The Process of Writing a Movie Script

Los Angeles resident Jon Aubrey Divens has been working in the film and television industry for more than two decades and currently serves as a producer with Rocket Media Inc. Jon A. Divens has a number of responsibilities in this position, including working with scripts.

Writing a movie script is different from other forms of storytelling. A typical screenplay starts with something called a logline, a single sentence that conveys the overall plot of the screenplay. When this small concept is concrete, it can be developed into a larger summary of three to five pages called a treatment. The treatment should highlight all of the key characters and plot points of the story.

Once the treatment is nailed down it is time to develop the characters. A good screenplay will equally develop protagonists and antagonists and will show the growth of the characters throughout the story. The outline and plot are also essential to a cohesive screenplay. The outline should act as a map that the writer can follow to the end of their story. Organization is key here, and writers often use boards, flashcards, or computer software to aid this part of the process.

The writer can use this outline as a backbone for the actual screenplay. The first 10 to 20 pages are especially important, as these are often what can be the difference between a sale and a rejection from a production house.