How to Write a Screenplay

Richard Price, the writer of “Sea of Love,” the book and screenplay for “Freedomland” and others, said that a screenplay should have “a lot of white on the page.” It’s nothing like writing a short story or novel: it’s a whole different animal.

Instructions

Step1
First, read screenplays of movies that you like. There are a number of sites online that post screenplays (like www.script-o-rama.com). Go so far as reading the screenplay along with the movie. This might be a better education than reading a book about screenwriting.

Step2
This probably should go without saying: find a good story, something that hasn’t been told 1000 times before. However, mimicking a popular movie in the early going can help you get a hang of the process.

Step4
Outline—have some idea where the screenplay is going. Separate the screenplay into acts: Act one, act two, and act three. Also map out characters and theme ahead of time—it will help narrow your focus.

Step5
Include INT. and EXT. for interior and exterior. Like INT. OFFICE - DAY. Most new screenwriters forget this format. Have very short descriptions of the scene—with no camera direction—but not so much that it is dry. Instead of camera direction, include info that a director might use: for example, instead of “Close up on distraught woman,” write, “The woman is crying” (or something along those lines).