Tag: screenwriting tips

The following scenario is one that every writer knows all too well. You have an idea for a script, you plan out your beats, you open Final Draft and then…you don’t know how to start.

I don’t want to scare you, but that opening scene is crucial. I’m going to share a bit of truth about the harsh realities of the screenwriting industry. Ninety percent of the people who read your script, do not want to be reading it. It’s their job, and your script is most likely the tenth one they’ve had in front of them that day.

Allow me to share a personal story surrounding this. Before I began ghostwriting full time, I was an assistant at a talent agency here in Los Angeles. One of my main responsibilities was providing script coverage so my boss, the head of the theatrical department, could see if the project was worth submitting to.

I would read script after script every single day, and as much as I love screenwriting, it got exhausting. If I didn’t like a script within the first couple of pages, I would subconsciously check out as I continued to read. However, when a script had a strong opening, something that really pulled me in, I would be inclined to spend more time with it, which would almost always lead to me recommending it to my boss, the person whose opinion actually mattered. All this to say, you have to pull the audience in right away, or else you risk losing their attention.

How do we go about doing this? What makes a good opening? I’m gonna share some tips, and examples, on what I personally think makes a good opener.

1). ESTABLISH TONE

I cannot tell you how many times I’ve been reading a script and have thought “Wait…is this supposed to be like a comedy? What is this?” because the tone was so unclear. Set your tone right away! If this is a horror movie, show us that! A comedy? Make me laugh!

If you read my post about the types of conflict used in storytelling, you’ll know that I used the movie Scream as an example of Person vs. Person conflict. I so badly want to use it again, because it is truly a masterclass on opening scenes, but I am committed to keeping things fresh! So, I will use its ulta hilarious parody film, Scary Movie, instead.

Like I said, the opening to Scream is iconic for establishing the film’s tone. If you haven’t seen it, go watch it right now. So, it only makes sense that Scary Movie does the same.

The opening scene consists of Carmen Electra getting attacked by Ghostface, but making comically dumb decisions which ultimately lead to her death. I mean, she literally tries to use a banana to defend herself, that’s how silly we’re talking. The entire sequence pokes fun at Drew Barrymore’s character in Scream, who meets a similar fate.

This is an amazing example of setting tone right away. Anyone who is familiar with Scream will know that it's being made fun of, and because of how farcical it is, we know just the type of humor we’re going to be getting for the next ninety minutes. In short, the opening scene tells us what this movie is all about in just a few minutes. It’s brilliant, not to mention hilarious! Take note if you’re writing a comedy, make the opening scene one of the funniest in the entire film.

2). INTRODUCE THE PROTAGONIST

This is another method used in opening sequences that can be really effective. As I’ve mentioned in other posts, the protagonist is the person the audience will follow for a majority of the film, so we want to get to know them immediately, see what makes them tick, who this person is, and what they’re all about. The sooner we do this, the more we care about them, and want to keep reading or watching their story.

I recently rewatched Bo Burnham’s film Eighth Grade, and the opening scene does an amazing job of introducing us to the lead, Kayla.

The film starts with Kayla making a vlog for her Youtube channel. She puts on this persona of a confident girl who has it all together. However, she then asks her audience if they could share her videos, because they’re not getting any views, hinting at the fact that she may not be as popular as she leads on. This is confirmed in the scene that immediately follows, which consists of shots of Kayla in school, sitting by herself, a social outcast.

In the first five minutes we know everything we need to know about Kayla. She’s a teenager who suffers from social anxiety, but desperately wants to break out of her shell. She’s immediately relatable to anyone who didn’t have the best experience in middle school (AKA, literally everyone) and you actually want to root for her, you want to see her succeed, and thus, you want to keep watching.

Let the audience fall in love with your protagonist right away, and you’ll definitely captivate their attention for the duration of your script!

3). HOOK US IN!

