So you want to write a screenplay... How do you begin?

LEARN THE BASICS
To get started, we highly recommend reading through this crash course guide to screenwriting below by David Griffith. If you don't have time to read the whole thing, focus on the "Getting Started" section.
To get started, we highly recommend reading through this crash course guide to screenwriting below by David Griffith. If you don't have time to read the whole thing, focus on the "Getting Started" section.
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Another good resource is Introduction to Screenwriting from The Script Lab or this formatting guide from The Writers Store.
SOFTWARE:
It's important to format your screenplay correctly. It is possible to do this in an ordinary document, but very difficult and time-consuming. For a better experience, we recommend using a script formatting software to write your screenplay. We love CELTX-- You can use the software for free online or download the desktop version from the Apple store for $20: https://www.celtx.com/index.html.
READ SCRIPTS:
The tough thing about screenwriting is that most kids have never read a movie script! Get familiar with the format and how dialogue and action is written by writing screenplays or teleplays (television shows). You can find scripts at Simply Scripts or just try googling the movie with screenplay pdf after it. Try not to read transcripts-- these are usually transcribed from movies by fans and are not the actual script, nor are they in proper format. A great exercise is to read a script along with the movie-- read a page, then watch that part of the movie, pause the movie, read the next page, etc. This is a wonderful exercise to see how a screenplay transfers to the movie screen.
SCREENWRITING BLOGS:
Another great resource is screenwriting blogs. We especially love John August's blog. Here's a full list from the New York Film Academy of the best screenwriting blogs. If you are having trouble with a particular thing, these blogs are great places to find the answers to those problems.
SOFTWARE:
It's important to format your screenplay correctly. It is possible to do this in an ordinary document, but very difficult and time-consuming. For a better experience, we recommend using a script formatting software to write your screenplay. We love CELTX-- You can use the software for free online or download the desktop version from the Apple store for $20: https://www.celtx.com/index.html.
READ SCRIPTS:
The tough thing about screenwriting is that most kids have never read a movie script! Get familiar with the format and how dialogue and action is written by writing screenplays or teleplays (television shows). You can find scripts at Simply Scripts or just try googling the movie with screenplay pdf after it. Try not to read transcripts-- these are usually transcribed from movies by fans and are not the actual script, nor are they in proper format. A great exercise is to read a script along with the movie-- read a page, then watch that part of the movie, pause the movie, read the next page, etc. This is a wonderful exercise to see how a screenplay transfers to the movie screen.
SCREENWRITING BLOGS:
Another great resource is screenwriting blogs. We especially love John August's blog. Here's a full list from the New York Film Academy of the best screenwriting blogs. If you are having trouble with a particular thing, these blogs are great places to find the answers to those problems.

COME UP WITH A CONCEPT
First, go to your library and order the book Save the Cat by Blake Snyder. You'll thank us--we promise.
If you're having trouble coming up with ideas, here are a couple ways to get your imagination going (some brainstormers are borrowed from Save the Cat).
BRAINSTORMER #1:
________ meets _________. Try combining two different movies and think about what that plot could be. For example, Home Alone meets Jurassic Park. Or Pitch Perfect meets The Hunger Games (singing competition to the death). You can also take a funny movie, and reimagine it as a drama or take a serious movie and reimagine it as a comedy.
BRAINSTORMER #2:
______ school. Name a few examples of an interesting kind of school or camp. For example; Dad School, Assassin School, Superhero School-- you get the picture. Could be a comedy or drama.
BRAINSTORMER #3:
Name five places you haven't seen an FBI agent go to solve a crime in the movies. This also works for spies. For example; a daycare, a TV studio, a yoga class, etc.
Another good place for inspiration is your own life. Have you met an interesting person that would be a perfect character in your script? Anything weird, funny or scary happen to you? Even if you don't have a use for it now, write it down! You may want to use that experience later on. Get in the habit of writing down any ideas that come to you. Start a notebook or document of "Story Ideas".
Once you have an idea for the script, begin planning out the basics of the plot-line. Create a main character with a strong motivation and think about what obstacles would be in his/her way. Think about these questions as well:
What is the genre of your script? (drama, comedy, action, etc.)
Who is the audience? (kids? families? teens?)
Where does the story take place? (location, time period)
How many pages do I need to tell this story? (1 page = about 1 minute of screen-time)
How many characters do I need?
What are some interesting locations that scenes could take place?
First, go to your library and order the book Save the Cat by Blake Snyder. You'll thank us--we promise.
