Screenwriting Course
Lessons

Oftentimes the harder you think of THE IDEA that will inspire you to write, the harder it will make itself known to you. Ideas rarely show up fully formed. Don’t put pressure on yourself to find a STORY!  You’re actually looking for a “narrative springboard” which will lead to a story. That may be:

• A notion
• An arena
• A character
• A location

Figuring out what your story is about is a process. Question: What are you looking for?  Answer: An interesting basis for conflict.  Open Yourself Up to the Stories Around You:

• Observe
• Listen
• Read

You can’t copyright an idea.

Public Domain: Any work published in the United States before 1923 or works published before 1964 for which copyrights were not renewed, expiring by 1992 at the latest, is in the public domain.

Facts cannot be copyrighted nor can the history that’s generally taught. Parody and satire are protected as a form of Fair Use.  Parody must make fun of the original work or its author. satire – is considered its own genre or literary form in which behaviors follies, abuses and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, often in the hopes of changing attitude or inspiring improvement.

• When you finally come up with that brilliant, magical idea, consider:
• Is it something you can be passionate about? Otherwise, why care about this idea?
• How do I make the audience care as much as I do? How can I get them emotionally invested?
• Do I clearly see where this story is headed? If the ending of your movie comes easily to you, it might also come easily to the audience.