This is my personal favorite type of opener, one that will get me to read just about any script in its entirety. Starting off with a hook is a surefire way to elevate your script. What’s a hook? Big dramatic moments, surprising reveals, pretty much anything that makes the reader go “Wait, WHAT!? Oh my gosh, I have to see where this goes.”

I’m going to use a very famous example for this one, and that’s the opening of everyone’s favorite Tarantino classic Pulp Fiction.

The film opens on a couple in a diner, a ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ type. They bicker back and forth about quitting their life of crime until BAM! They pull out their guns and hold the place hostage.

Okay, so dramatic start indeed, but let’s examine why this works so well, shall we? If you’re not familiar with the film, Pulp Fiction is told out of chronological order, so immediately after the guns are drawn, the scene changes, leaving us in the dark about what happened to the innocent people at the diner.

Because it hooked me in with the robbery, then ended on a cliffhanger, I’m all in. I NEED to know what happened to these two. Do they kill everyone? Do the cops come? I need answers! And because I need answers, I’m going to continue reading. This is an amazing example of how to hook your audience within the first few pages of your script. Go big or your reader will go home.

Opening scenes can be intimidating, and yours will probably change a million times until your final draft is complete, but that’s okay! Use these tips to make life easier for you, and whoever will be reading your story. Best of luck and happy writing!

Protecting your work is essential in the creative industry, and registering your screenplay can help you prevent others from stealing your ideas and profiting from your hard work. In this article, we'll cover the best ways to copyright and register your screenplay, including using the Writers Guild of America West and the US Post Office.

First, let's talk about the difference between copyright and registration. Copyright is a legal right that protects original works of authorship, including literary, artistic, and musical works. When you create a screenplay, you automatically have a copyright to your work, meaning that you have the exclusive right to use, distribute, and sell it. However, registering your screenplay with the US Copyright Office provides additional protection and benefits, including the right to sue for infringement and the presumption of ownership in court.

Now let's dive into the best ways to copyright and register your screenplay.

1). Register with the US Copyright Office

The US Copyright Office is the government agency responsible for registering copyrights. To register your screenplay, you'll need to fill out the appropriate forms, pay a fee, and submit a copy of your screenplay. You can register your screenplay online or by mail, and the process usually takes several months. Once your screenplay is registered, you'll receive a certificate of registration that serves as proof of your ownership.

2). Use the Writers Guild of America West

The Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) is a labor union that represents writers in the entertainment industry. One of the benefits of joining the WGAW is the ability to register your screenplay with the guild. Registration with the WGAW is not a legal requirement, but it can serve as evidence of ownership in court. To register with the WGAW, you'll need to become a member of the guild and submit a copy of your screenplay along with a registration fee.

3). Use the US Post Office

Another way to copyright your screenplay is to use the US Post Office's "poor man's copyright." This method involves mailing a copy of your screenplay to yourself and keeping the unopened envelope as evidence of the date of creation. While this method is not as secure as registering with the US Copyright Office or the WGAW, it can serve as evidence in court.

By taking these steps, you can ensure that your work is protected and that you have the legal rights to use, distribute, and sell your screenplay.

It is also important be aware of the difference between copyrighting and trademarking your work. A trademark is a type of intellectual property protection that covers logos, brand names, and other distinctive symbols that identify a particular product or service. In the case of a screenplay, an element that could be eligible for trademark protection might include a distinctive character name, catchphrase, or unique design.

Trademarking an element from a screenplay requires following several steps, including determining eligibility for protection, conducting a trademark search, filing a trademark application with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), responding to any office actions, and receiving your trademark registration. If you're unsure about any aspect of the trademarking process, it's always a good idea to consult with a trademark attorney who can guide you through the process and ensure that your rights are protected. If you are looking to find a trademark attorney online, a good resource is upcounsel.

Happy writing!

