How I wrote three feature films in 2021

Practical tools for screenwriting

In 2021 I found the three tools that would help me to draft a feature length screenplay and accelerate the screenwriting process. A lot of doubt can creep in when you’re writing a feature and sometimes the story can stall out, but I was able to get through these three screenplays (two horror screenplays and one comedy) without those set backs.

The Tools

In the past, I would take about a month to develop a feature length screenplay idea. I had a booklet of tools and exercises which I would go through for every script. The process was onerous and at times I would find myself stalling out in the development process.

Last year I focused on three tools:

— The Thematic Question

— Character Bios

— Dan Harmon’s Story Circle

After I’ve started thinking about the idea for the story and I’m ready to develop the screenplay I use these three tools. I’ll usually have a general idea about the screenplay, the physical challenges, and I’ll have an idea for the ending before I move on to the next phase of development.

The Thematic Question

I would take a page and think about the thematic questions which could impact the story idea I’m developing.

What are the philosophical questions your story will explore?

How would each of your main characters answer that question?

I draw a quadrant with the Protagonist, the Antagonist, the Love interest, and the Ally.

Then for each of the characters, I think about their values and their beliefs about the philosophical question.

I started using this tool after watching a couple videos by Tyler Mowery.

Character Bios

Ever since Screenplay by Syd Field, screenwriters have been writing character bios. I think this is an important tool in the screenwriter’s tool kit. I will write a short paragraph about the character, name, age, their character flaw, and their occupation.

Then I will write about their life from the beginning to the present in ten year chunks. For a character in their forties, I will detail ages 0–10, 10–20, 20–30, and 30–40. For each decade, I will write about the character’s history, where they grew up, what school was like, and their trauma.

This isn’t an exact science and it doesn’t have to be perfect. This exercise is to help you start thinking about the major characters and why they hold the values they have about the philosophical question. It’s best to get it down on the page and not over think it. No one will read this material, it is meant for you to gain a better understanding of the characters.

I usually write a bio for the Protagonist, the Antagonist, and the Love interest.

Story Circle

The final tool I use before starting work on my screenplay is the Dan Harmon Story Circle. He breaks down a story into eight different sections:

1. You
2. Need
3. Go
4. Search
5. Find
6. Take
7. Return
8. Change

You can find a full breakdown and explanation here.

One of the first screenwriting books I read was Screenwriting: The Sequence Approach by Paul Joseph Gulino. This book delves into the history of screenwriting and filmmaking. For example, in the first films one reel of film would take 8–15 minutes or the length of one sequence. When films got longer, they would add an additional reel of film. This led to all films being made up of 8–15 minute units.

Through the process of thinking about the idea for the story I will get ideas for scenes and images and often times a general idea for the ending. As I use the different development tools listed above, I will get ideas for other scenes.

Then I use the Story Circle to start placing those ideas for scenes and the images. For each sequence of the feature length movie I will think of eight to nine scenes which could happen in each sequence.

Using the Story Circle I write a sentence or sentence fragment about what will happen in each scene.

I will outline up until the Midpoint and then I will start writing the script. In the past, I would outline until the end of the script but I feel that can make the process of writing feel rigid.

When writing a feature the first act is usually the most thought out. You’re setting up your main characters and what the audience needs to know to understand the story.

The second act can feel like a vast expanse and if you don’t know where you’re going with the story it’s easy to write yourself in a corner or to lose inspiration.

By having an outline from the begining to the midpoint you have an idea where the story is going and those ideas continue to work themselves out when you’re not sitting down writing. A big part of writing is not writing. A lot of times when I am away from the script I am thinking through the story.

CONCLUSION

There are multitudinous books on screenwriting along with videos, online classes, blogs, website, and a hundred other products you can purchase to help your screenwriting. You can spend a lot of money on learning the craft of screenwriting. The best two ways to get better are 1) Read feature film scripts and 2) Write.

I’ve read half a dozen books on screenwriting and I’ve watched plenty of videos on screenwriting. I created a process for developing a screenplay which would take be about a month to complete. This year I’ve distilled the development process to using three tools — The Philosophical Conflict, Character bios, and the Story Circle.

When you want to write, when you want to tell a story, you need to use the tools which will give you the least amount of resistance. You can write a script using story boards. You can use index cards. Or a spiral notebook and a ball point pen. Whatever it takes to get the ideas out and get started is what’s important. You can use one of the tools mentioned in this article or you can use the tools you pick up in a screenwriting book. Part of learning to write is learning the process which works for you.

I plan on making a spooky micro short, a creepy short, and a horror / thriller feature this year. To make these films happen, I need you, your friends, and your creepy cousin. Filmmaking will happen in Chicago. If you would like to support this horror slate, please connect: lance@hungeranddread.com

Next week I will talk about Co-screenwriting a Feature Film

Check out last week’s blog post: Journey into Horror Filmmaking — 2022