How to Write a Simple Screenplay (for Kids)

PDF download Download Article
PDF download Download Article

So, you love to write. Or, perhaps, you have to write a play for your homework? It can be a very hard task, and you might not know where to begin. If you follow these steps, it should be easy!

Steps

PDF download Download Article
  1. When thinking of a name, make sure that you do not plagiarize the name of a book or popular poem. Think of what you want the play to be about before you name it; this will help guide you. [1]
  2. Do not worry about thinking of a lot of characters and focus on creating good quality characters. More ideas, and thus, more characters will come to you, but value quality over quantity. [2]
    Advertisement
  3. Think about how your character feels, what she/he looks like, and their personality. [3]
  4. Describe it. Is it in a park or at a factory? Is it sunny or raining? The little details are very important, because they give the work unity and clarity. [4]
    • Write down the setting place and time for every new scene. [5] When something changes in a scene, record it. You would not want the screenplay to get its chronology mixed up!
  5. This will make it easy for the actors and actresses to study and practice their lines, and it erases confusion from the mix in the hectic play preparation process. [6]
  6. Make them fit with your characters' personality and emotions, and make sure that they are not bland or insipid. Be creative and avoid using overly dramatic scenes (unless it is a melodrama). Do not necessarily subscribe to theatrical cliches either (Male hero attempting to save a helpless princess). In other words, adapt the play to modern times and avoid centering it on over-used, tired story lines. [7]
  7. If you are in your school drama program, this will be done for you. If you are allowed to pick the actors yourself, avoid giving positions only to friends. Choose whomever you know that could play the part well.
  8. Whether you are performing the play at your school, or with siblings at home, ensure that you are ready and prepared. Do not expect for everything to work perfectly the first time, but persevere even if it was a disaster! If you begin to write very good screenplays, you may have a future job as a Hollywood movie director. [8]
    9. Advertisement


Expert Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    How do you start a screenplay?
    Melessa Sargent
    Professional Writer
    Melessa Sargent is the President of Scriptwriters Network, a non-profit organization that brings in entertainment professionals to teach the art and business of script writing for TV, features and new media. The Network serves its members by providing educational programming, developing access and opportunity through alliances with industry professionals, and furthering the cause and quality of writing in the entertainment industry. Under Melessa's leadership, SWN has won numbers awards including the Los Angeles Award from 2014 through 2021, and the Innovation & Excellence award in 2020.
    Melessa Sargent
    Professional Writer
    Expert Answer
    Make sure you know your idea. Write exactly what you want to your script to be about in paragraph form, and really understand your characters as well. Once you've written it all out, you can start to to transfer your ideas and and put them on paper using the correct formatting.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 9 Helpful 16
  • Question
    Can anyone write a movie script?
    Melessa Sargent
    Professional Writer
    Melessa Sargent is the President of Scriptwriters Network, a non-profit organization that brings in entertainment professionals to teach the art and business of script writing for TV, features and new media. The Network serves its members by providing educational programming, developing access and opportunity through alliances with industry professionals, and furthering the cause and quality of writing in the entertainment industry. Under Melessa's leadership, SWN has won numbers awards including the Los Angeles Award from 2014 through 2021, and the Innovation & Excellence award in 2020.
    Melessa Sargent
    Professional Writer
    Expert Answer
    Anyone who puts their mind to writing a screenplay can do it. Using script writing software can be a great help. Consider using Final Draft, as it is very easy to use and follows industry standards.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 3 Helpful 13
  • Question
    How do I convince people to join the cast?
    Community Answer
    Make roles which fit their character, as they might want to cooperate if you have a character which will fit them.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 31 Helpful 114
See more answers
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Reader Videos

      Submit a Video Tip!

      Share a quick video tip and help bring articles to life with your friendly advice. Your insights could make a real difference and help millions of people!

      Submit a Video

      Tips

      • Use your imagination! A good idea is to think of something you often do, then think, "What could happen after that?"
        Thanks
        Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
      • Always make sense and proofread your work, or you will not make sense and will have mistakes.
        Thanks
        Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
      • Always remember that if you’re going to have characters, you need costumes. You will need lots of scripts too, but the most important thing, is to have fun.
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      Show More Tips

      Tips from our Readers

      The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
      • If you are looking for actors, maybe make a bright poster and host auditions. If there are too many people, create a second round, and try not to just pick friends. Theatre is a great way to make some new friends!
      • Adjust your dialogue depending on the age of the characters. An adult will have a different tone than children and be more formal. This will make the play more interesting!
      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      Warnings

      • Accept criticism. You may think that you have come up with the greatest drama since Hamlet, but your teacher may laugh at it! It will take a long time to learn how to create a screenplay, but if you can master it at a young age, then you have true talent.
        Thanks
        Helpful 51 Not Helpful 11
      Advertisement

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Write an Effective Screenplay for a Short Film
      How to
      Be a Film Director
      How Do You Become a Film Producer? What You Need to Know
      Are The Backrooms Real? And What Exactly Are They?
      How to
      Write Stand-Up Comedy and Test Your Jokes
      How to
      Write a Mystery Story
      How to
      Create and Publish a Novel as a Teenager
      How to
      Write a Rant
      How to
      Write Crime Stories
      How to
      Write Creepypasta
      How to
      Write a Book As a Kid
      How to
      Write a Comedy Sketch
      How to
      Write Horror: A Step-by-Step Guide for New Authors
      How to
      Write Gothic Fiction
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ Melessa Sargent. Professional Writer. Expert Interview. 14 August 2019.
      2. ↑ https://www.mensaforkids.org/teach/lesson-plans/writing-a-screenplay/
      3. ↑ Melessa Sargent. Professional Writer. Expert Interview. 14 August 2019.
      4. ↑ https://www.mensaforkids.org/teach/lesson-plans/writing-a-screenplay/
      5. ↑ Melessa Sargent. Professional Writer. Expert Interview. 14 August 2019.
      6. ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/class-clips-video/english-ks2-write-a-script/z4tmd6f
      7. ↑ https://www.mensaforkids.org/teach/lesson-plans/writing-a-screenplay/
      8. ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/class-clips-video/english-ks2-write-a-script/z4tmd6f

      About This Article

      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 190,288 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • Aaryan Bharadwaj

        Apr 22, 2020

        "I always wanted to make play and present it in front of my family."
      More reader stories Hide reader stories
      Share your story

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisement