What is a screenplay Idea?

 It is a story's basic concept that a writer wants to develop into a

screenplay.
 It lays the foundation upon which the entire script is built, including the
plot, characters, theme, scene, and more.
 It can be inspired by everyday life, a road trip, dreams, personal
experiences, or even your favorite film.

Sources of ideas for screenplay

The first phase of writing a screenplay is finding an idea of what it will be
based on. You can find an idea by doing the following:
1. Read widely: The more you read, the more likely you are to come
across ideas that could be adapted into a movie. Try reading books and
articles in a variety of genres, and pay attention to stories that catch
your attention.
2. Keep an eye on the news: News stories can be a great source of
inspiration for movie ideas. Look for stories that have strong
characters, compelling plotlines, and universal themes.
3. Look for adaptations: Many movies are based on books, articles, or
news stories. Look for stories that have already been adapted and see
if there are any elements that you could use in your own adaptation.
4. Use online resources: There are many websites and databases that
can help you find books, articles, and news stories that might be good
candidates for adaptation. For example, the Internet Movie Database
(IMDb) has a list of movies based on true stories, and the Black List is a
database of screenplays that are looking for producers
5. Personal experiences
6. Current events
7. Historical events
8. Creativity and imagination
9. Dreams
10. Religious believes
11. Places
12. Cultural believes

STAGES OF SCREENPLAY WRITING

1) Title- this can also be referred to a working title as it keeps on changing
throughout the development of your script. The title should be
memorable enough to pique interest. When your screenplay lands on
 the desk of someone important for instance a producer or a director,
the very first impression they form of your screenplay is from the title.
2) Synopsis- it is a paragraph that indicates the big idea of your story.
This is normally considered as a selling tool to convince someone to
read the full screenplay.
3) Logline- this is a one- sentence screenplay summary that gives a brief
overview of the plot.
4) Treatment- it is a scene-by-scene breakdown that describes the key
elements of the screenplay. It includes the plot, characters, setting,
and other essential details.
5) Outline- it describes the scenes that will be in the screenplay and is
derived from the treatment.
6) Step outline
7) Screenplay
ELEMENTS OF A SCREENPLAY
1. Synopsis
Once you have developed a variety of story ideas and some thoughts on
what issues your stories might explore, you can start to work towards the
first crucial stage in developing a screenplay idea: called the synopsis.
A Synopsis is simply a paragraph indicating the core concept - the Big Idea
of your story.
It should give the reader an idea of the screenplay and what to expect. It
should however not give away major spoilers or twists, but should instead
provide a general overview of the entire script.
A good synopsis states who the central character is, the theme and what the
central dramatic problem the story involves that will have an effect on the
audience.
When writing a synopsis, you should try and do the following:
1) Start with a strong hook. The first paragraph of your synopsis should
grab the reader’s attention and give them a taste of what is to come.
2) The first part of your synopsis should introduce your main character
and emphasize character development. What is happening? Who is it
happening to? When is it happening? Where specifically is this event
happening? Why is it happening to them? How is it happening?
3) Give a brief overview of the major plot points, but don’t give away the
ending. You should strive to leave the reader wanting more.
4) Highlight the conflict and stakes. For instance, what happens if your
protagonist doesn’t achieve his or her goal? Raising stakes will make
your story more compelling.
5) Highlight the themes of your story. What are you trying to say with
your screenplay? Make sure that your synopsis conveys the central
message of your narrative.
6) Use strong verbs and active language. Write in present tense, and
make sure your synopsis is easy to read.
7) Keep it brief. A synopsis should be no more than one page. This
ensures that you do not lose the reader’s attention.
EXAMPLES OF SYNOPSES
1. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982). A group of aliens visit earth and
one of them is lost and left behind on this planet. The alien is found by
a lonely 10-year-old boy, Elliot, who hides him at home. Soon the two
begin to communicate and start a different kind of relationship, in
which E.T. learns about life on earth and Elliot learns about love and
friendship. With the authorities closing in to capture the alien, E.T.
needs to go home. But if Elliot helps him, he’ll lose his only friend.
2. The Silence of the Lambs (1991). Rookie FBI agent Clarice Starling
is assigned to help find a missing woman and save her from serial
killer ‘Buffalo Bill’, who skins his victims. Clarice attempts to gain a
better insight into the twisted mind of the killer by talking to his former
psychiatrist, an incarcerated psychopath called Dr Hannibal ‘the
Cannibal’ Lecter. Hannibal holds the key to locating Buffalo Bill but the
only way to get into Hannibal’s head is to let him inside hers. Clarice
must face her own personal demons before she captures Buffalo Bill.
3. Rushmore (1998). Max Fischer is a precocious and determined
scholarship student at the private Rushmore Academy where he has
great success in organizing clubs and plays but fails most of his
academic classes. He befriends a rich industrialist, Blume, and falls for
a recently widowed teacher, Ms. Cross. When one of his schemes gets
Max expelled, he dedicates himself to wooing Ms. Cross, but finds that
Blume loves her as well. Max seeks vengeance against his old mentor
who retaliates and war breaks out between them. Max’s sweet father,
a simple barber, helps him to accept a more realistic place in the
world.
4. What Women Want (2000). Nick Marshall is a chauvinistic
advertising executive who sees his mission in life as to bed as many
women as he can. His life is turned upside down when a fluke accident
leaves him with the ability to hear what women think. At first, all he
wants to do is rid himself of this curse, until a wacky psychologist
shows him that this could be used to his advantage. Nick’s dream
promotion has gone to new team member Darcy, so Nick decides to
sabotage her by reading her thoughts and passing her ideas off as his
 own. But with his new insight, Nick finds himself falling in love with
Darcy – and discovers that love is the cure to his problem.