Unless you’re creating a silent film, dialogue will find a way into your script. Dialogue can be challenging, and if it’s not done correctly, it can seriously take a reader out of your story. Or even worse, they’ll put down your script altogether.

If you struggle with dialogue, do not worry! You are not alone in this, and today I will share with you all some tips on how to one-up your dialogue game! Let’s get started.

1). DO NOT STEREOTYPE

This, unfortunately, happens much more often than you may think, so I only thought it necessary to include this tip as number one.

Good dialogue should be rooted in reality, true to life and how people actually speak. This cannot be made possible if you have your characters talking as though they’re in some offensive comedy sketch from 1985. It just will not work.

Look, there will be a time in your screenwriting journey where you have to write characters that have different backgrounds than you. Be it ethnic, racial, sexual orientation, religion, etc. you will end up having to write from a perspective that you have never lived. That’s okay! But you need to make sure you do it respectfully and accurately, and dialogue is a huge part of this.

You don’t want to be ‘that writer’ who either incorrectly or overuses slang words, because they think that’s how that demographic speaks. As a member of the LGBT community, I cannot stop myself from rolling my eyes every time a queer character says something to the effect of “YAAS! Slay, queen, werk!” because 1. No one actually talks like that, and 2. It’s CONSTANT in the scripts that I read. Set yourself apart from your competition, and take the time to perfect your dialogue before submitting your work.

I also find this especially heinous when people write teenage characters. I understand that the words ‘young folks’ use are constantly evolving, but I promise you that real teenagers actually talk like normal human beings, and are not just slang spewing machines.

Okay, so problem identified, how do we solve it? Research! We are very fortunate to live in a world where we can access the internet with just the touch of a button. Listening to actual people of the demographic you’re writing about will really help you portray accurate dialogue in your screenplay. Watch vlogs, listen to podcasts, even check out Tik Toks! Engulf yourself in the culture that you are not familiar with and it will definitely show in your writing.

Also, if you have a friend of that particular demographic, feel free to ask them if your character’s dialogue is an accurate representation of what they may hear. It’s always good to have a second set of eyes to check out your work.

2). IMPROV IT OUT

Okay, I know that dreaded “I” word freaks some people out, but bear with me. This is a technique that has really helped me get out of a dialogue rut.

Like I’ve said before, our characters and their decisions should be based in reality, and in reality we don’t plan out the words we’re about to say, at least not most of the time. This exercise can really help your dialogue feel more off the cuff and less canned.

Let’s say I have a scene I need to write. My character, John, has to fire his assistant, Sally, but the problem is that Sally is also his girlfriend! Uh-oh! Tricky scene here! How do I ever go about drafting a realistic conversation for this scene?

I close my laptop, and put myself in the characters’ shoes. I go all out with this, I will literally walk around improvising out the conversation as John and Sally, and I’ll do it multiple times, just to see what comes out of my mouth.

I know it sounds silly, and it totally is, but it works. You know these characters like the back of your hand, you wrote them! You will be shocked at what subconsciously comes out of your mouth as you go back and forth roleplaying out the scenario.

Trust me, it takes some time to get used to, and yes your roommates will think you’ve lost it, but it really helps create that natural, flowing dialogue that is super hard to nail. I’ve accidentally come up with some of my favorite lines of dialogue by using this method, so I really wanted to share it with you! Just try it out, maybe you’ll have the same luck I did.

3). TABLE READ TIME!

To me, this is arguably the most important part of testing out your dialogue. As writers, we all have our own unique voices, our special way of saying things. However, we will not be the ones acting out our script, or at least not every role.

So, how do we make sure that our dialogue translates well to other people? Hold a table read! Getting to hear your dialogue spoken aloud will be a total game changer. There will be lines that suddenly feel awkward and clunky, or some that come across so brilliant that you’d think William Shakespeare himself wrote them. This is such a crucial part of your rewriting process, I cannot stress this enough.

