Q&A for How to Write a Screenplay

Set an end date for when you want to finish your screenplay. Aim to write 1–2 pages every day to work toward your goal.

Anyone can write a screenplay at any age as long as they can tell a story.

You can. However, if you wish to profit from it at all (sell tickets), you need to have permission from the original author or you can be sued.

Only if you find yourself directly or indirectly making profits from the results.

The copyright process does not cost anything.

You should write it yourself because you are the owner of the idea. If someone else does it, the idea may change or not exactly meet your expectations. Things may change, and that can affect the story.

Yes. As long as they're somewhat hidden and not vital to the screenplay as a whole, it could be a good trick.

Try to use flashbacks as a prequel of sorts. Just space out each flashback. As long as they make sense and lead up to the present story, you should be fine.

You need to capitalize the name every time, although you don't have to write the full name.

Yes, although the story must be told in a way that fits your chosen medium.

Yes, you can often find screenplays by Googling them. There are also websites like dailyscript.com that carry a large selection of screenplays in one place. (You may encounter some movies that don't have publicly available screenplays though.)

No! There are many languages you could use to write a screenplay. English is not the only language you must use since English-speaking countries do not necessarily have a monopoly on movies.

You don't have to start out with a plan to write something "great." Write a bunch of sample screenplays first, just to get the feel and to increase your skills. If you want to write screenplays professional, though, you should go to film school.

Of course. Many writers use real life experiences as a basis for their plots.

You must try to make yourself known first. This can be achieved by completing an internship on set and getting a letter of recommendation. When studios are looking through the screenplays they get sent, the first thing they'll look at is the name. If it's someone that people know (in a positive way), they are more likely to read it, since people with letters of recommendation are generally more suited to something than people without one.

Start everywhere: write, write, write! You should have some faint idea of where you're going, so write every section whenever you feel like writing it. If you feel like writing the end, but don't have a beginning yet, write the end! You'll get to the rest when you feel like it. Rewrite everything as well. Iron out the kinks, make sure the logic is clear. But write everything, any time.

You make them up, they are in your imagination. You can base them off of places you know, though, like your local coffee shop or a park in your city.

Any font is fine, as long as it's simple and legible. Choose something like Calibri, Helvetica, or Times New Roman.

Not necessarily, or in most cases. The screenwriter writes the actual screenplay. Music within a screenplay or film is usually relegated to a musical director.

I'd recommend finding a representative, not many studios will take screenplays from unrepresented writers unfortunately.

The author. They still own the rights unless there was a contracted conversion of rights.

Research and try pitching your ideas to local film studios. You can also try getting an entry level job with a local film studio to gain experience and contacts in the field.

This depends on how different you make the series from the original. For a typical, straight reboot, permission from the copyright holder is required.

You don't need permission as long as you're not profiting from your work (profiting would be earning money from your screenplay, like if you sold tickets). However, if you want to make it public, getting permission is a good idea. Keep in mind that contacting really famous authors can be difficult, as they get many fan letters per day. However, since this is potentially a copyright issue, direct you inquiry to the publisher first.

Think about whetjer your screenplay will be realistic or fictional. Try to include your quirks and strengths. If it is fiction or fantasy, then you can either act like you are in the story, or make yourself look more brave/strong. When writing a screenplay with yourself make sure you would regularly act or respond.