Getting a place in the world of film is very tempting, especially when you have a knack to write. If you have an idea for a good movie, you may want to turn into a script to get it to the big screen. But writing a script requires proper formatting and layouts, otherwise, the script will not be approved, and chance are, it won’t even be read. Here how you make and write a movie script to pave your way to the cinema:

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  1. A script, or a screenplay, is an outline of all the elements of the film – which include audio, visual, and dialogue. These tell the story through the movie. For this reason, you have to understand your script and explain in it what it is you are going to portray. All the visual and auditory aspects of the story have to be covered in it.

 

  1. Before getting down to write, order or download some scripts of famous movies. This will help in getting a feel on how the dialogues have to be written and how the characters develop.

 

  1. Sketch out the plot details then. You have to focus on your integral concept on doing this. Write down notes that will address these points.

 

  1. Create the outline of the story by beginning with a basic flow for your narrative. Keep the length of the script and film in mind as you write. A script should be 120-pages if it will be a 2-hour film. Condense the story within a 2-hour frame for it to be picked up.

 

  1. Write the story in three parts, or three acts. Act one is the set-up of your story, where the characters are introduced, the tone of the story is laid out (comedy, romance, thriller, etc.), and the protagonist and conflict that will drive the story. Act two is the story’s main portion, in which the obstacles faced by the protagonist are narrated. In Act three, the story will reach its resolution.

 

  1. Add the film sequences then. Sequences are the parts of the story that have a beginning, end and middle. Each sequence is 10-15 pages long.

 

  1. Begin writing the scenes then. A scene is one even of your movie. Each scene takes place in a specific location.

 

  1. You will then write the movie’s dialogues. This is a tough thing t write as each character will have a distinct mind-frame and way of speech. The dialogues have to move the story forward.

 

  1. Read and reread what you write. Remove unnecessary details and repetitions.

 

  1. Take your script around to friends and family and make them read it.

 

  1. Once thoroughly checked, write the script again in its proper format.

 

  • Use an 8.5 x 11 inch paper with 3-hole punch. The pages have to be numbered.
  • Write in the font “Courier 12 point”.
  • Write the scene heading starting with “INT.” or “EXT.”, then follow with a location and time of the day.
  • Keep all paragraphs short.
  • Before each dialogue, type the characters names in capitals.

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