Themes

 Theme here will refer to the takeaway message from your screenplay.
 It is a very important aspect of screenplay as it has the message that
the screenplay writer is trying to get across to the audience which,
when effectively communicated, satisfies them emotionally, and ma
 Every screenplay will have its own meaning/thought that will be
evident throughout the story.
 However, its thematic concerns can be grouped under eight distinct
types, which express the major human experiences and reflect
common emotional needs.
 They fall mainly into two camps: DESIRES AND FEARS
 One other theme that is not major is about Morality).
These themes are:
1. The desire for justice. An injustice is seen to be done and we desire to
see it corrected. How it is corrected and whether or not the initial injustice
is corrected is up to the writer. Almost any crime enquiry or trial-based
story illustrates this theme, in films such as A Few Good Men (1992), Trial
and Retribution (TV; 1997–2009); Silent Witness (TV; 1996–present);
Twelve Angry Men (1957). (1955); Bitter Rice (1949); Enemy of the State
(1998).
2. The desire for love. The sense of being alone is experienced by most
human beings and we desire to see how other people deal with that situation
– in particular, how they meet the emotional need this often creates. How
this need is met and whether or not it is ultimately fulfilled is up to the writer.
All romances illustrate this theme; for example: Casablanca (1942);
Romeo and Juliet (1968) / Romeo + Juliet (1996); Bridget Jones’
Diary (2001); The Piano
(1993).
3. The desire for order. Chaos exists, or threatens, and we desire to see
some order imposed to make everyday life possible. The source of the chaos,
its consequences and the means by which it is tackled are up to the writer.
Many murder mysteries and detective stories fall into this category, as would
a futuristic film like Blade Runner (1982). In terms of individuals, this can be
seen in Lost Weekend (1945); Trainspotting (1996); Mr Bean (TV; 1990–
1995). With respect to society, it can be seen in Touch of Evil (1958),
Apocalypse Now (1979), and most TV soaps.
4. The desire for pleasure. Pleasure is possible and we desire to share in
the experience of it. The nature of the pleasure, its cost, if any, and how this
is portrayed, is up to the writer. Comedies rely heavily on this theme, and
many of them are about individual(s) in the pursuit of pleasure, such as A
Night at the Opera (1935). The range of narratives which use this theme vary
enormously from the obvious like Everything You Always Wanted to Know
about Sex but Were Afraid to Ask (1972), The Smell of Fear (1991) and Bitter
Moon (1992).
5. The desire for validation. Every human being is unique. The question
is, how much is this uniqueness a problem for the other human beings you
live with, and for you? The recognition of this situation leads to a desire to
validate the individual choices human beings make in a communal context.
This is the basis of most personal dramas; for example:
Bagdad Cafe (1987); Thelma & Louise (1991); Flirting (1991); Boys from the
Blackstuff (TV; 1982); American Beauty (1999); Lawrence of Arabia (1962).
6. The fear of death. Mortality is a fact of life and we desire to see how
people cope with the threat of death. How the threat arises and the means of
dealing with it are up to the writer. This is the basis that underpins most
horror films, but is also the basis of personal dramas such as The Seventh
Seal (1957); Ghost (1990); Yeleen (1987); Terms of Endearment
(1983);
Steel Magnolias (1989).
7. The fear of the unknown. No-one knows everything. Even collectively,
humanity still struggles to grasp the enormity of life experiences on this
planet, let alone the universe. In this context, every human being at some
level recognises their inability to understand much of what happens to them
and the world around them. The result is a desire to see how the unknown
can be confronted and dealt with. This is the basis of many horror films and
television such as Quatermass and the Pit (TV; 1958); Alien (1979) A
Nightmare on Elm Street (1984); The X-Files (TV; 1993–2002; 2016; 2018);
also, some sci-fi like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982); Forbidden Planet
(1956); Signs (2002); and some personal dramas like To Kill a Mockingbird
(1962).
8. The morality of individuals. A choice has to be made between doing
something which is defined as good or something which is defined as bad.
The nature of good and bad is dependent on the writer, as is the outcome of
the choice. Examples of this include The Searchers (1956); The Fisher King
(1991); Rashomon (1950); Murder on the Orient Express (1974 / 2017);
Se7en (1995).
 Notice that in each of the examples given, the thematic concern
underpins the key main story and the motivation of the major
characters.
 However, each screenplay will define its particular version of justice or
fear of the unknown or whatever, and that is what will make the film or
television drama different from every other one.
 It gives the writer a unique and original voice.
 That is the strength and power of thematic meaning in a screenplay.
Assignment: In your groups, select a theme from the 8 themes and
put it in the context of the story idea you developed and present in
class.