1. Think about the plot. What happens in the narrative? Is there any conflict?
Things to keep in mind:
The length – one page is usually one minute of a screen time, dramas are around 2 hours long and comedies are around 1 hour and 30 minutes
A long screenplay will properly not be made if the writer is not well-known or has connections. Therefore, if the screenplay cannot be less than 2 hours, it may be a good idea to consider Turing it into a novel.
2. Spilt the story into 3 acts. Each of the acts should be able to operate independently and together they should provide a whole story.
Act one – This act is used to set-up the story and introduces the audience to the characters. Act one can also be used to set the mood for the story and show the audience who the protagonist is, while also introducing the conflict in the story. Dramas usually have an act one that is 30 pages long and comedies are usually 24 pages.
Act two – This act contains the main part of the story where there will be obstacles that the protagonist will encounter on the way while trying to find a solution to the conflict. There are normally sub-plots that are introduced in this act to show the audience that there is change. Dramas usually have an act two that is 60 pages and comedies are usually 48 pages.
Act three – this act is when the story reaches a resolution. This act usually adds a twist to the story, and it ends with a confrontation. The third act is usually faster-paced because the main part of the story has been told in act two. Dramas usually have an act three that is 30 pages and comedies are usually 24 pages.
3. Add sequences. There are part of the story that are independent from the conflict. Most sequences have three parts: a beginning, a middle and an end. Sequences normally focus on one character and are usually around 10-15 pages. Sequences can affect the main story and how the story will be.
4. Write the scenes. These are what happens in the film. Scenes can take place in different locations and make the story process and if a scene does not do this, it should be cut from the script. If a scene does not serve any purpose the audience will see it as a flaw and this will drag Dow the story.
5. Write the dialogue. The main focus of dialogue should be to move the story forward and develop the characters. Dialogue can be very hard to write because each character needed to have a distinctive and believable voice.
Realistic dialogue is not needed in order to have good dialogue. The purpose of dialogue is to move the story forward while developing the characters. Dialogue should be engaging for the audience and therefore dialogue should not be reflective to reality because real dialogue is boring and dull.
Reading the dialogue out loud to make sure it sounds alright. Do all the characters sound the dame? Are they stereotypical?
6. Edit the script. Once the script has been written down, look for weak parts. Does part of the script cause the story to go down a different path? Does the script include anything unnecessary e.g. details or repetitions? If there are parts that do not move the story along or explains, it should be taken out.
7. Show it to others. Get people who have different backgrounds and tastes to read it in order to have a range of different opinions. Ask for honestly and not flattery in order to improve the script further.
8. Go over you work as many times as needed. By going over it, you may spot mistakes or find out you want to add something to your script
Skylar Brady 