Learn How to Tell a Story by Writing (and Studying) Short Scripts
If you can’t write a compelling scene, you won’t be able to write a compelling screenplay. Far too many novices write screenplays filled with large amounts of action that’s boring, trivial, or non-essential. That means the bulk of their screenplay is boring.
A great screenplay should never be boring. That means every scene must never be boring.
To learn how to write great scenes, study short films on YouTube such as those on Omeletto. These short films vary in quality but they make it easy to study how the screenwriter created tension and set up the story for an emotional impact in the end.
By studying short films, you can see a lot of them and see a variety of storytelling techniques. By writing short scripts, you can practice creating tension and suspense. When you can create great short scripts that grab and hold someone’s attention, chances are good you’ll be able to write multiple scenes that grab and hold someone’s attention.
String all of these scenes together and you’ll have a full-length screenplay that grabs and holds someone’s attention from start to finish.
Even though you may want to write a full-length screenplay, start by writing short scripts first. Then build your storytelling and screenwriting skills gradually until you can write a full-length screenplay.
If you try to write full-length screenplays without learning to write short scripts, you’ll spend a lot of time writing ineffective screenplays where large chunks of your screenplay will fail to grab and hold someone’s attention. The moment that happens, your screenplay is sunk.
By writing short scripts first, you can complete them quickly, learn to tell a story, and be able to get feedback from others easily compared to asking someone to read and comment on a full-length screenplay.
Master writing short scripts first. Then write a full-length screenplay by writing great scenes one at a time, in any order you choose. This will increase the chances you’ll write a full-length screenplay that grabs someone’s attention from start to finish.
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