or as long as 6 months. For your first film, you should have it ready within two months. That’s a good goal to shoot for.

Edit

You may have six hours of footage for a 90 minute film. Don’t panic. The editing process is where the film becomes a movie. Take your time on this. Make sure to review and edit all your scenes until the movie is to your liking.

Original source and author from Shane Boyd’s article

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• Read the newspaper, books, magazines, listen to the radio, and watch news stories that may captivate your imagination.

• Keep a journal of interesting things that happen every day; an engaging conversation, a funny moment, an unusual or interesting person you may have encountered in public. These moments can be the seeds of not only good ideas, but also engaging characters, moments, and lines of the dialog in the movie.

• Brainstorm and write down anything and everything that comes to mind. You’d be surprised what comes out. Listen to inspirational music, turn off the lights, let your mind roam free, and be ready to capture ideas as they strike.

• Original and avoid copying concepts used in other forms of media, stories from movies or television shows, or major plot lines from popular books. Audiences want to see new, unique ideas, not rehashes of old ideas. Create concepts inspired by real-life situations, people, and experiences.

• Be careful not to infringe on copyrighted work. Copyright infringement can be an expensive mistake if the original owner of the stolen property chooses to sue.

• Surf the Internet. The knowledge of the world is at your fingertips and can provide outstanding ideas and motivation for a movie.

• Get out of your house. Traveling to a new place, whether it’s going out of town or visiting a local coffee shop can help spur the imagination.

• Take breaks and don’t force your imagination. A walk on the beach or through the woods can help clear your thoughts and open your mind to new ideas.

• Write stories you’re passionate about. Be excited and willing to explore the subject matter. Learn as much as you can about the world, people, and situations you’re writing about.

• Research your idea by studying the time period, characters, customs, fashions, technologies, and values of the world you’re telling the story about. Learning more about the actual events or motivation behind your story will help develop ideas.

• Learn from people who resemble, or can provide insight into, your character. If you’re writing a crime drama, contact a local police station and ask to shadow an officer for a week. Listen to how she talks, how she acts like both casually and under pressure. Get a sense of the police environment so when it comes time to create it in a script, you can write a realistic and believable world.

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In embarking on the journey to get the perfect script, there are three directions you can take:

• Write the script yourself

• Option a script already written

• Hire a writer

Writing your own script

As mentioned previously, the cornerstone of a good movie is a good, well written script. The essence of a good script is a good story. The foundation of a good story is inspiration, research, and the ability to develop an idea into a commercially (if this is the route you wish to take) viable product that audiences will want to see.

Before you decide to spend an exorbitant amount of time working on a project, it’s important to know the purpose of the film at the very beginning. Are you going to make a movie for art’s sake, so that the film is an extention of your vision and style, or maybe even to learn the process of making a no budget film? Or are you looking to creat a commercially viable movie that can be sold and (hopefully) generate a profit?

When it comes to developing a story, you should write about what you know. The best piece of advice I can give you is to write what you have seen, what you have experienced, and what you have lived in life. How can you truthfully write a story about the joys and difficulties of parenthood, if you’ve never been a parent? Granted, you may have seen how parents interact with their children, but it’s not the same as if you were to live it yourself. How can you write a real love story that connects with the viewer, if you have never been in love? Writing about love, death, betrayal, loneliness, or happiness without experiencing it seems like a recipe for an empty story bereft of a soul. Filmmaking is about honesty, and writing scenes and moments that truthfully resonate with the viewer can be an insurmountable task unless you are personally familiar with the material you’re trying to convey.

Option a script already written

As a writer, you can create a script around an existing work, such as a book, poem, short story, novella, or even a personal account of the writer. However, to simply adapt the idea into a screenplay could violate copyright laws and expose you to legal liability.

One way of legally using material is to option the rights to use it. An option is a short-term lease that grants a producer the legal right, but not the obligation, to adapt material into a screenplay, produce it oneself, or try to sell it to another production company.

The ability to option a book or story opens up thousands of possibilities, so one way of finding a good story is to go to the bookstore and start reading. If you find a book that you like, call the publisher and get the author’s contact information. Explain how you want to use the book and how you would like to adapt it into a screenplay and ask if the author is willing to consider an optioning the material. The author may want money up front, a percentage of the profits, credit, or any number of back-end profit points that would need to be negotiated. If the conversation gets this far, it’s best to contact an entertainment attorney to help negotiate with the author on your behalf and draw up the necessary legal paperwork.

Hire a writer

Oftentimes, writers are either skilled in writing structure or in writing dialog and character, so finding a writing partner who complements your skills can lead to a much better script. Finding a suitable writing partner can be as easy as contacting local writing organizations, colleges, or university programs with writing courses or seeking writers online or through film industry contacts. When looking for a good writing partner:

• Ask for a writing sample.

• Find a partner whose strengths are your weaknesses.

• Talk with your potential writing partner about the story and make sure he likes the genre, story, and characters before working with him.

• Make sure your partner has the time and commitment to work on the script, especially if it’s being written on for free (otherwise known as “spec”).

• Work out the credit he will receive as well as payment terms if the script is sold, optioned, and/or produced.

Hopefully, the aforementioned details have given you some “food for thought”. Developing a script for your no budget film should never be taken lightly, and IS the most important step of the filmmaking process.

Author by Guy Ryerson

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