A Beginner's Guide to Scriptwriting Pt. 01

So you have a fantastic film idea that you are certain would take the industry and your audience by storm. All the pieces fall perfectly in your head and you have even made mental notes of the actors that would be great for the characters you have created.

As brilliant as your ideas might seem, your film crew cannot climb into your head to know what this masterpiece is, and so comes the scary part.

Scriptwriting.

A film script is what guides the whole filmmaking process. With a strong script, the director can visualize your film concept and recreate it accordingly, using a crew that is also guided by the script. The actors playing the stipulated characters know what to do, say, and effectively portray the personas you have created. During post-production, the editors are guided by the script and can make decisions that would best depict your story.

In other words, your film is nothing without a great script. And while you might want to ignore the proper steps and carry on without prior scriptwriting knowledge, understand that scriptwriting is quite technical and requires a certain degree of know-how to successfully execute.

Nothing is more daunting than a blank page, we’ve checked. If you are looking for how and where to start on a very strong script, here are some tips to help you out on your scriptwriting process;

First off, what is a script?

A script, otherwise known as a screenplay, is a written composition that portrays the movement, actions, and speech of characters in a film, television program, or other moving media.

It is the blueprint for the film and is unique in its storytelling format because it is meant to be both understood via written word and then translated into the visual and audio medium of film.

As a result, a screenplay is written in a very particular manner, with precisely defined features such as scene headers, action lines, and dialogue.

Before you actually start writing, you need to have done these steps;

1. Formulating the Idea

As we already discussed in the intro, the idea is the first and one of the important parts of scriptwriting. Before anything can be done, an idea has to first be formulated. Watch movies, read books and have conversations with people.

As a scriptwriter, you should have writing stationery with you as often as you possibly can because good ideas come when you least expect them. 

2. Research

One of the many setbacks in Nollywood is the lack of proper research. Writing scripts often takes time because the writers need to get all the facts and figures right. This is to properly sell their concept and idea to their audiences. 

You, of course, cannot be writing about a law firm and not speak to a practicing lawyer first. The last thing you want to do is cut corners and end up with a film that is turned into a comedy skit on Twitter. Talk to various professionals (people can shed more light on a character and bring new depth to the role), take time to study the locations you are interested in, and make use of the internet to find resources that could help your story. 

Then solidify your idea and document your findings before moving on to the next step.

3. Write a Logline

A Logline is also known as a brief summary. It is a description of your story in one or two sentences that introduces your protagonist (hero) and their purpose, as well as your adversary (villain) and the conflict they face. The core idea of your story and its overall theme should also be stated in your logline. It is an opportunity to explain what the story is about, its style, and how it makes the spectator feel.

In previous times, loglines were printed on the spine of the script. This was done so that producers could take a fast look and determine whether or not they wanted to read the entire screenplay. While it is not done that way anymore, a logline should typically accomplish the same goal.

4. Creating your World

This is possibly the most fun part of scriptwriting. Creating your world, or ‘world building’ is simply as it sounds, creating or building your film world.

Whether you are writing for a movie set in fictional Lagos where cars fly or writing for a series set in an actual remote village in Abia State, you need to build your world.

You have to imagine your world in vivid detail. Even if you are not making a world far from reality, you still need to strategically plan and place each of the factors. Factors such as;

1. History - Where did they come from? Where did their ancestors come from or do that could affect the story or give it depth?

2. Fashion - What do they wear? What is the significance of their fashion? Hunger Games had clear outfits for the different factions and so one could easily recognize those from the Capitol.

3. Architecture - What sort of buildings do they have and live in?

4. Technology - Do they use phones? Flying cars? Do they have TVs? Robots?

5. Politics - What is the government like? How do they change leaders or choose them?

6. Language - What do they speak? Is it a fictional language or something actual? 

7. Nature - What do they have around them? Trees? Streams? What is the climate like and how does it affect the story? 

8. Food - What is an ideal meal for your characters? How do they cook it? Do they have particular meals that are forbidden or poisonous?

9. Culture - How do they greet each other? How do they get married? What are the traditions that they practice? What are their beliefs?

10. Religion - Who or what do they worship? Is there a religion that is frowned upon?

A great example of world-building is Game of Thrones, a completely fictional world created that included the Dothraki language, geography of the Seven Kingdoms, and various cultures. You see that the outfits are suited for the setting of the show and differ with each geographical zone in the movie. The social values are different and there is clear class stratification. Everything was purposely and painstakingly put together to make the masterpiece. 

This is a step that requires patience, so be sure to give it your best.

5. Characters

You need a main character first. Who is the person the whole story revolves around? Looking at the films already on screens, the main character always wants something or has something the antagonist wants, and then goes on a full quest to get it. 

In the Hunger Games Trilogy, Katniss just wanted to protect her mom and sister and so the whole trilogy was built around that alone. As simple as it may seem, it influenced everything else in the three movies. 

Once you can figure out who the main character is, what they want, and how they go about getting it, you have your guide to writing the entire story. You would know how to create the plot and add obstacles that the main character would face, along with the decisions they would have to make and how it would affect the story progression. 

Of course, characterization would not be complete without other supporting characters. Once you have decided who your main character is and what he/she wants, repeat for the other important character. What do the other players want and how do they go about getting it? How are they connected to the main character and contribute to his/her quest? What does the main character want from them?

6. Write a Treatment

A treatment is a longer summary that contains the title of your screenplay, the logline, a list of your primary characters, and a synopsis. A treatment is a good thing to present to producers since it may help them determine whether or not they want to read your full script. Above all, your treatment must contain your name and contact information.

Your summary should provide a clear picture of your story, including key "beats" (events) and narrative twists. It should also introduce your characters as well as the story's overall tone. Anyone who reads it should understand enough about your characters to develop a bond with them and want to know what happens to them.

This step of the writing process allows you to take a look at the entire plot and get a sense of how it will be read on paper. Before you start writing the finer details of each scenario, you'll undoubtedly notice some aspects that work and others sections that require a little refining.

7. Plot

This is the essence of your story and so, it needs to be treated very carefully. To better write a plot, one needs to follow a structure. And while there is no 1+1=2 to creating plots, certain elements have to be present to make it a cohesive whole.

According to Write Better Scripts, these elements are;

• Beginning – Everything from the moment the film/episode starts and up to the inciting incident.

• Inciting incident – An event that sets the story in motion. The inciting incident HAS to have a significant effect on the hero.

• First turning point – The hero starts the journey and deals with the new situation caused by the inciting incident.

• Call to action – The hero’s goal gets more specific.

• Point of no return – At the midpoint of the story, the hero will have to risk everything.

• All is lost – Complications and great danger. The hero will have to rise to the occasion and find new inner strength.

• Second turning point – Change in direction. Stakes are higher. The hero has one last shot at redemption.

• Climax – The goal is met, the problem is resolved actively by the hero. The hero succeeds or fails irreversibly. (In a TV episode, that may not be the case).

• The end – The film/episode/season ends.

Now that you have the pre-scripting phase done, you can now proceed to write the actual script.

In part two of the “Beginner’s Guide to Scriptwriting”, the technical aspect of scriptwriting would be treated in-depth.