How To Write A Movie Script - Become A Screenwriter

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How To Write A Movie Script

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SUPER BONUS #2: Over 850 FULL MOVIE SCRIPTS!! - This is one AWESOME bonus. You'll receive hundreds of FULL scripts that went on to gross MILLIONS at the box office. Study them - and replicate their success. It's EASY - and WHAT a FANTASTIC FREEBIE! At just $1 a script, the collection is still worth $887!

How To Write A Movie Script

Writing is lonely work. And after months or even years on a project, it's easy to lose perspective. At some point, a writer needs feedback from a trusted source, either to affirm that your story is finished, or to help you find your way through to the end. If you have industry professionals in your circle of readers, you are a step ahead. But most writers, if they really want professional feedback, will need to look to a script consultant.

Using a consultant, however, can be risky. With fees ranging from $150 to $2500, the experience can be expensive. More importantly, it can be risky creatively. If you don't find the right match, despite everyone's best intentions, you might end up more confused than when you started.

If you are thinking about a consultant, here are some ideas to help you have the best experience possible.

1. Be sure you're ready.

Most consultants offer different services for different needs. Some offer feedback on treatments or outlines, when you are still fleshing out your ideas. Some offer studio-type coverage, meant to be a professional assessment of where you are now, not necessarily with suggestions for improvement. I offer an service which includes notes and an assessment of where your work sits in the professional spectrum. Almost everyone offers an in-depth consultation, which includes detailed story notes on the page, written formal notes, and often a phone consultation.

So depending on what you are looking for, you will need to assess your "readiness" differently.

My own preference is to work with the finished product rather than outlines or incomplete scripts. I do this because I know how hard and lonely writing can be, and that breakthroughs often come at the lowest moments. I am also a believer in execution as part of the value of a screenplay, beyond just story. I like to see every aspect of the writer's talent fleshed out, and every aspect of the story explored to his or her best expression

Some consultants enjoy working with an outline or treatment, trying to catch big story problems early, or helping the writer set up a sound structure.

Still others like to be mentors, and be part of the ongoing process. My own process is slow and solitary, so I know this wouldn't work for me as a writer. But if you thrive on continued collaboration, this could be a great setup for you. I would only caution finding someone who absolutely respects your work and your vision, rather than imposing his or her own. Otherwise you could end up truly lost.

2. Understand the limits of what a consultant can do.

I often get queries from people who have a "really great idea" and want someone to "take it and run." If this is what you are looking for, you are not looking for a consultant. You are looking for a co-writer, or possibly someone to take over and give you story credit. I have to say that you are probably underestimating how very hard writing is. And if consultants could wave a magic wand and turn good ideas into great screenplays, we would probably do nothing else. Good story ideas are not that rare. Good, fully-executed stories are extremely rare.

What a good consultant can do is help you identify problems with your story, help you find your way out, help you, hopefully, with moments of inspiration, and give you tools to improve your overall writing. We might be able to tell you if the scope of your story feels like a movie, or if it feels like too many movies, or if it feels like a play. I am skeptical of people who think they know what is selling, or what will sell.

A consultant can also make a judgment about how close you are to where you want to be. This is of course subjective, but if you find a consultant who is experienced with produced screenplays, the assessment should be valid. A good consultant can tell you whether or not your script is at a professional level, even if they don't like it.

3. Unless you thrive on adversity, find a consultant who is known for constructive criticism.

I have heard horror stories about consultants who are just plain mean. And I strongly advise against anyone who focuses on the negative side of the business, the act of writing, their own treatment in Hollywood, the success rate of screenplays, or general futility.

This does not mean to avoid "tough" consultants. Tough notes are just what you'll get in the biz and you need to know how to take them. Read client testimonials and pay attention to exactly what they say. (For example, he is "tough but fair," as opposed to, "whew, that was a licking, but I guess I needed it!") Ask to see sample notes. And exchange a few emails or have a phone conversation with a consultant to gauge their style. I've been told that I'm tough but nurturing. Others use tough love. Some writers want very theoretical, structured feedback; others respond to more intuitive notes. Make sure you interview your consultant about all of these things.

4. Be skeptical of consultants who offer to "represent" or sell your work.

My biggest problem with consultants who offer this service is that I don't believe them. Honestly, I just don't see many scripts that are ready for the marketplace. And, if your script is that good, it will find its champion, and you won't need to pay someone to peddle it for you (your agent will do that, and you will get one).

I also have to tell you that a consultant's word is only worth so much. People know we are paid to look at your work. I have personal contacts who would read my recommendations, but I couldn't do it as a business. That is more the job of a manager, agent, or producer.

5. Find a consultant who knows what a produced script looks like, preferably as it has evolved through development.

A consultant should know what a greenlit first draft looks like, and what a production draft looks like, and everything in between. How else can they judge at what level you are writing? Look for someone who has been involved in development at different levels through producing, working with a studio, or working for a writer or director. Often writers insist that a weakness in their script can be overcome by a good actor or a director. This is not my experience in professional "first drafts." Those "first drafts" might be "fiftieth drafts" and while they may greatly change before production (or turnaround), they are intact, whole entities when they reach their first level of success.

