General Tips for Writing Screenplays

Having earned a bachelor’s degree in film from The New School in New York City, New York, Sawyer Petrick competed in the academic institution’s 9th Annual Voice/Over Script Reading Competition and received high honors for his senior capstone screenplay. Upon graduation, Sawyer Petrick worked at Whole Picture Films and provided consulting services for the development of the script for the feature film The Speech.

When reading a quality screenplay, it’s evident that the writer is passionate about his or her subject material. An important tip if you are an aspiring screenwriter, then, is to write what whatever you want. Don’t limit yourself to familiar subjects. Instead, let your imagination run wild, and write exactly what you want to see on the screen. However, make sure that every scene features real and authentic human behavior and elicits emotion.

Every character in a scene should have their own unique perspective and have a reason for being there. This tip was offered by Joss Wheadon, who wrote Marvel blockbusters such as The Avengers and Age of Ultron.

Screenwriting legend Billy Wilder also offered several critical tips through Conversations with Wilder by Cameron Crowe. Wilder believes the first act is the most important, and any issues in subsequent acts can be directly addressed in the opening act. He suggests that you “know where you’re going” and “develop a clean line of action for your leading character.”