Scriptwriting

Seems I've been asked by a lot of people lately for advice on getting into movies, how to get started, scripts, shooting, etc. So this blog will be a little taste about how I approach scriptwriting. I might also soon put together a DVD on "How to Greenlight Yourself."

For me, I have found the best way to approach a script is to extensively outline. I start with a very broad brush... Roman numeral I, II and III. These are the three acts. I write a one sentence description. For instance, if I were writing Star Wars, it might look like this:
I. Luke accepts a mission to go with Old Ben.
II. Darth Vader and the Empire try to stop them.
III. Luke succeeds in blowing up the Death Star.

Then I go deeper. I start writing sequences inside of each act. Again, as an example, the first sequence in Star Wars might read: A rebel spacecraft is attacked in an effort to recover stolen battle plans.

Then deeper still, I begin to list the individual scenes. EXT. SPACE A rebel spaceship is attack by Imperial starcruiser.

An average drama might have 100 to 130 scenes. Action films might come close to 200. So I might have 70 to 80 scenes outlined before actual scriptwriting begins.

I use Movie Magic Storyview for Outlining. I use Final Draft for scriptwriting.

My preferred atmosphere for writing is a noisy environment. So I like to go camp out at a restaurant for half a day. I might write five pages. On a big day, as many as twenty. I spend less time writing the first draft than the outline. But I spend months re-writing.

When I first started writing, I started a lot of stories and never got past page 20. I'd stop and read what I wrote and get discouraged and quit. I've learned that the real writing is in the re-writing.

Anyway, that's how I do it. But everyone is different and you need to find what works best for you. My wife needs total silence to write. I can't write in total silence. To each their own.