6. Find someone who will communicate with you and allow you to ask questions.

Whether you prefer phone, email, texting, or whatever, make sure your consultant is available to you. Also, be clear about the parameters of the communication from the beginning. Often writers will need clarification on a note after they have digested it, or will want feedback on a new idea once they begin a rewrite. I encourage writers to email me with questions for as long as they like at no charge, but I always charge for phone consultations. Make you are clear about your consultant's policies.

If you are doing an in-depth consultation, I really believe in the phone conference. It allows a brainstorming process that cannot be done any other way. The phone allows both an intimacy and an immediacy that can surpass even face-to-face meetings.

7. Be clear about how they handle revisions.

If you have a positive experience with a consultant, you may want to send them a revised draft to "sign off on" (hopefully) or to rework with new notes. Different consultants conceive of this in different ways.

Personally, I find it difficult to offer discounts on revisions. I read screenplays very slowly, and I spend as much time on a revision as I do an original submission. I often go back and compare notes on the two drafts afterward, adding another step to my process. What I offer are two different services, one about half the cost of the other.

Other consultants offer varying discounts on revisions. In some cases, the initial consultation might be a little pricier, but subsequent drafts are more affordable. We all have different ways of reading, just as we have different ways of writing.

One thing to watch out for is sending your revision back too soon. This is especially challenging for writers who have more money than they do time. It is tempting to whip through the changes and get back into collaboration--anything but face the blank page! I feel you should give yourself time to make your own judgments before opening your work back up to another person.

8. Find out who they are as a reader.

Consider what kind of movie you have written, then ask questions of your consultant. Run your favorite movies by them, and see how they match up. I wouldn't insist on an exact match, but you want them to be honest and to be able to explain what they like.

Some people consider the gender of the reader, but I think it is more about taste and experience. While I firmly believe that I can identify good writing in any genre, there are some I just don't feel expert in. I wouldn't be the right person for a horror film, for example, because I have not seen enough of them, and so many horror films reference others in the genre. I also think comedy is a special case, and that you need to find someone who shares your sense of humor.

9. Be serious about your work.

I really believe that good consultants love writing, and are trying to help writers write great stories. For me, it is not only uninspiring but a little offensive to hear from a client that they are just trying to hack out an idea and sell it. As I said earlier, "ideas" are a dime a dozen. Staffs of underlings at agencies and production companies scour books, newspapers, the internet, their families, searching out ideas every day. An idea ultimately means nothing without execution. I would be wary of anyone who says they can help you shape an idea quickly, and make it "marketable."

That said, not everyone can be a great writer. Some people want to pursue their vision as far as they can, even if it is just f

As a writer, your dream on making it big in the entertainment industry is selling a script and making a movie out of it.

Movies are one of the best forms of entertainment in the world. Since the invention and advancement in movie technology, people were always fascinated on how a movie works.

One of the most important necessities to make a good movie is not the graphic effects you see. You have to know that there have been movies done without much special effects and still won awards and really entertained people.

You have to consider that fact that actors, directors, and even producers have been successful because of one thing. They have been successful because they had a good script to follow.

A script can mean the difference of making a complete movie disaster and also making it big and win awards. If you want to be a script writer, you have to make a movie script that will catch the attention of movie goers. It should be able to entertain the audience and should contain all the necessary things in a movie.

Script writing is not something that only a select few can do, it is something that a regular person with enough imagination can learn, apply and develop. There is even script writing schools available that can help you enhance your script writing skills.

The ever growing demand for movies has made a market for good scripts. If you like to write, you may want to consider writing a script. Script writing can truly be a very rewarding job. If you do it right, you can be sure that you can really make your dreams come true by just writing a script for a movie. If you are successful, you can be sure that you will be in constant demand by the movie industry.

All you need is to have a great sense of imagination, a computer, and a printer.

The first thing you need to do as a scriptwriter is that you should catch the audience's imagination early. Write a script that will play around with the audience's imagination. Once you have their attention, it will be much easier to continue with the script. Always make your audience wonder what's going to happen next.

A good script should get the audience involved as the story unfolds. For example, great heroes in the movies should inspire your audience, and villains should make the audience feel the need to jump onto the screen.

These are some of the things you should always remember when writing a script. At times, you may get stuck. This can be frustrating but getting stuck will mean that you made a mistake somewhere in the script. Review your script, edit it, and move on.

So, if you have a sense of imagination, you can write a perfect script. Who knows, maybe you can make it big in the movie industry. Maybe someday, you might even win an award for writing a great script for a movie.

Always remember that writing a script can also mean hard work. With patience, you will really see that all those hard work will pay off.

Whether you are writing a script for drama, action, comedy, or a thriller movie, you should always remember that the key to writing a good script is by capturing the audience's imagination.

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How To Write A Movie Script