How To Write A Movie Script

Hi friends, This post is about how to write a movie script,writing a movie script is surely a challenging  task for any script writer or screenplay writer. Its not so easy to become a demanding scriptwriters unless and until you know who to build a film story in a gripping manner. You have an idea but u don't know how to make that into a full fledged film script. There we are, this post will help u to do so. There are specific rules to be followed to narrate a film story in a convening way at the same time in a gripping manner.This post illustrates about how a screenplay or script format look like, how to format a screenplay..what are the rules to be followed.

                    Before knowing all these things(screenwriting and how to build a story) i use to feel that writing a film story is pretty easy but once u start to write on can feel the difficulty in writing and formatting. there are so many things to remember while writing a screenplay are when u are developing a screenplay for a film to be gripping. From writing a rough draft to final draft it should travel through different phases. There are so many fundamentals to remember. Creation of a character, writing the background details of a character, Goal etc., many of them. I will try to present u the things and basics which i know till date. If this information helps some one i will be very happy. Because i have done so much of research and spent lots of time in searching relevant and needy things which are needed for a screen writer. My goal for this post is that it should give a basic idea to someone who is aspiring to know about screenplay writing. Also i wanna keep all the topics at a same place so it will be easy for the person who wanna know. I am not an expert in writing, am only sharing my views and i will be giving the links that will be helpful in creating a good screenplay. Hope u all like this. i will start from basics.

What Makes A Good Movie Script

What exactly makes a good story, what are the screenplay elements are totally defined below: Click Here


Points To Remember While Formatting A Script

• First think of a nice story

• The plot should be unique something different that make the viewer busy and should be hard to predict what will happen next. 

• Characterizations should be perfect. Before getting into story write the characters background so that u will have a clear cut idea about the character when u are writing a scene are a dialogue.

• Decide at begging itself about the main characters that make the script other small characters u can add in the middle.

• Think of a plot and do not deviate about what the ur plot is. U can add subplots.

• Before going into the screenplay writing,prepare a rough draft of complete story in 8 pages max 10. This is called as treatment of a film.

Types Of Film Treatment

These are the types of film treatments available. I will discuss in detail about this very topic in my upcoming posts.Pleas download the types of film treatments given here. And try to follow while you write your own treatment. Here are the links Film Treatment Type One, Film Treatment Type Two

•  Treatment is nothing but briefing the complete story in 8 pages are so.

• I will recommend you the 3 kind of treatment i.e dividing up method. Since it is unique. You will get a clear idea. Like what the concept of the film. what is the goal. What kind of Genre etc.,

• Always have less number of characters in the script. Because a good script will have less number of characters.

• This is all about threatment of a script. Godzilla and some more threatments are given in the above links for ur understanding for each method.

A treatment script can be useful to narrate if u don have time to format complete screenplay. This will give the listener a view about your story and what makes your story completely without dialogues and camera angles and description. In one word a rough presentation of your story with out dialogues and action.

After writing your treatment, u come to screenplay formatting:

What Is a Script

Screenplay is nothing but sequence of scenes which are placed in order which are discribed in details about what are the things happen in camera frame, and what the character speak(dialogues). The exact screenplay format looks like this. Script Treatment Type-3

• Always a film script will only last for 120 pages. It should not exceed 120 pages.

•  Number of pages will decide the length of the movie

• Usually a page can be filmed for a min length.

• When formatting the screenplay always use Courier font not (Courier New).

• Since Courier font is a type writing font and can be correctly used for screen time calculation.

These are the basic things to remember when u start a screenplay.

Elements Of Script Writing

Screenplay consists of 8 elements:

• Scene Heading

• Action

• Character Name

• Dialogue

• Parenthetical

• Extensions

• Transitions

• Shot 

Before describing the above elements the first thing that is need to know is the dimensions  to follow strictly.

• For scene heading,Action,Character Name,dialogue,extensions,etc., should have a Margin.

• For each and every element a prescribed  dimensions are given.

• Parenthetical is used when u need to specify some thing like when a character gets of bed he/she will be drowsy. So on the character's name right side down u will mention with a dowsy face,scary look etc., 

               This is an example for describing a parenthetical

                   FRANKIE

            (Wryly)

       Good Morning,Bluebird.

                   JULIE

              (sleepily)

       What? What time is it?

                    FRANKIE

               (getting out of bed)

       After six.You're gonna be late

       again and i don't want to hear

       it.

• Always characters name should be in CAPS

• Use 12 size font Only

• Courier font

 As i mentioned before there are particular dimension for every element so i am giving u the link below download and follow the dimensions. Script formatting rules

• The Above link defines the dimensions and rules to follow. But it is better to use screenplay software like Movieoutline,Final draft and Moviemagic etc.,

• These software's will have direct access for heading,character names everything ready. U can get full version of this softs in Hyd Sbc may be i don know. But trail versions are available on the net.

• Am using Movieoutline3 rite now.It is very useful.And i don know about final Draft and Moviemagic.

• I will give u the links for downloading trail versions of these Screenplay writing software's.

•  The first link would be  Movieoutline here it goes Movie Outline Software

• The Second Software would be Final draft here is the link  Final Draft Software

• You can download trail versions from these sites. 

Now coming to the main part of explaining the elements in screenplay. I cant explain in detail i will give a link of Pdf. Please download and read the description in detail.  Here is the link.elements of script writing

The above link gives u the complete idea of what are the elements of screenplay and y they are used.

Am ending this particular topic here. In my next post i will tell u about the transitions and shots angles etc., and also about the cinematography related topics. Thanks for reading..have fun.

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