How to Start a Screenplay: 5 Ways to Start a Screenplay

A screenplay is a television show or film script. Hollywood producers hire professional screenwriters in the film industry to craft feature film scripts. Unlike playwriting, there is an industry standard for script format and how the screenplay appears on the page, down to the specific use of Courier font. Proper screenwriting software is essential; many screenwriters rely on apps like Final Draft with templates and uniform screenplay formats for character names, time of day, transitions, settings (EXT. and INT.), slug lines, scene headings, and title pages.

There is no one set way to begin writing a good script for a short film or feature, as the scriptwriting process varies from screenwriter to screenwriter. If you are creating a script for the first time, you do not have to start with the first scene—you can follow an idea that excites you most, chase that story, and see how new scenes and characters emerge. Beginners can also start with a logline, a brief synopsis of the film. When writing, give yourself ample time to work; quiet, dedicated time will help you form ideas. When fleshing out your story, you can build a structure for your entire script, do rewrites, and work with editors, directors, and trusted peers on revisions.

Traditionally, scripts begin by introducing a character in stasis; their world is then interrupted by an inciting incident, leading to conflict and ending with some kind of resolution. Consider the following cinematic tools to begin your spec script:

1. 1. Fade in: After the title page, this is often the first phrase you write in a screenplay. A fade in is a transition that can signal the story's beginning. You might introduce your story with a fade in, moving from a darker tone to a brighter one to reveal a world coming to life.
2. 2. Camera zoom: The camera may show audiences a town, city, crowd, or setting from afar, slowly zooming in to provide a broader look at the world of the film or show that gradually narrows in on the main character.
3. 3. Voice-over: The protagonist may speak in a voice-over, sharing something about themself or speaking about an idea or theme explored in the story.
4. 4. Close-up: A film or TV show may start an opening scene with a tight shot of the main character to immediately introduce them, show us their attributes, and solidify them as the story's center.
5. 5. Flashback: A scriptwriter might begin a screenplay with an opening sequence featuring scene’s from a character’s past, then insert a dissolve transition to demonstrate that a certain amount of time has passed.
6. 6. Cold open: A cold open immediately places viewers in the middle of a plotline and offers a teaser of the narrative to come. Also known as a teaser sequence, a cold open typically features principal characters and introduces the narrative’s tone.

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