How do scripts get written?

 How do scripts get written?

(A tour through a movie writer’s mind and work, with examples)

Stories often arrive from the most unexpected directions. Recently, I found myself chatting from a fake ID, one that depicted me in a dress. Believing me to be a woman, someone asked about my husband. I played along, claiming he was a fish merchant in Goa, currently imprisoned. When asked why, I said he had stabbed someone to death. The questioning continued, and I elaborated: my husband had caught me chatting with someone online and, with deceptive grace, invited the person to our home. Anticipating a confrontation, I eagerly awaited the encounter, hoping to end the pestering advances of my Facebook friend.

As expected, a fight broke out between him and my husband. My husband stabbed him in the heat of the moment. Although he hadn't intended to kill, the poor guy, a heart patient, bled to death in my kitchen. I was sentenced to a year of penitence, while my husband received five years. He is about to be released next week.

Our chat continued, and as the story unfolded, my current chatter developed cold feet, his forehead glistening with sweat. He abruptly ended the conversation. Amused, I took screenshots of our chat and posted them on Facebook, where they elicited a lot of laughs. Encouraged by the reaction, I played the same trick again, and then one more time. The third guy, a true naïf, fell for it completely.

When he decided to quit, I invited him home. He politely declined. So, I told him he had no choice. If he didn't come, I would lie to my husband, saying there was something between us, prompting my husband to go after him upon release. This placed him in a predicament: continue being my friend and risk eventual discovery by my husband, or cut ties and face immediate danger from my fabricated confession.

I relished the game and was about to reveal the prank when he, terrified, blocked me.

That same day, I realized there was a thriller story in this exchange. I began typing out the conversation as a narrative. As I wrote, new ideas came to mind, and I incorporated them all. I then used ChatGPT to polish it and translated it into Malayalam, much to my friends' delight.

Then, I had a brainwave: why not a movie script? I had written scripts before, some of which had never been made into films. This one, I thought, could be perfect for a low-budget short film.

So, I did that too.

Writing a move script is a skill we all need nowadays and our next generation needs it like the alphabet. So do we go about it? Here I am taking you down the assembly line of my mind. 

What I am going to tell you is the world's easiest way to transwrite a story into a movie script. 

Simple. Imagine that the movie is already made and you are in a theatre watching it. Now what  do you see? What do you hear? Just take it down and your job is  done/

Scene?

Whatever you can (but may not) shoot without lugging the camera around is called a scene. Dividing it into shots is not your headache unless you plan to direct it too. In that case you have to sit with the camera man, listen to every word he says and obey him blindly. That is all the credit he gets because what you guys write together is called the Directors's Cut. He is not mentioned there!

Just for now forget all that.

Each scene has four  necessary specifications/

First, where does it happen indoors or exterior? Write IND  or EXT and leave a dot. Now where does it happen, the locale? Write that too, preferably in capitals and then leave a dot. Now when  does it happen, DAY?NIGHT? write that too.

Below this, list the characters one below the other.

Now the main body of the script should be centrally aligned, with the characters' name and suggestions for expression just about their dialogue.

Now your script is ready. 

You may take a tour through my examples.

The premise ......

Me: But now he is in jail/

Arun: O God why?

Me: He stabbed a man to death/

Arun: WTF! Who and what, I mean why?

The story....... (first draft)

create a story out of this

On Messenger man chats with a woman. She decides to teach him a lesson and collects his address. When he asks her what her husband does for a living she tells him he is a fish monger who is in jail now for murder. He killed a man who had befriended her. She says that that man deserved to die because he was such a pest. When asked how her husband found it out she tells him that he had accessed her phone and made her invite home her  friend. She feels no qualsm about having invited him and allowed her husband to do away with him. After all her husnad didn't intend to kill him. The man was a heart patient. That was whu her  husnad was given only five years in jail. He is about to be released soon. 

Now  she invites the chatter to come home and be with her  for a few days before the husband is released. The man develops a cold feet. This encourages her to take control of the situation. She insists that he should not leave her at all. If he leaves she is sure to lie to her husband  about him and her husband may go after him. The man is now in a dilemma and he expresses that. He can't continue to chat with her lest her  husband may find out and come for him. He cannot disobey her because she might tell whatever lie pleases her to the  husband  and again he may come after him.

Now she invites him to come and meet her at a hospital where she is getting help from a psychiatrist. Now the man realises that  he  is in real trouble. But he is at a loss. He can neither stay nor leave her. He decides to leave her. At this point her husband calls her and asks him why he has kidnapped his wife and where he  has taken her. He cuts the phone  and  then he hears a knock at the door and when he opens he sees a woman drenched in rain standing there with a blood stained knife.

The story (polished)

Dark Webs

John logged onto Messenger as usual, his nightly habit. He was lonely and desperate for connection, so he struck up a conversation with a woman named Lisa. She was charming, witty, and flirtatious. It didn’t take long before their chats became a routine.

One evening, John asked Lisa about her husband. Her response was chilling.

“Oh, my husband? He’s a fishmonger. Currently in jail for murder. Killed a man who was pestering me. I don't mind. That man deserved it.”

