Education / Development & storytelling
Write a story that can live on screen.
Progression roleThe overview
Screenwriters create and revise scripts, using action, dialogue and structure to communicate character and story. They may develop original ideas or write to a commission.
A screenplay is also a working document for a production. Other departments need to understand what happens and where. Rewriting is a large part of the work: a writer responds to notes while protecting the story’s purpose and making the material clear enough to film.
Time is divided between developing ideas, drafting scenes, discussing notes and rewriting.
Your route in
Begin by writing complete short scripts and learning how they change when read and filmed.
Write a five-page story with two characters and one location. Give it an ending rather than endlessly refining the opening.
Arrange a table read with friends. Note unclear intentions and dialogue that does not sound natural, then rewrite.
Keep polished examples in different tones. Approach collaborators with a finished sample and a clear explanation of the story.
Writing careers can develop through independent films, commissioned work and collaboration with producers.
Try it yourself
Write a two-page scene in which a character wants something but cannot ask for it directly. Limit action to what an audience can see or hear.
Check whether the goal, obstacle and change are visible. Remove descriptions that only explain a character’s private thoughts.
This is an introduction to UK film and scripted TV, rather than a complete job specification. Grades and responsibilities vary by production.
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