How to prepare for writing a screenplay or movie script (Screenwriting)

Script Frenzy is coming up (the challenge to write a 30 day script in the month of April from the makers of NaNoWriMo) and you are thinking about writing a screenplay. No matter how many movies you’ve seen, more goes into writing a movie than you see on the screen so it’s definitely a good idea to do some prep work before you dive in. You can take a minute to read the Intro to Screenwriting article but here are some other things you should be doing to prepare for this writing challenge.

• Understand what is physically possible on screen by watching “making of” videos. With special effects, a lot of things are now possible that weren’t in years past so the sky can really be the limit as movies like Avatar show. But a simple understand of how the technology behind movie making works can help you write a script that will be easier to make as a movie, giving yourself the best chance of getting it produced. YouTube a few “making of” movies to learn a little bit about the techniques and technology behind some of your favorite special effects. (One I recommend Starz Inside: Fantastic Flesh which is on Netflix instant watch right now.) The point of this is not to limit yourself but rather to give you inspiration that is grounded in what is possible. 
• Read as many movie scripts as you can. There is no better way to get a feel for the format than to read some screenplays. You can take a look online at Internet Movie Script Database. Try to read several different types, even ones that are out of the genre that you are writing. You’ll notice that some screenwriters write down every detail while others leave many elements up to the director. What sort of script do you plan to write?
• Read the screenplay of a movie you’ve recently seen. There is no substitute for seeing the words come to life on screen. This works better if you read the script and watch the movie in close succession while both are fresh in your mind. Not only does this help you to see exactly how the script translates into the final product, it also lets you peek under the hood of how a movie is made.
• Outline scenes and make notes to yourself. This is the sort of prep work you are likely used to no matter what you write. Jot yourself down notes about your characters and setting or outline whole scenes. No matter how involved (or simple) you want to keep your prep work, doing at least some work ahead of time can make all the difference when you actually start writing your script.

You’ll notice my guide above doesn’t say anything about formatting. That’s because I think getting obsessed with formatting is only going to mess you up in the writing stage. Write the script first and then worry about how to format it later in editing. If you would prefer to ignore my advice, here is Script Frenzy’s How to Format A Screenplay. But unless formatting a script is second nature to you, I would recommend not getting hung up on formatting during the writing process.

Have additional suggestions for aspiring movie writers? Share them in the comments below!