Script Writing for Indie Movies

Writing has always been a feast for creative people. We writers enjoy writing the way a glutton person loves to eat all the time. It always gives satisfaction to make your own characters. Giving them specific nature, attitude, way of speaking, and putting them in different sort of situations is a great source of satisfaction and joy.

It becomes more interesting (and challenging too) when we are writing for an indie movie. We all know that indie movies are almost of no budget so thinking of any science fiction stories , or some great action is almost impossible. It is considered a general rule to make a great movie, a great script is required. But for making an indie movie the good script is not enough. A lot more becomes the demand of a filmmaker from scriptwriter(if the filmmaker himself is not a scriptwriter).


We have to give a lot more importance to every thing like characters, locations, situations created in the movie and we always feel tied by a rope.

For writing an indie movie script the most important thing you need is not an idea but first a list of resources available to you. So first of all sit down in a separate room take out a piece of paper and categorise it into four categories. List the names of friends which are sincere to you and willing to act. Remember one thing if a friend is not willing to act in you movie don’t doubt on his sincerity. Many people are camera shy. After that make a list of friends who have got any equipments related to filmmaking. A good quality CAM will be a jackpot for you. Then make a list of locations available to you free of cost. They should also be within the city so that you will save the money of vehicles and oil. Your and your friend’s home, Public parks, shopping centres (do not forget to check out if permission is necessary for shooting at these places) and the most important place, your school/college/university. The administration will love to help you.

After making a list now comes the main area of thinking. A concept or idea which can be turned into a movie later on. First of all decide which genre you will like to go for? Love stories, suspense thrillers, drama are the genres which do not need high investments in general. Where as a movie based on science fiction or special effects will at-least require a very high computer system to get something from it. But still the effects created by computer might not attract the normal public as they have already seen great Hollywood movies. So my personal advice will be to go with genre like love stories, drama, or suspense thriller.

While creating a concept remember to restrict your script by few things like

Lowest number of actors
Locations 1-3. Not more than that
If you are in a country like Pakistan where getting females for you movie is hard then try some new concepts other than love story.

Remember one thing a good script not necessarily requires females every time.
DO brain storming with your friends to generate a concept. If you are unable to create any concept then there is another great tip.

Create some interesting characters. Lets say a thief who is dumb, His partner who is deaf. Now you can move a little further when they both plan a robbery in....in a house?? Well a Bank would have been a better and a different idea than the normal movies, but getting a bank location is tough. So we can go with a house. And when they enter a house at night when the family is out they find a couple of more robbers (Oh this is really a nice idea developing). And interestingly one of them is blind and the other one is his brother and...... lets say is mentally retarded. See i just created the characters right now while typing and the concept is looking good at-least considering that i have created it just here while sitting on my PC.

You can also download CINERGY software for free by GOOGLE searching. It is a professional scriptwriting software.

Well my next post will be the most interesting as i will submit a post related to distribution of indie movie as it has been the most overseen issue. I personally have worked a lot on how to distribute my indie movie. And i will utilise that strategy for my first indie movies soon.

Regards


HEY the concept is a copy Right under the act of social norms and values. So don’t try to copy it