Let me give you an example from my own life. I am very fortunate enough to have a writing group that I meet with every month. A group of colleagues that I am not afraid to test out new material in front of. Now, I mainly write comedic pieces and if any of you out there are comedy writers as well, then this tip goes double for you, and here’s why.

A lot of times I think that I have written the funniest joke known to mankind, so hilarious that I’ll be getting a call from Comedy Central any day now. Then, it falls flat during the read, no one laughs. See, without hearing other people read my work, I would’ve never realized that things like my jokes or dialogue needed to be tweaked. That is why it’s so necessary.

So, gather up your friends and have them read your script out loud, trust me you will hear issues with your dialogue that you never even imagined. It’s for the betterment of your script, I truly mean it.

And those are my tips for creating memorable dialogue! Remember, the biggest piece of advice I can leave you with is just to observe normal, everyday conversations, and really study how people speak to each other. Mix that in with these tips, and you’ll be well on your way to writing some really awesome dialogue! Best of luck, and happy writing!

Characters are the life force that drive our stories forward, they are maybe the most important part of your script. And yes, I, personally, think good characters trump plot any day. I have read scripts where the plot was so-so, been there done that, but the writer had such engaging characters that I couldn’t put it down.

Now, how do we write memorable characters? I’ve got some tips for you that I use in my writing to really help form full fledged, dynamic characters. Let’s get started!

1. AVOID THE MARY SUES AND GARY STUS

This is number one because this drives me absolutely crazy. I do a lot of script coverage in my day to day life, and I guarantee you at least half the stories I read will feature a Mary Sue or Gary Stu. What does this term mean? Well, I touched on it a bit in my article on writing protagonists, but I’ll elaborate more here, because it is a plague that is affecting writers all over the world.

A Mary Sue or Gary Stu is a character who is boring. They do everything by the book, they are level headed, they are reasonable, and they are without flaw. They’re unrealistic. Most of the time I see this with protagonists, but I’ve also noticed it a ton with ‘love interest’ characters as well. So, be on the lookout for that in your own writing.

We are human beings, we have flaws. We have things that are annoying about ourselves, things that people cannot stand. We have fears, we have internal struggles, we are NOT perfect. If you want your characters to be memorable and true to life, you have to give them some sort of weakness.

Okay, so that’s easier said than done, so let me give you a tip on how to break your character out of this ‘Mr./Mrs. Perfection’ mold. Build up a backstory. Where did they grow up? What was their relationship with their parents like? Did they get bullied in school? Ask all these questions and a million more. Now, of course most of this won’t end up in your script, but it will help you fully realize the humanity of your character, which will in turn make them not boring. Just try it out, I promise it’s a game changer.

Let me give you an example of a character that could have easily been a Gary Stu, but instead is still captivating to watch. In the critically acclaimed comedy ‘Arrested Development’, we follow Michael Bluth as he tries to dig his family out of financial ruin. If you’re familiar with the series, you’ll know that the entire Bluth family is extremely quirky, out there, each one more strange than the last. However, Michael isn’t.

So why isn’t he a Gary Stu? While it’s incredibly easy to make your ‘voice of reason’ character boring, the writers of this show subvert our expectations by giving Michael some key character flaws that end up making him much more than just ‘the one normal guy in the bunch.’

Michael is condescending, he is a know it all, he doesn’t listen to others, he’s willing to go behind people’s backs. These are the things that elevate the character from someone who is just there to play off the funnier characters, into someone we actually enjoy watching.

So, I will reiterate my point one last time, perfect characters does not equal a perfect script.

2. USE INSPIRATION FROM REAL LIFE

Now that I’ve finished my lecture on crafting imperfect characters, why don’t we focus on where we can actually find inspiration for them. The answer is simple, your real life. This is a method writers have been using since the dawn of time, and we continue to use it today because it works!

