​Idea! That Eureka moment we all wait for desperately when trying to look for a breakthrough. Ideas usually come to us in unlikely of places and situations. Although ideas are incepted by an individual's thoughts and experiences, it can also be derived from the original work based on original ideas. Nevertheless, as long as it is not the exact replica, every idea is somehow unique in its own. In the age of internet, there is an insane overload of contents of various types across the social media. Meanwhile, the consumption of those contents is also growing exponentially.

Doing research has been easier than ever as there are millions of sources at our disposal. For every creative work we do, there has to be some idea to it; the idea that is going to either be transformed in a piece of writing, a video, a film or anything that interests you.

As far as making a film goes, it is very tricky to transform your basic idea into a story-telling through a visual medium. The process of bringing your thought from your mind to the screen is long but if you do it right, your hard work pays-off. There are of course advantages and disadvantages of the visual medium. But if one component is strong, your film is going to clear all other tests, that one thing is your 'SCREENPLAY'. The screenplay is the blueprint, the first and foremost document for production. You shouldn’t write a screenplay unless and until you want it to be made into a movie. Or else, you can turn your idea into a novel.

A good screenplay is like a blueprint. It's about elaborating the idea and giving a life to it. The screenplay sets a direction for the actors, director and all the crew members to make the film successful and intriguing. The screenplay should be constructed in such a way that your client or the producer understands and get to know about every detail.

The screenplay is written in a three-act structure where the first act establishes your character sets up the story and tone of the film. The second act takes half of the film, which contains obstacles and conflict of the characters and story build around them. Whereas the third act is the most interesting part of the film, as it moves the story forward to a closing, which is necessary to give a better ending or giving a resolution of life of the characters and story.

The screenplay should be reflective of the writer's understanding of the project he/she is working on. The screenwriter should be aware of each individual's rule. Also, the purpose of the screenplay is not to narrate but introduce the reader to each and every detail.

The font that is used in a screenplay is especially written in 'courier font' because it helps measure the length of the film. For eg: One page of final script in courier font translates into approximately 1 minute on screen.

With the advent of technology, things have gotten easier. Software such as Final Draft and Movie outline helps you to not fret on margins and spacings. However, you must know the general ruling on spacing. The top, bottom and right margins are always 1". The left one is 1.5", while the whole script is to be single-spaced.

The first word to appear on the first page is: FADE IN. The numbering of the page starts from the next page.

While writing a good screenplay, you should keep in mind how to write the heading, how to introduce characters and transitions.

The screenplay gives the ‘idea’ a medium to be told in a way that engrosses its listeners/readers while visualizing it the whole time. Because without an effective screenplay, you cannot materialise your 'idea' into an art form that lives on for years to come.

Hirdeep Rajkhowa
Creative Associate
ROS