3 Secrets You Need to Know Before Writing Your Script
by Pola Productions
So here's 3 secrets writers don't teach very often.
I have no idea why -- especially since these 3 secrets are powerful tools to help you complete your script.
Maybe it's because these secrets aren't exciting enough. Maybe it's because writers are not really sure HOW to teach it. They just discovered it and aren't sure how to reproduce it.
Or maybe it's because they've never been able to do it for themselves in the first place.
Would you like to know what I'm talking about?
I'm talking about making the challenging process of screenwriting more manageable.
Yes, the "professionals" talk all day long about how to write your script... but they rarely tell you the 3 important steps you need to take to get started.
Completing a script is SO much more than just writing a draft that develops into a movie for the big screen. It's a challenging process that involves technical expertise and industry secrets.
Would you like know the other secrets no one else is telling you? Well, I have 3 of them:
1. Secret #1: Create a captivating logline
A logline is a sentence that summarizes or describes the movie in one sentence. It includes the main aspects of your screenplay including the exposition, main character, villain, conflict and plot plots. Make sure you create a captivating logline that compels the reader to read your entire script from beginning to the end.
2. Secret #2: Know your character's purpose
There are three type of characters in every script: Lead Characters, Supporting Characters and Minor Characters. These three characters serve very different purposes. You must determine what your characters intend to accomplish in your story and define their role in your script.
Lead Characters appear in almost all of the scenes and advance the plot. They have a complicated background and a three-dimensional personality.
Supporting Characters assist or frustrate the Lead Character. They pop up several times throughout the story and have short backstories.
Minor Characters play a brief role in the script. They may perform a slight action or engage in small talk with the other characters. They generally do not have a backstory, however you should write one or two sentences describing their main characteristics. Although the story can continue without the Minor Characters, they are still essential. The minor character functions to expose some of the important qualities of the main character in a manner that is both dramatic and fascinating.
Once you understand your character's purpose, include specific qualities and characteristics in the action and dialogue that exemplify how your characters will achieve their goals as they engage with the other characters types.
3. Secret #3: Create an outline
Create an outline for your script by jotting down the main events of your script in a natural sequence. Every event should be one brief sentence that answers the Major Dramatic Question or the "why" behind your story. The events should not only convey the central theme of the your script, but also frame your main plotline and connect your audience to the story. Additionally, the events should follow the typical the three-act film structure, which includes a setup, confrontation, and resolution.
There are several ways to create a blueprint for your script. You can write a traditional outline format over one or two pages. You can build a storyboard or graphic representation of how your story will unravel shot by shot. Within your storyboard, utilize a variety of illustrative squares to represent your shots, add notes to describe what is occurring in the shots and sprinkle bits of dialogue to express the characters in the scenes. You can write key events on index cards or post-it notes to affix to a bulletin board to make it easier to view and sort the scenes. You can also create a screenwriting beat sheet that outlines your entire story from the first shot to the closing image. By enumerating the key plot points and character arcs of your story, you'll make your writing process so much easier!
Final Thoughts
Before you tackle your first draft, be sure to follow these 3 Secrets to ensure your writing journey is more enjoyable and to aid you with completing your screenplay more quickly.