What exactly is a screen play and how would i go about writing one?

Question

Me and my friend have a really good idea on a show we want to make but i just wanna no wat a screen play is and how i could write one?

Answer 1

If you want you can just sell the idea to an agent, though you will get more money for a script, even a poorly written one (not that I'm saying you won't write well I'm merely commenting on wage scales)

A screenplay is a story written in the format required to depict it correctly on film. This includes character and scene description, as well as a certain amount of direction. There is a specific layout format, and Courier font size12 is used. This layout is strict and designed for actors and directors to be able to read a script quickly, but also for timing e.g. a screenplay is 1 min of a film per page, so a 2 hour film will be 120 pages.

Today modern screenplays are written in a 3 Act formula, but there is also a sequential style. There is a specific pattern of events called Turning Points and Focus Points where certain types of events occur. This is so strict that many script readers just turn to specific pages in a script/screenplay to see what these points/events are!! Page 18 is the first key page that they will turn to. It's called the Inciting Incident, which is the thing that sets the course of events into motion that will make your film. (It's the reason why your hero does what they do.)

There are plots and subplots to think about, tone, setting, backstories for characters; it's quite complicated, but there are some good books that will help you learn about these things.

Screenwriting for Dummies

Scriptwriting For The Screen; Charlie Moritz

How To Write A Movie In 21 Days; Viki King

Advanced Screenwriting; Dr Linda Seger

Screenwriting The Sequential Approach; Paul Joseph Gulino

The latter is an excellent look at writing for film because it takes famous films and breaks them down into sequences of events and shows you how they build to make the whole film, but ultimately you can still see the 3 Act structure forming and I personally feel for a beginner it's a good way to start writing.

You could also benefit from a grammar book , as it is 'my friend and I' and I'm not being snooty these things will make the difference between a script being binned or read through.

You will also need to write a 'Treatment' which simply put is a summary of each scene in paragraphs, a 'written pitch' that will sell your story and make the agent want to read your script. This can be anything from 1 A4 side upwards, but they average at 4 sides. You can also use it to focus your idea and it will help show you any weaknesses or missing subplots in your script.

I hope this helps, I wish you well.