If you want your movie to get a big audience, you’ll need to find a good story. Working on a film or a script is a lot of work, so it is crucial to choose the right story for a film. It would be best if you had a story that inspires you to dig deeper, connect with you emotionally, and that you are going to be obsessed about. Only after finding that type of idea, you can start thinking about its premise.
You Don’t Need a Full Idea to Start Writing
Let’s start with a secret: you don’t need to wait for the “perfect” idea to start writing. In fact, some of the best stories come from just diving in. Start with a scene. Write about a character doing something small: sitting at a bus stop, arguing with someone, finding a letter they weren’t supposed to see.Or begin by building your world: a town that never sees the sun, a futuristic prison, a family stuck in a haunted RV.
Sometimes, just writing the mood or the setup helps unlock something deeper. You discover characters, conflicts, or themes as you go. Think of it like exploring a cave with a flashlight. You don’t need to see the whole cave to take the first few steps. So don’t wait for the idea to be “ready.” Start writing and let the idea shape itself on the page.
How to find a compelling story for your first movie?
It would be best if you found a subject that interests you and that you are passionate about. Is there something that you want to dig in about? What do you usually think about when you are bored? When you watch the news or read a magazine, is there an item that interests you? Once you find the right subject, ideas will start to pop up.
To find a subject that interests you and that you know about, start by writing a list of your most moving experiences in life. Without judging your self, make a list with as many shorts descriptions of your past experiences. Now, try to find common elements (or a few) that repeat each time or some of the times.
How to brainstorm film ideas from real-life experiences?
One of the most valuable tools a screenwriter can have is a personal idea folder – a dedicated space (physical or digital) where you collect anything that sparks your interest. Whether it’s a strange headline, an overheard conversation, a location you passed by, a piece of music, or just a phrase that popped into your head- write it all down.
Don’t judge the idea when you’re writing it down. The point isn’t to come up with perfect storylines in the moment; it’s about capturing raw material. Think of it as your private creative compost pile: all the odd, curious, emotionally charged fragments go there to ferment.
When you find yourself looking for a movie idea to develop, go back to your folder. Read through it. Let the entries trigger thoughts, images, emotions. Pick one that catches your attention, then start writing. Don’t overthink it. Explore the idea on the page and see where it leads.
Often, a sentence from three months ago will suddenly click with something you’re feeling now. That’s when the magic happens. An idea turns into a character. A character finds a setting. A scene begins. Before you know it, you’re inside a story.
Keeping an idea folder does three powerful things:
Reduces pressure to come up with something on the spot.
Gives you a backlog of original material to mine.
Keeps you creatively active, even when you’re not “officially” writing.
Whether it’s a Google Doc, a voice memo app, or a physical notebook – build your idea folder and make it part of your daily process. The best movie ideas often don’t come fully formed; they come in fragments, and your job is to collect, revisit, and reshape them into stories worth telling.
How to turn a simple idea into a full screenplay?
- Make sure it has enough “meat” to use it on a feature film.
- On the other hand, try to make it as specific as possible. If the subject is too broad, you might get lost at the research stage.
- Start brainstorming ideas to see if you are in the right track
- Make sure it is a subject you’ll be able to read about and learn
Some tricks to find ideas
- Choose a structure – Sometimes, the way you want to tell the story can affect the story you will tell. If there is an exciting type of story structure you want to play with like the multi timelines structures, the Reverse Chronological Structure or any other, you’ll need a story that will justify it
- Look around – As a screenwriter or a film director, you need to start to carry a small notebook and write down interesting things you see. Don’t think about ideas yet; simply write everything down. Go over your notes and think of them. Sometimes it can be a location that will trigger an idea, and sometimes it can be a person you saw on the street, a situation you took part in, etc.
- Art – Watch and breakdown as many books, films, or any form of art you can think of. When you understand what it is that makes them work, that can trigger an idea.
- Use your limitation – Start by thinking what it is you can shoot. What locations can you use, how much actors can you handle
- Read biographies – You can find a public figure that no one gave her the respect it deserves, or you can use it to think of exciting characters that will develop into ideas.
know your genre
The first advice many directors, screenwriters, and producers get is to write to a particular genre since it makes all processes more comfortable because of the many rules each genre is dealing with. Whether it’s your first film or the 20th film, thinking about the genre first is very recommended. By choosing the genre, you choose how the film is going to look and who will be your audience. When you look for the right genre for your idea, it’s good to have a few genres mixed, but you have to do it on purpose and not by accident. The genre is an excellent point to start with. You don’t have to follow each one of its rules.
What makes a strong movie idea for a script?
Sometimes an idea will make you excited intellectually, and other times the excitement will be emotional. I recommend going to the one that you feel emotionally excited about. This is an idea you will fight for, and writing and creating a movie is something that needs to be worth fighting for. Once you’re sure you want to fight for the idea, try seeing it in your eyes. What type of movie is it going to be? What type of editing are you seeing? What type of shooting? Do you see an opportunity to implement your voice in it?
Another tip is not to tell anyone about it yet. Your idea was born just now, and it is still too young to stand in front of criticism and suggestions. Take the time to build the idea thoroughly before telling it to others.
An Idea Isn’t a Story Until It Has Conflict
Okay, so let’s say you’ve got your basic idea: a guy wakes up one day and realizes he’s invisible. Cool. But that’s not a story yet. A story needs conflict. The story conflict is what creates tension, stakes, and momentum. Without it, your idea just sits there. Your invisible guy needs a problem. Maybe he’s being hunted by a secret agency. Maybe he can’t turn visible again and is slowly losing his sense of identity. Maybe his invisibility tempts him to do things he shouldn’t, and now he’s dealing with guilt or consequences.
Conflict can be:
External (something outside the character—villains, disasters, systems)
Internal (something inside—fear, guilt, obsession)
Relational (problems between characters—love, betrayal, misunderstanding)
When you look at your idea, ask: Where’s the struggle? What’s getting in the way? What’s at stake?
That’s when your idea starts turning into a story.
Writing a Script to Match a Director’s Vision
While many scripts begin as personal ideas or stories, sometimes you’ll be writing with a specific director’s vision in mind. Whether you’re collaborating with someone from the start or joining a project already in motion, your job as a screenwriter is to translate that vision into words and scenes that work on screen.
Start by understanding what the director is going for. What mood or tone are they trying to achieve? Are they envisioning something gritty and realistic, or stylized and surreal? Ask about references, what films or directors are they inspired by for this project? That can tell you a lot about pacing, tone, and structure.
Also, find out how “visual” the director is. Some directors think in images, not words. They may describe a scene in terms of lighting, camera movement, or emotion. Your task is to reverse-engineer those visuals into dramatic scenes. You may need to create dialogue or beats that help the visuals land.
When you’re writing to match a director’s vision:
Ask about character perspective – Is the story told from a single POV, or does it jump between different characters?
Clarify genre and tone – Even subtle shifts (like a dark comedy vs. a drama with humor) will shape your choices.
Balance creative input – You’ll bring your voice to the script, but it needs to harmonize with the director’s.
Leave room for interpretation – Avoid over-directing the page. Let the visuals breathe so the director can bring their own style to life.
It’s a dance between structure and freedom, collaboration and individuality. But when it works, you’re not just writing a script—you’re helping bring someone’s vision to life, frame by frame.
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