Think about it, in the X amount of years you’ve been on this planet you have encountered a plethora of characters, you just didn’t know it! Do you have an aunt that ruins every holiday? Or a coworker who has idiosyncratic behaviors? Use them. You can even craft some Frankenstein-esque character, by pulling traits from multiple people you know. Perhaps I want to write a character who’s a CPA, based on my cousin who works in accounting. Now, I may sprinkle in some traits that my sister has that I think would really make this guy’s life as an accountant more interesting to read about. Maybe he’s an accountant who is absolutely terrible at budgeting in his personal life. Boom, right there we have something to work with and to grow off of.

Why does this work? Because it’s real. These are real sources you’re pulling inspiration from, and chances are whoever is reading your script will know someone just like your character and become that much more engaged with them.

My favorite part is that you can even use yourself! You’ve probably heard of the phrase ‘self insert’ where writers create a character that is essentially a representation of themselves and plug them into the story. Because no one can write a character based on you better than yourself, you’ll find that the character will naturally be full of life, have their own quirks, and well? Be memorable!

I do this sometimes when I’m stuck. Now, I don’t name my character Tyler Christiansen, and only write about how he ghostwrites scripts all day. What I do is borrow from parts of my life that are appropriate for the story. Say I have a character who is a young man working in an office. Well, I actually did work in an office for quite some time, I was an assistant! I can reflect back on that time, what did I feel, what did I dislike, what did I want, etc. And use my own experiences to help build a base for that character.

Make your job easier! Steal from real life! My only disclaimer is that if you do this, and the person you based a character off of recognizes themselves…be prepared for whatever reaction they may have.

3. THE BUS FIRE TEST

Now, is the fun part! So, you have a cast of characters, each one unique in their own way, some based on your friends and family, some from your own imagination, great! Ready to find out if they’re really that memorable? Do this exercise!

Your characters come across a school bus that is on fire! Oh no! What is THE VERY FIRST THING they decide to do?

You should be able to come up with an answer off the top of your head. For example, my office worker character from earlier (based on 19 year old Tyler) would probably panic, yell out a string of profanities, then scramble for his phone, nervously dropping it in the process, causing it to smash to bits.

Michael Bluth would probably try to be a hero and go in the bus himself to rescue the kids, against the advice of the professionals. In doing so, he’d immediately realize he bit off more than he could chew and probably end up injuring himself in the process.

A memorable cast of characters should all have some different type of reaction. And if you say “My character would go in, rescue the kids, and then alert the authorities, all without a scratch on them.” You have a Mary Sue. Back to the drawing board!

When reading a script we want a dynamic group of characters, too many of the same archetype can really bog down the story. So, if you’re unsure, use this exercise! It’s a life saver!

That’s all I have for you today, I hope you learned something new and are able to really elevate your characters! Good luck, and happy writing!

Where there is story, there is conflict, you can’t have one without the other! Well, I guess you could, but it wouldn’t be very interesting. When developing your scripts you need to ask yourself, ‘what is the conflict here?’ If you can’t come up with an answer, then you may need to hit the drawing board and rework your story beats.

If this is the case, have no fear! Today, I’ll be going over the basic types of conflicts and using some examples of successful films that have utilized them. But before we begin, I do want to say one thing that I’ve personally learned about conflict in writing. It’s stakes. What are the consequences for your protagonist if they do not come out on top of this conflict? Could they lose their job? Their love? Their life!? The higher the stakes, the more compelling the conflict will be, and the more we, as an audience, will be drawn into the story.

Of course, keep it genre appropriate. If you’re writing a story for preschoolers, it’s not advisable to have your plucky child protagonist come face to face with potential death, unless you want hordes of angry parents swarming your email. On the flip side, no one wants to watch a horror film about a monster that doesn’t pose at least SOME physical threat to our cast of victims. It’s all about finding that balance of ‘high stakes’ and ‘what’s appropriate for the story’. Anyway, that is just my two cents. Now, let’s move onto the basic types of conflict and how you may be able to implement them into your story!

