Top Productivity Tips for Writing Your Sci-Fi Screenplay |
Posted: September 19, 2018 |
Some people, like Dr. Zwig, make their dreams reality by making the music they’re passionate about, and painters and photographers make it big on Instagram before opening galleries in SoHo. But as a person passionate about science fiction films, all you want to do is sit down and imagine a world different from ours that will teach viewers about the dangers that surround us in society. Whether you’ve got a feminist theme or an anti-technology one, you know you have a great story to tell.
But writing can be a struggle. And especially if it’s your first time writing a screenplay, it’s hard to stay motivated, especially after you’ve set the scene and introduced the characters. That’s why it’s so important to use these following strategies to be as productive as possible.
Watch your favorite films--and read along
When it comes to being an artist of any kind, you learn a lot from the other artists you love. Whether you enjoy comedic sci-fi like Galaxy Quest or super-dark apocalyptic stories like The Handmaid’s Tale, there’s something to learn from the writers of these movies and shows. In the same way that college students learn from tutors on websites like Studypool, you’ll learn about character, plot, and dialogue from the writers of Deadpool. And if you have the screenplay open while you’re watching, you’ll learn even more.
When it comes to making your dreams come true, one of the biggest dreams lots of creative people have is writing a screenplay. Understanding how many pages a five-minute scene takes up in a screenplay makes a difference. Seeing it right in front of you will teach you about the format and structure of movies, and if a scene goes by too quickly or is a bit confusing, you can see the problems spelled out for you. Considering that 1.24 billion tickets were sold in domestic movie theaters in 2017 alone, it’s worth taking the time to study up on the art that might become a huge box office hit.
Create a writing ritual
Once you’ve studied up on your favorite sci-fi films, it’s time to create a writing ritual that works for you. For some writers, this means free-writing for twenty minutes before getting into the business of writing a whole scene; for others, it means going for a run or visiting an art museum to get inspired. Some writers to different things on different days of the week--for example, plot planning on Mondays and character development on Wednesday. Whatever you choose, plan it, schedule it, and commit to it.
The fact is, getting into a habit is what’s going to make you more productive. And if you can do it with a writing partner, even better: you’ll hold yourself accountable. It’s worth it, considering that in just one weekend (July 6-8 2018), Ant-Man and the Wasp had a gross box office result of $75,812,205. It may be hard at first, but if you believe in yourself and keep pushing, you will get there eventually.
Go on a social media detox
If you have real trouble committing to your writing or concentrating when you’re finally sitting down, there might be a culprit that isn’t you: your phone. Your laptop, with a ton of tabs open for supposed “research”--but if it’s research, then why are you on Twitter, Reddit, and Facebook all at once? There’s something called social media addiction, and it’s possible you have it. Even if you don’t, 81 percent of millennials check Twitter at least once a day. And you know that you’re countlessly checking Facebook and Instagram, too.
So when you’re writing, go offline. Use apps to encourage you to stay offline, and put your phone on airplane mode. If you need to do research for your screenplay (for example, to understand global warming’s possible effects for the post-apocalyptic movie you're writing), leave that to the hours when you aren’t sitting down to write new material.
Get pumped
Finally, one of the best ways to get moving is by getting moving. Go for a run, lift some weights, do whatever you need to heighten the endorphins in your body. This will make you feel more focused and productive, which is a huge part of writing. Less than 3 percent of Americans lived a healthy lifestyle in 2016, so this is also a great way for you to start living healthy in addition to writing that movie you’ve been dreaming about.
These are some of the best ways for you to stay productive in the writing process of your sci-fi screenplay. What other productivity strategies do you use when you’re writing?
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