Great dramatic movies are difficult to make. They have to be poignant, deeply moving, intense and honest. Therefore it must begin as a powerful story that later becomes a brilliant script. Writing such a script is not easy or natural, it is a series of well crafted and planned processes that eventually lead to the actual screenwriting.
Instructions
1. Come up with a sensational idea. Look around you, eavesdrop, read the newspaper, think about your own life, talk to your friends and family. Find inspiration and come up with your Academy Award winning concept. Write down your ideas then put them into a one page synopsis of what happens and who the main characters are. This is the very basics of what your film is about.
2. Pick a story structure format that you like. There's the traditional three act structure, the nine moments format, Blake Snyder's 15 and 40 beat structure as well as others. Pick the one you like the best. Blake Snyder's "beats" make the most sense and are the easiest to follow. Outline your script according to the beats or other methods. Figure out who your characters are and what their motivations and goals are. Make sure this still makes sense to your story.
3. Write your opening scene. Your opening scene needs to be attention grabbing and interesting. You should have your audience wonder what is going on or be completely shocked and stunned by something. If possible create a bookend opening and closing where it starts and ends nearly the same only a couple things have changed, for the better or the worse. You can also create an opening where we see the end of the film first and have to wonder how it got to that point (which the rest of the film goes through).
4. Write on a consistent basis. Establish your characters' voices making sure to give each one a unique voice, vocabulary and point of view. Use the "come in late and leave early" technique. This means start each scene in the middle or partially through it and end it before it's done. This create realism, drama, and tension. No one wants to see every "hello," "how are you" and "goodbye" because it's boring and tedious. Use these beginnings and endings only when it reveals something unusual or interesting about a character or relationship between characters.
5. Finish your pages. A typical feature length drama is 120 pages long which equates to two hours of screen time. Set your script aside for a couple weeks then go back and read it. See if it still makes sense. Look for story holes, flaws and inconsistancies. Analyze your characters and listen to their speech. Rewrite as needed.