1. PERSON VS. PERSON

This one is pretty self explanatory, you have your protagonist literally duking it out with another character. This could be in the form of a race to find buried treasure, competing against each other in the big game, or quite literally, a fight to the death.

This type of conflict works really well where the overarching story is about the protagonist facing off against a singular arch nemesis throughout the script.

One example of this conflict is the movie ‘Scream’ (and Scream 2, 3, and so on and so forth.)

We follow Sidney, a normal teenage girl that is currently mourning the mysterious death of her mother. Suddenly, a masked killer targets her and her group of friends. Sidney has to dodge the killer’s attacks, while trying to unmask the perpetrator and bring them to justice.

It’s Person vs. Person, Sidney vs. Ghostface. The conflict between these two characters lasts the entire film. Ghostface tries to murder Sidney on several occasions, and when he’s not messing with her, he’s offing her friends, thus attacking her indirectly through her support system.
The writer of the movie was able to build the entire story off this premise, off this conflict. And this is something you’ll see in a lot of horror movies, where there’s a slasher type killer.

What’s important to keep in mind is that the soul of the story here is that conflict, and that’s why it works so well. Everything that happens is based around Sidney’s quest for survival from the killer.

You’ll find that this applies to all types of conflict. The more ingrained into the story, the more compelling the script is!

2. PERSON VS. NATURE

You know those movies where people have to survive ‘Sharknados’? Yeah, this is that. This type of conflict puts your protagonist against mother nature, oftentimes having to survive her harshness. This is all your disaster type movies like ‘2012’, ‘The Day After Tomorrow’, even the tail end of ‘Titanic’.

These are nine times out of ten conflicts that are insanely high stakes (there’s that word from earlier!) where your cast of characters will either live or die by the time the credits start to roll.

Now, here’s where conflicts can get fun! You can have Person Vs. Person conflict in a Person Vs. Nature story! You can mix and match conflicts all you want, and in fact, it may elevate your script to a higher level.

Think of any apocalypse type of media you’ve consumed. There’s almost always that guy with the gun, threatening your protagonist, stealing their supplies, etc. That’s an instance of Person Vs. Person within the greater conflict that is trying to survive whatever natural disaster is currently happening.

You see how you can play with these conflicts to make the story more interesting? If our characters are trying to survive, let’s say, a tsunami, we’re going to get pretty bored of watching them float around on stray rafts for 90 minutes. Adding in extra conflict breaks up the story and helps keep the audience engaged, on the edge of their seats, wondering what else may happen next.

3. PERSON VS. SELF

This one can be tricky. How can you be in conflict with yourself? Well, this is usually used when you have a sort of ‘morally gray’ character, who may be struggling with certain deeds they’ve performed, urges they have, etc.

One of my favorite examples of this takes place in the movie ‘Heathers’.

Our lead, Veronica, is disillusioned with her life of popularity. So much so, that she begins dating the school’s new bad boy. However, things take a morbid turn when he convinces her to start bumping off her classmates, saying it’s for the betterment of society.

Veronica ends up having a serious conflict with herself about halfway through the film. Sure, the people they’re killing are awful, but they’re also seventeen. Veronica has to come to terms with the fact that she’s either a cold blooded killer, or just doing her part to make the world a nicer place.

There’s also STAKES! She can either come clean and go to prison, or she can hang around her murderous new boyfriend, and wait until he takes her out next. Again, stakes combined with conflict help create a script we don’t want to put down.

This type of conflict is GREAT for more psychological pieces. It allows us to really get into the protagonist’s head, really see the psychological motives behind their actions.

This is a more difficult conflict type to base your entire story around, but it certainly can be done. I recommend watching the film ‘We Need To Talk About Kevin’, and its usage of guilt, to see just how well done a story using Person vs. Self can be.

