If I were to write a screenplay for a civil war story, where should I begin?

Question

Recently I peformed a choral piece called, "A Procession Winding Around Me" (by Jefferey Van) based off of Walt Whitman's poems of the Civil War. I got to thinking that it could create a great soundtrack to a movie, now all I need is a story. Any ideas as to how I could go about getting one? Or can anyone tell me what it would take to actually make a good movie like this?

Answer 1

A fabulous story needs to be told of the man who probably decided the fate of the Civil War if you concur that Gettysburg was the turning point.  That man endeavored to secure for the North, the strategic high ground in anticipation of the ensuing battle at Gettysburg.  That man had kin who were noteworthy officers on both sides, Union and Confederate.  The character was played by Sam Elliott in the movie Gettysburg.  The man was Major General John Buford, Jr.

His family had a long military tradition. John Jr.'s grandfather, Colonel Abraham Buford (of the Waxhaw Massacre) and great uncle served in Virginia regiments during the American Revolutionary War. His half brother, Napoleon Bonaparte Buford, would become a major general in the Union Army. His cousin, Abraham Buford, would become a Cavalry brigadier general in the Confederate States Army. John Jr. attended Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, for one year. He graduated in the 1848 class of the United States Military Academy and was commissioned a brevet second lieutenant in the 1st U.S. Dragoons, transferring the next year to the 2nd U.S. Dragoons. He served in Texas and the Southwest, fought against the Sioux, served on peacekeeping duty in Bleeding Kansas, and in the Utah War in 1858. He was stationed at Fort Crittenden, Utah, from 1859 to 1861.

Answer 2

I hate to rain on your parade, but it just ain't that simple.

To start with, the person that writes the screenplay generally has NOTHING to do with the soundtrack - that's someone else's job altogether.

Second, you can't just sit down and write a selling screenplay. Just like you can't just sit down and play a complex piano piece. It takes a lot of study and practice, and a lot of time.

SO:

If it's music you're really into, why not work towards a job composing?

If it's writing you're really into, google 'write screenplay', read some websites, get some how-to books, and start practising. It's really fun writing movies - my favourite medium!

OR

If you just wanna have a bit of fun, get together with some like-minded people and a camera and try making your own film! It'll be difficult to make it good at first but practice makes perfect, and you can have complete control over the soundtrack! : D

Really hope this helps.

Answer 3

You have to pick a direction, the whole war in general, a specific battle, or the personal lives involved. Then, you can add elements of one of the others for a subplot. Say you target a specific battle, go into detail about the times, places, activities, injuries, all the glorious things of war. Then add focus to a few people, perhaps two brothers, one on each side, for personal touch and sub plot.