If you're having trouble coming up with ideas, here are a couple ways to get your imagination going (some brainstormers are borrowed from Save the Cat).
BRAINSTORMER #1:
________ meets _________. Try combining two different movies and think about what that plot could be. For example, Home Alone meets Jurassic Park. Or Pitch Perfect meets The Hunger Games (singing competition to the death). You can also take a funny movie, and reimagine it as a drama or take a serious movie and reimagine it as a comedy.
BRAINSTORMER #2:
______ school. Name a few examples of an interesting kind of school or camp. For example; Dad School, Assassin School, Superhero School-- you get the picture. Could be a comedy or drama.
BRAINSTORMER #3:
Name five places you haven't seen an FBI agent go to solve a crime in the movies. This also works for spies. For example; a daycare, a TV studio, a yoga class, etc.
Another good place for inspiration is your own life. Have you met an interesting person that would be a perfect character in your script? Anything weird, funny or scary happen to you? Even if you don't have a use for it now, write it down! You may want to use that experience later on. Get in the habit of writing down any ideas that come to you. Start a notebook or document of "Story Ideas".
Once you have an idea for the script, begin planning out the basics of the plot-line. Create a main character with a strong motivation and think about what obstacles would be in his/her way. Think about these questions as well:
What is the genre of your script? (drama, comedy, action, etc.)
Who is the audience? (kids? families? teens?)
Where does the story take place? (location, time period)
How many pages do I need to tell this story? (1 page = about 1 minute of screen-time)
How many characters do I need?
What are some interesting locations that scenes could take place?

WRITE THE LOGLINE
Once you have your story idea you should write a logline A logline is a short (usually one sentence) description of your script that is concise, compelling, and leaves the audience/reader with a good picture in their mind of what the movie would be. Loglines are used to pitch scripts in Hollywood, but they are also extremely helpful to have down even before you sit down and begin writing your script. Writing the logline will help you lay out the most important aspects of your story and make sure you have the basics of your plot planned out. Read pages 12-13 on loglines in the Screenwriting Crash Course from step one and watch the short video below from The Script Lab on How to Write a Logline:
Once you have your story idea you should write a logline A logline is a short (usually one sentence) description of your script that is concise, compelling, and leaves the audience/reader with a good picture in their mind of what the movie would be. Loglines are used to pitch scripts in Hollywood, but they are also extremely helpful to have down even before you sit down and begin writing your script. Writing the logline will help you lay out the most important aspects of your story and make sure you have the basics of your plot planned out. Read pages 12-13 on loglines in the Screenwriting Crash Course from step one and watch the short video below from The Script Lab on How to Write a Logline:

START WRITING!
You can plan out every aspect of your script forever, but sometimes the best thing to do is just begin writing!
HOW TO WRITE A SCENE
The following steps are from a lesson plan by Mensa for Kids. For the full guide click here.
SETTING THE SCENE
Now that you’ve got your document formatted, you’re ready to write. You will write in scenes. Scenes are pieces of the whole movie. Each scene has to establish who is in the scene, where it is, when it is, and what is happening. What is happening is very important. There needs to be something happening in each scene. At the end of every scene, you should be able to answer the question “So what?” with a response showing why that scene is important to the overall movie.
THE SCENE HEADING
First you need to give the scene heading. This tells where the action is taking place and what time it is, as well as other information the director and actors need to know to make it come out the way you, the writer, envision it.
Type the scene heading left aligned. Left aligned means that the letters start at the far left of the page, just like in this paragraph. Use all capital letters. First, you have to say if the scene is to be shot inside (interior, abbreviated “INT”) or outside (exterior, abbreviated “EXT”). Next, put a hyphen in and give the location. Is the action taking place in a house, at an amusement park, in a library?
Here are some examples:
INT. BASEMENT – MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT
EXT. BEACH – EARLY DAWN
EXT. MALL PARKING LOT – LATE AFTERNOON
ADDING ACTION
You’re ready to write the action now. When we’re writing a screenplay, we use what is called the literary present tense. That means that we write as though whatever is happening in the scene is happening right now. We write in the present tense only and always. The first time you mention a character’s name, put that name all in CAPITALS. Also put anything that makes a sound in caps. That lets script readers easily see who’s there and what’s going on.
Here’s an example:
INT. BASEMENT – MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT
Dim light filters through high, narrow windows. Children lie sprawled asleep on filthy mattresses on the bare floor. KAREN DIAMOND, 25, is awake, sitting on the lowest step of the wooden staircase with her face in her hands. FOOTSTEPS are heard from the floor above.
