Finding Inspiration for your Script

Let's say you have you want to write a film but don't know what to write. You'd be surprised that there are a ton of ways to get inspired to write your script. Inspiration can be found anywhere whether it's a picture you came across online or a movie you've seen. Some writers like to write films based on things they've experienced in their life, something someone else has been through, or a current event happening in the news. Since COVID-19 began in March, a lot of writers in the writing community have been writing stories about COVID and I have a feeling there's going to be a few movies about the pandemic hitting theaters in the near future.

When I write a new script, whether it's a short or feature, I usually get inspiration from movies that I enjoy. For example, when I first started writing my first feature in one of my screenwriting courses, the idea I had was inspired by animated Disney films, which I'm willing to admit I still find entertaining. But my mindset wasn't, "I'm going to write an animated film based on a fairy tale." because it's been done plenty of times and I wanted to do something original. Suddenly, an idea came to me. "What happens after the happy ending?" So I began to create a film with fictional characters from my imagination and had the focus of the story of this fantasy world slowly turn into a reality.

However, if you were inspired by a film you've seen before, try to make it original. For example, let's say you like movies about time travel. There are a lot of films about time travel, and in order to make it original, is to make the film your own. Don't copy and paste a film that's already been made. Ask yourself, "How can this be different from anything else?" I once wrote and made a short film about a guy who receives four wishes by the devil. When I first wrote the script, I thought it was an original idea, but later realized it reminded me of the movie Bedazzled. Instead of scrapping the idea, I just reworked a few things around and made it completely original.

Another way of finding inspiration for your film is just to use your imagination. Think back to when you were a kid. Take whatever imagination you had as a kid and come up with a story from there. It can also be helpful to do some sketching on some paper and you can use your drawing as something to inspire you to write your script.

If you're still unsure of where to find inspiration for your script, take out a piece of paper and list off things that you enjoy. Maybe you could write a film about a sporting event you were at. The possibilities are endless! Keep on writing!

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