4. PERSON VS. SOCIETY

And finally, our fourth major type of conflict is Person vs. Society. Like the name suggests, you’ll often see this used in a story where the protagonist is pushing back against norms that have been ingrained in our society. This type of conflict is used a lot with period pieces, especially during times where people had to fight for their basic liberties, like the Civil Rights Movement, Stonewall, World War 2, etc.

However, that doesn’t mean you need to write a period piece in order to make use of this conflict! It works just as well in contemporary stories. Because I already mentioned two teen cult classics today, let’s make use of the ‘rule of three’ and examine ‘Mean Girls’ as a contemporary (well, for 2004) film that makes use of Person Vs. Society.

We have Cady who, born and raised in Kenya, is suddenly thrust into the American public school system. She comes to find that there is a ‘Girl World’ , a set of expectations and rules put upon teenage girls in order for them to hold onto societal power. Cady begins to lose herself in these rules, and realizes that if there’s ever going to be a change to how teenage girls are treated, she has to lead it herself.

And, like all conflict types, you can mix and match. This is a Person vs. Society film AND a Person vs. Self film, when Cady realizes she’s forgoing her values for popularity. It can also be argued it’s a Person vs. Person film, as Cady sets out to destroy the current queen bee, although many film scholars like to argue that society is the true villain in this classic teen comedy.

And there you have it! The four main conflict types that create a story. Now, go through your script and identify what kind of conflict is at the core of your story. A Person Vs. Self with a hint of Person Vs. Nature? Perhaps a Person Vs. Person, with societal repercussions? No matter what it is, it should be easily identifiable.

Also, you have homework. Go watch your favorite movie and find out what type of conflict is used the most throughout the film. It should be an easy task after reading this quick lesson. Go on, and happy writing!

Star Wars has Luke Skywalker, Pirates of the Caribbean has Jack Sparrow, and John Wick has…Well, John Wick. Point is, a well written protagonist is crucial to a successful script. Keep in mind that this is the character that your audience will spend 90-100% of their time with, and they can truly make or break the story you’re trying to tell.

So, the question remains, how do you write a protagonist that helps, not hinders, your script? Well, today I’m going to go over a few tips that I personally use in my writing, as well as some mistakes you may not even know you’re making when creating your protagonist. Because, after all, a strong protagonist is the driving force behind your story, and not something that should be overlooked!

TIP #1: Opt for active, not passive, protagonists.

This is something I struggled with a lot when I first started writing. Many of my protagonists simply had the plot HAPPEN to them, instead of actively making choices that affected the story.

Now, that’s not to say your protagonist has to be in control every step of the way, absolutely not. Many great inciting incidents are things that our protagonists have no control over whatsoever. Let me use an example to better illustrate this point.

I assume you’re all, somewhat, familiar with the film franchise Harry Potter. If you’re not, stop reading this and hit up Wikipedia (or go binge watch all eight movies, whatever floats your boat.)

Harry starts out as a boy that is forced to live under the staircase of his evil aunt and uncle, it’s all very doom and gloom. Until one day, he discovers he’s a wizard! Plot twist! This is something Harry has no control over, this is a ‘passive’ event and it totally works.

But, the story would be pretty uneventful if Harry got to Hogwarts and just did whatever everyone told him to do. No, Harry CHOOSES to defy rules and snoop around this new magical world. And good thing he does! Or else the series would end up being incredibly, incredibly short.

Your protagonists need to be actively making decisions that will either make your audience applaud, or cringe (both are good)! This is not only what helps push your story forward, but keeps the person reading your script engaged. We want to see protagonists come out on top because they fought for it, not because it simply just happened. So, don’t be afraid to let your protagonists get into some trouble! It’ll make your script all that much more interesting.

Speaking of trouble, that brings me to my next point.

TIP #2: Perfection is not perfect.

You may have heard the term “Mary (or Gary) Sue.” used to describe a character. It is like poison to any writer’s ears. That means people think your protagonist is, for lack of a better term, boring! And no one wants that! Not you, not your audience, and not me, I don’t want thatt for you.

