It took me a long time to arrive at the conclusion that I wanted to be a screenwriter. I started out wanting to be a doctor, than a marine biologist, than a journalist…well you know how kids are. Now that I am a full-fledged screenwriter, there are certain things I do to help myself along the way during a project. Here are ten tips I use that can possibly help you get started:
1. Write every day.
When I say “every day” I really do mean every day. Record your dreams, write a blog post, jot down a grocery list, it doesn’t matter. But you must write every day because it’s the only way you’ll ever become disciplined.
2. Read screenplays.
This may seem like a given, but you’d be surprised at how many people don’t do this. There are plenty of websites that have copies of thousands of screenplays for FREE. (My particular favorite is Script-o-Rama.) By reading other screenplays you can learn about format, genre, and how to develop your own style. (And yes, each screenwriter has his or her own writing style just like any novelist.)
3. Watch a lot of movies.
Duh!
4. Watch a lot of movies with the sound off.
Seriously, try it. And then try to describe what’s going on. (It’s how I learned to write good action.)
5. Read lots of fiction.
Did you know that the modern day screenplay format was developed from Victorian novels? Yes indeed. Plus, there are many “adaptations,” or movies based on books or some other format made every year. Harry Potter anyone?
6. Go people-watching.
This isn’t an excuse to Facebook stalk, but I can’t tell you how many characters I’ve developed from watching some weirdo in West Hollywood. Movies are about life, go live it.
7. Watch the box office.
I don’t believe in spending months working on something that I can’t make any money off of. Maybe when I have a few million in the bank I will, but at this point in my career it’s just not an option. By watching what’s at the box office, you can see what’s making money, what isn’t, and what hasn’t been made in a while.
8. Create that circle of friends.
I have about two or three people in my life who I completely trust when it comes to my work. If I bounce an idea off of them and they look at me with a Scooby Doo face, I know I need to go “back into the lab” and work on that idea some more until it makes sense. It’s a great asset to have some friends who are just as obsessed with movies as you are.
9. Work on multiple projects at one time.
This is something that may not work for everyone, but I find that when I get bored or stuck with one screenplay, I can jump to another one to give my brain a rest. And I usually find that an idea for the first screenplay will come to me as I’m working on the second one.
10. Get your rest, work out, and eat healthy. (And pray, pray, pray!)
This tip may seem random, but the mind is an organ. If the mind is not healthy, how do you expect it to create anything? And keep your spirituality in order. If God and I are out of touch, I find that it’s near impossible to work.
Finally, relax and be patient. It takes a lot of hard work to write a screenplay. And once you finish one draft you’re going to have to write another. I had a professor who once had to rewrite a screenplay 12 times before the studio would buy it from him. 12 times? I call that dedication. I call that screenwriting!
Pax Christi, Rebecca.
(www.catholicinfilmschool.stblogs.com)
The critically acclaimed, pro-life film Bella was released on DVD several months ago. Netflix has made the movie available for instant viewing on their web site for all of its subscribers. Currently, the film is the eighth most watched out of thousands of films available for instant viewing. If you have Netflix, this is a great way to show the film to others. That is if you can actually stand to sit in front of a computer monitor and watch an entire movie.
