screenwriters toolkit

It’s been said that a writers’ main tool is the question, “What if?” With this simple query, we can explore any ordinary event’s limitless plot possibilities. Your task: Get a copy of today’s newspaper. Read 5 articles with our question in mind. What if she stole the money? What if those soldiers were plotting something? What if that man was lying? Write out one movie idea for each article you read.

Sometimes, seeing where other people have taken an idea can inspire us with new ways to develop our own. Your task: Make a list of five things you are passionate about. Identify as many movies you can think of that cover the first item on your list. Do a 5-minute free-write with the starting sentence, “Stories can be…”

Running low on our own ideas creates the best motivation to ask our friends. Your task: Pick ten people you know and write a brief character description for each of them. Ask each of them what one defining moment in their lives was, and one character trait that changed in that moment. Write this as a character ark. For each character, write a paragraph-long plot summary for this event.

Sometimes, the best stories are right around us. As writers, it’s our job to find them. Your task: Interview an older relative or family friend about their life. Ask plenty of detailed questions about parts of their story that interest you. Write 5 potential movie ideas that come from your interview.

It’s a common fact that if you want ideas, you have to seek inspiration. Your task: Plan and take a day-trip to a random place you haven’t been to yet. Do something on that trip that breaks you out of your routine.