Many times we feel the need to write our protagonists as these amazing heroes who will do anything to help save the day, and everyone loves them because they’re just so great! And while that’s all fine and dandy, it ends up taking away the part of your protagonist that makes them so likable to the audience, their humanity.

Your protagonist is a human (or like, human-esque if you’re writing about talking dogs or something). Every human being has a flaw. There are things that we’re all bad at. You know those people in your life that seem so well put together, guess what? They’re not. And that’s alright! Even Superman can’t touch kryptonite!

Figure out what your character's weaknesses are and include it in your story. Let’s say you have some really righteous, do-gooder, crime stopping character, okay? How about he also has a crippling fear of heights? Maybe it stems from some untreated childhood trauma? And maybe, just maybe, you include a scene where he has to take a bad guy down while he’s on the rooftop of a fifty story building? What would that scene look like? How would he overcome that fear?

Another example, you have a hardened detective who’s been ten years sober from alcohol. Perfect! Now, you find a way to work that into the current case he’s taken on. Perhaps the stress has caused him to relapse? Uh-oh! Now he’s got to get back on the wagon, while still trying to solve the case.

What I’m trying to get at here is that struggle is good. It makes for a much more dynamic character, and allows the audience to relate to them even more.

One thing that really helps me with this, and character building as a whole, is fleshing out a character’s backstory. Now 95% of that will end up in your notebook, never to be read by another set of human eyes again, but it helps you really humanize the people you write, and understand where their motivations, fears, etc. are all coming from.

TIP #3: Give them an arc!

Now that we’ve learned to make active protagonists who aren’t one dimensional, what do we do with them? Send them on a life changing journey!

Your protagonist should not be the same person they were on page one as they are on page ninety. Having a protagonist grow throughout the course of your story is so essential when it comes to screenwriting.

Ask yourself, why does this character need to go on this adventure? What do they need to learn?

It can be a small change, or something drastic, there just has to be some shift in them before you type out ‘FADE TO BLACK’.

And the fun thing is, the change doesn’t even have to be a positive one! Your character can actually leave the story worse off than they started! That’s just as interesting.

Let me give two examples, one positive and one negative, of how a character has changed throughout the course of a script.

(Spoilers for ‘X’ and ‘Pearl’ ahead.)

I recently watched Ti West’s ‘X’, and its prequel ‘Pearl’. Both protagonists, played by Mia Goth, undergo a serious transformation by the time the end credits start to roll.

In X, we have Maxxine, a young woman who dreams of becoming a star, but is instead stuck acting in a low budget adult movie. By the end of the film, Maxxine, single handedly takes down the killers that have been knocking off her friends, and escapes to freedom as the sole survivor. Maxxine does a complete 180 from the sort of timid, ‘go with the flow’ girl we first meet, into a determined fighter who drives off to Hollywood in order to really take control of her destiny.

On the flip side, we have Pearl. The titular character has the same dream as Maxxine, to be a star. However, after one bad audition she loses it, going on a killing spree that results in the deaths of her loved ones. By the end of the movie, Pearl has come to terms with the fact she will never be a star, and will live out the rest of her days as nothing more than a farmer’s wife.

This is a great usage of how a protagonist can be changed for the worse. We were genuinely rooting for Pearl, as an audience we wanted her to achieve her dreams. So, it’s all that much more heartbreaking when she loses her drive and completely gives up (after chopping up human beings that is).

When you all start drafting up your stories, be sure to keep these tips in mind. Remember, your protagonist is your audience’s view into this world you’ve created, they are going to be stuck with this person for the duration of your script. So, it’s incredibly important they’re either someone we relate to, root for, or just plain like watching! The protagonist is the soul of your story.

I hope you all found these tips helpful, now go out and write some awesome protagonists! Happy writing!