How to Develop the Story of Your Film

Article by Herb Kimble .

Story is everything, but you need to be able to grab the script reader within the first few pages. There is no right way to do this. Some writers will use prose to set the scene, and dialogue to set the tone. Some films start with extended action sequences where a character is doing something the audience is not privy to, but his or her mannerisms drive the scene.

Whatever route you choose, developing story will mean the difference between getting funding for your idea and ending up as just another part of the stack.

Character Development

In college, you probably heard that good characters are round and round characters change by the end of the story. You need to pick up the pace so to speak in screenwriting. Try to view your script as a chance to craft rounder characters, instead of just round ones. The opening is an excellent chance to use action effectively. Have a purpose for everything and you can accomplish a lot in just a few pages.

Dialogue

Books get to internalize a character’s feelings. Scripts don’t have that luxury, and it won’t benefit you to inject prose meant to reinforce that. Assuming the script is purchased, your direction will most likely be removed. Your dialogue should externalize those internal thoughts, so make it punchy and give it purpose. Dialogue also sets the pacing, as a reaction to something or words that start a fight. Carefully choose your words, and be clear about your intentions.

This article was written by Herb Kimble. Herb Kimble is an entrepreneur who has ran multiples companies, including sales & marketing companies. Most recently he has launched Urban Flix, a streaming network that specializes in multi-cultural content and CineFocus Productions, a film production company