How do you write a screenplay?

Answer 1

We made a short one in my Journalism class. It's much easier if you do the planning stages on paper.

First of all, decide what you want your screenplay to be about. Make up the characters and the setting.

Then, you should break it down into the main events that happen in the story.(You won't get anywhere if you try to make it up as you go along- believe me, I've tried!)

Once you have the main events, you can either make it more detailed, or just start writing.

When you do decide to start writing, make sure you write it a bit like a script.

Example:
BOB: Hi Joe, how are you?
JOE: Just fine, thanks.
(cut to scene 2)

If this is just for fun, you don't have to add a ton of details, but if you are more serious, you may consider adding more details to it, such as camera angles, lighting, etc.

Good Luck!

Answer 2

The best teacher is experience. Read some scripts. many are available for downloading. Get a feel for the format.

The format was developed so that one page of script would work out to approximately a minute of screen time. This helped a number of people in a number of departments but nobody more than the screenwriter. They need to have a sense of timing as well as story and character. Pace is a big part of good script versus bad.

If you're serious, drop me a line [e-mail]

If you get any books, stay away from Syd Field

Answer 3

buy the book: how to write a screenplay for dummies.no pun intended

Answer 4

Use a typewriter! Hahahahaha!!!

Really just set out the characters with descriptions and explain the story line/plot then begin to write it out with each characters name preceding the sentence.

Answer 5

There are actually scrips available online from different "fan" sites of various directors and writers. I would avoid "how-to" books, and the shooting scrips of Woody Allen (I like his scrips, just don't use them as a real image of scrips). Write what you know, and use real conversation language... unless you want it to turn into Star Wars or anything else god awful.