How to Write a Simple Screenplay (for Kids)

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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

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    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]
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    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]
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    Think about how your character feels, what she/he looks like, and their personality. [3]
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    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!
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    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]
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    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]
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    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.
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    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]
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Expert Q&A

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  • 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.
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    Not Helpful 9 Helpful 14
  • 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.
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    Not Helpful 3 Helpful 12
  • 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.
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      Tips

      • Always make sense and proofread your work, or you will not make sense and will have mistakes.
        Thanks
      • 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
      • Use your imagination! A good idea is to think of something you often do, then think, "What could happen after that?"
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      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
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      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

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      Reader Success Stories

      • Aaryan Bharadwaj

        Apr 22, 2020

        "I always wanted to make play and present it in front of my family."
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