LOG LINE:
Anyone can write a good screenplay, as long as they follow the proper format.
CHARACTER BACKSTORY:
When Vivienne first stepped into her film production class in freshman year of high school, she had no idea that writing scripts would be part of the curriculum. Vivienne attends a very unconventional school that allows students to specialize in a specific sector of film and video production in junior year, including directing, operating cameras, operating lights, production design, hair and makeup, and editing. Screenwriting is not one of these sectors, so she didn’t fully realize the importance of it until she started having to write her own screenplays for all of her freshman and sophomore year projects.
At the beginning of freshman year, she learned the fundamentals of the screenwriting process and still uses those skills when developing more complicated scripts for her projects. Her first few screenplays were just one scene centered around one character, but now they have complex dialogues, multiple scenes and slug lines, as well as many different characters with different personalities and backstories.
SCREENPLAY:
SCENE 1
INT. FILM SCHOOL – DAY
ANONYMOUS NARRATOR
Many people think of movie and television scripts as just a tool for actors to use to practice their lines, and while this is usually their main purpose, screenplay writing itself is considered a style of art and a form of storytelling.
Screenplays are the foundation of all movies, television shows, and plays, so it is critical that they are written with care and consistency.
VIVIENNE, a short, studious teenager with brown hair and green eyes, is about to teach you how to write a screenplay.
VIVIENNE
(loudly, looking around at the audience)
Before you even start writing your screenplay, you have to make sure that you have a solid storyline.
You write one to two paragraphs summarizing your story and creating a base for your screenplay. From this, you create a log line, which is just a one-sentence description of your story that should have a good hook to spark the reader’s interest.
You also write a character backstory or description to make the story even more interesting (optional).
Next, you open a new document and copy and paste your character backstory, changing the font to Courier New in size 12.
Above the character backstory, you write the title of your screenplay and your name, making sure it is still the correct font and size.
The character backstory stays in paragraph form, but the actual script must be broken down into individual sentences that each describe one action. Each sentence is one line apart. This is called a beat sheet, and from here, all you have to do is delete the spaces between actions that work together to create groups of two to three sentences.
You separate your dialogue from your regular action lines. You start a new line, writing the name of the character who is speaking in caps, followed by an adverb describing their tone and/or an action they are doing while speaking. Their line goes underneath, and everything is centered on the page.
VIVIENNE
(matter-of-fact-ly)
All screenplays have at least one slug line, which establishes the setting of each scene. Slug lines should properly indicate whether or not the scene is interior or exterior, the exact location, and the time of day, all written in caps. These three elements are very important for the reader and the director in order for them to keep track of the sequence of the story.
You add your slug line, establishing a new scene.
SCENE 2
INT. FILM SCHOOL – DAY (AN HOUR LATER)
At this point, all you need to add to your screenplay is the character descriptions. Being as descriptive as you can, you introduce each character with their first name in caps, followed by their physical and personality traits.
SCENE 3
INT. FILM SCHOOL – DAY (NEXT DAY)
SCREENWRITER, a smart, creative person of any age with any hair color and eye color, now begins to write their very own screenplay!
Screenwriter marks the end of their script with a screen transition.
FADE OUT.
THE END