ADDING CHARACTERS
Now that you’ve brought your character into the scene, you probably will want the character to speak. There are some rules for that. The character has to be introduced. You introduce the character by indenting his or her name 4.2 inches from the left edge of the paper.
Here’s what we’ve got so far:
INT. BASEMENT – MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT
Dim light filters through high, narrow windows. Children lie sprawled asleep on filthy mattresses on the bare floor. KAREN DIAMOND, 25, is awake, sitting on the lowest step of the wooden staircase with her face in her hands. FOOTSTEPS are heard from the floor above.
KAREN
ADDING DIALOGUE
Now that she’s been introduced, the character can talk! Talking in a movie is called dialogue. Dialogue uses different margins. It should go from 3 inches from the left edge of the paper to 2.5 inches from the right edge.
Example:
INT. BASEMENT – MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT
Dim light filters through high, narrow windows. Children lie sprawled asleep on filthy mattresses on the bare floor. KAREN DIAMOND, 25, is awake, sitting on the lowest step of the wooden staircase with her face in her hands. FOOTSTEPS are heard from the floor above.
KAREN
What am I going to do with all these kids?
Where are we going to go? How are we going
to get out of here alive?
You as the writer may have an idea of how something should be said or some action that needs to be taking place at the same time. This is called a “parenthetical” because you put it in parentheses.
Example:
INT. BASEMENT – MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT
Dim light filters through high, narrow windows. Children lie sprawled asleep on filthy mattresses on the bare floor. KAREN DIAMOND, 25, is awake, sitting on the lowest step of the wooden staircase with her face in her hands. FOOTSTEPS are heard from the floor above.
KAREN
(sighing)
What am I going to do with all these kids?
Where are we going to go? How are we going
to get out of here alive?
You might want your character to move while he/she is talking. To do that, you put the action in, and then you have to introduce your character all over again. You use this (CONT’D) after the name to show that the dialogue continues through the action.
For example:
KAREN
(sighing)
What am I going to do with all these kids?
Where are we going to go? How are we going
to get out of here alive?
Getting up from the steps, Karen walks over to one of the windows and stares out of it.
KAREN (CONT’D)
There’s got to be a way out of here.
This alley has to lead somewhere.
This shows that while she is getting up and looking out of the window, she is still talking.
VOICEOVERS
Sometimes you may want your character to talk in a different way than straight dialogue. Maybe you want the action to continue while the character isn’t in the scene, but you can still hear his/her voice. This is called “voiceover” and is abbreviated “V.O.” Maybe you want the character to be out of range of the camera, but still participating in the scene. This is called “off-screen” and is abbreviated “O.S.”
You show this the same way as you did (CONT’D) by putting an abbreviation to the right of the character’s name.
For example:
KAREN (V.O.)
Impossible as it seemed, I knew then
that our only hope lay down that dark
alley.
The “V.O.” shows the director and actor that the audience will hear her voice, but on the screen her lips won’t be moving.
KEEPING THE BEAT
If you want your character to pause between sentences or phrases, type in the word “beat” like you would a regular parenthetical.
Example:
KAREN (V.O.)
I knew then that our only hope lay down
that dark alley, as impossible as it seemed.
(beat)
And yet I knew deep down that everything
to this point had also been impossible.
And that's your basic guide to how to write a scene. For more formatting techniques, refer to the full Mensa for Kids guide here.
Make sure to also follow us on Facebook and Twitter and subscribe to the FYP blog for more screenwriting related posts!
You can plan out every aspect of your script forever, but sometimes the best thing to do is just begin writing!
HOW TO WRITE A SCENE
The following steps are from a lesson plan by Mensa for Kids. For the full guide click here.
SETTING THE SCENE
Now that you’ve got your document formatted, you’re ready to write. You will write in scenes. Scenes are pieces of the whole movie. Each scene has to establish who is in the scene, where it is, when it is, and what is happening. What is happening is very important. There needs to be something happening in each scene. At the end of every scene, you should be able to answer the question “So what?” with a response showing why that scene is important to the overall movie.
THE SCENE HEADING
First you need to give the scene heading. This tells where the action is taking place and what time it is, as well as other information the director and actors need to know to make it come out the way you, the writer, envision it.
Type the scene heading left aligned. Left aligned means that the letters start at the far left of the page, just like in this paragraph. Use all capital letters. First, you have to say if the scene is to be shot inside (interior, abbreviated “INT”) or outside (exterior, abbreviated “EXT”). Next, put a hyphen in and give the location. Is the action taking place in a house, at an amusement park, in a library?
Here are some examples:
INT. BASEMENT – MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT
EXT. BEACH – EARLY DAWN
EXT. MALL PARKING LOT – LATE AFTERNOON
ADDING ACTION
You’re ready to write the action now. When we’re writing a screenplay, we use what is called the literary present tense. That means that we write as though whatever is happening in the scene is happening right now. We write in the present tense only and always. The first time you mention a character’s name, put that name all in CAPITALS. Also put anything that makes a sound in caps. That lets script readers easily see who’s there and what’s going on.
Here’s an example:
INT. BASEMENT – MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT
Dim light filters through high, narrow windows. Children lie sprawled asleep on filthy mattresses on the bare floor. KAREN DIAMOND, 25, is awake, sitting on the lowest step of the wooden staircase with her face in her hands. FOOTSTEPS are heard from the floor above.
ADDING CHARACTERS
Now that you’ve brought your character into the scene, you probably will want the character to speak. There are some rules for that. The character has to be introduced. You introduce the character by indenting his or her name 4.2 inches from the left edge of the paper.
Here’s what we’ve got so far:
INT. BASEMENT – MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT
Dim light filters through high, narrow windows. Children lie sprawled asleep on filthy mattresses on the bare floor. KAREN DIAMOND, 25, is awake, sitting on the lowest step of the wooden staircase with her face in her hands. FOOTSTEPS are heard from the floor above.
KAREN
ADDING DIALOGUE
Now that she’s been introduced, the character can talk! Talking in a movie is called dialogue. Dialogue uses different margins. It should go from 3 inches from the left edge of the paper to 2.5 inches from the right edge.
Example:
INT. BASEMENT – MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT
Dim light filters through high, narrow windows. Children lie sprawled asleep on filthy mattresses on the bare floor. KAREN DIAMOND, 25, is awake, sitting on the lowest step of the wooden staircase with her face in her hands. FOOTSTEPS are heard from the floor above.
KAREN
What am I going to do with all these kids?
Where are we going to go? How are we going
to get out of here alive?
You as the writer may have an idea of how something should be said or some action that needs to be taking place at the same time. This is called a “parenthetical” because you put it in parentheses.
Example:
INT. BASEMENT – MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT
Dim light filters through high, narrow windows. Children lie sprawled asleep on filthy mattresses on the bare floor. KAREN DIAMOND, 25, is awake, sitting on the lowest step of the wooden staircase with her face in her hands. FOOTSTEPS are heard from the floor above.
KAREN
(sighing)
What am I going to do with all these kids?
Where are we going to go? How are we going
to get out of here alive?
You might want your character to move while he/she is talking. To do that, you put the action in, and then you have to introduce your character all over again. You use this (CONT’D) after the name to show that the dialogue continues through the action.
For example:
KAREN
(sighing)
What am I going to do with all these kids?
Where are we going to go? How are we going
to get out of here alive?
Getting up from the steps, Karen walks over to one of the windows and stares out of it.
KAREN (CONT’D)
There’s got to be a way out of here.
This alley has to lead somewhere.
This shows that while she is getting up and looking out of the window, she is still talking.
VOICEOVERS
Sometimes you may want your character to talk in a different way than straight dialogue. Maybe you want the action to continue while the character isn’t in the scene, but you can still hear his/her voice. This is called “voiceover” and is abbreviated “V.O.” Maybe you want the character to be out of range of the camera, but still participating in the scene. This is called “off-screen” and is abbreviated “O.S.”
You show this the same way as you did (CONT’D) by putting an abbreviation to the right of the character’s name.
For example:
KAREN (V.O.)
Impossible as it seemed, I knew then
that our only hope lay down that dark
alley.
The “V.O.” shows the director and actor that the audience will hear her voice, but on the screen her lips won’t be moving.
KEEPING THE BEAT
If you want your character to pause between sentences or phrases, type in the word “beat” like you would a regular parenthetical.
Example:
KAREN (V.O.)
I knew then that our only hope lay down
that dark alley, as impossible as it seemed.
(beat)
And yet I knew deep down that everything
to this point had also been impossible.
And that's your basic guide to how to write a scene. For more formatting techniques, refer to the full Mensa for Kids guide here.
Make sure to also follow us on Facebook and Twitter and subscribe to the FYP blog for more screenwriting related posts!