John felt a shiver run down his spine. He hesitated but curiosity got the better of him. “How did your husband find out?”

“He accessed my phone, made me invite that friend over, and then dealt with him. Poor man had a heart condition, you see. My husband didn’t intend to kill him; it just happened. He got only five years. He’ll be out soon.”

The casualness of her words made John uneasy. She then invited him to her home, offering a few days together before her husband’s release. John felt a sense of dread creep up on him.

“I... I can’t,” he stammered.

“You must,” she insisted. “If you leave me now, I’ll tell my husband about us. He’ll come after you.”

John was trapped. He couldn’t keep chatting with her, but he couldn’t leave either. He confided in her about his fears.

“Don’t worry,” she replied. “Meet me at the hospital. I’m seeing a psychiatrist there. We can talk.”

Desperation gnawed at John. He knew he was in over his head, but he decided to cut ties and run. Before he could make his move, his phone rang. It was her husband.

“Why have you kidnapped my wife? Where have you taken her?”

John’s blood ran cold. He cut the call, heart pounding. Suddenly, there was a knock at his door. He opened it to find a woman, drenched in rain, holding a blood-stained knife.

In that instant, John realized his fate was sealed. He had stepped into a web far darker than he could have ever imagined, and now, there was no escape.

The Script (rough)

Title: Dark Webs

Genre: Thriller / Psychological Drama

EXT. CITYSCAPE - NIGHT

The camera glides through the dark, rain-soaked streets of a bustling city, illuminating neon signs and dimly lit alleyways. The scene transitions to a small apartment complex.

INT. JOHN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

JOHN, a man in his mid-30s, sits at his cluttered desk, illuminated by the glow of his computer screen. He types on Messenger, his expression a mix of eagerness and loneliness.

COMPUTER SCREEN

John's chat with LISA.

LISA: How was your day, John?

JOHN: Same as usual. Work was boring. How about you?

LISA: Oh, you know, the usual. Just missing some company. ;)

INT. JOHN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

John smiles, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. He hesitates for a moment before typing.

COMPUTER SCREEN

JOHN: What does your husband do for a living?

LISA: He’s a fishmonger. Currently in jail for murder.

John's face pales as he reads the message.

INT. JOHN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

John's hands tremble slightly as he types.

COMPUTER SCREEN

JOHN: Murder? What happened?

LISA: He killed a man who was pestering me. I don’t mind. That man deserved it.

INT. JOHN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

John’s eyes widen. He wipes sweat from his brow, his breathing shallow.

COMPUTER SCREEN

JOHN: How did he find out?

LISA: He accessed my phone, made me invite that friend over, and then dealt with him. Poor man had a heart condition. My husband didn’t intend to kill him; it just happened. He got only five years. He’ll be out soon.

John leans back in his chair, horrified.

INT. JOHN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

John stands up, pacing the room. He takes a deep breath and sits back down, typing nervously.

COMPUTER SCREEN

JOHN: I can’t come to your place, Lisa. This is too much.

LISA: You must. If you leave me now, I’ll tell my husband about us. He’ll come after you.

INT. JOHN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

John’s face is a mask of fear. He rubs his temples, contemplating his next move. His phone rings, jolting him.

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

John answers the phone, his voice shaking.

JOHN: Hello?

HUSBAND: Why have you kidnapped my wife? Where have you taken her?

John's face turns ashen. He stares at the phone in disbelief before hanging up abruptly.

INT. JOHN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

A knock at the door startles John. He moves cautiously toward the door, his heart pounding. He opens it to reveal a woman, drenched in rain, holding a blood-stained knife.

EXT. APARTMENT COMPLEX - NIGHT

The camera pulls back, revealing the ominous silhouette of the woman standing in the doorway. Thunder rumbles in the distance.

FADE OUT

BLACK SCREEN

FADE IN

INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY

John sits in a sterile, dimly lit hospital room, looking disheveled and haunted. A PSYCHIATRIST, mid-50s, professional yet sympathetic, sits across from him.

PSYCHIATRIST: You need to tell me everything, John. This is the only way we can help you.

John's gaze is distant, his voice barely above a whisper.

JOHN: It all started with a chat. I never imagined it would end like this...

FADE OUT

CREDITS ROLL

THE END

The Script (final)

Title: Dark Paths

Genre: Thriller / Psychological Drama

Scene 1

EXT. CITYSCAPE - NIGHT

The camera pans through the dark, rain-drenched streets of a busy city with dimly lit alleys and glowing neon signs. The scene changes to a small apartment complex.

Scene 2

INT. ARUN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

ARUN, a man in his mid-30s, sits at his cluttered desk, illuminated by the glow of his computer screen. He types on Messenger, his expression a mixture of eagerness and loneliness.

COMPUTER SCREEN

Arun's chat with RAMYA.

RAMYA: Hey Arun, how was work today?

ARUN: Oh, same old, same old. Super boring. What about you?

RAMYA: Same here. Blocked some annoying dudes on Messenger.

Scene 3

INT. ARUN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Arun smiles, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. He hesitates for a moment before typing.

COMPUTER SCREEN

ARUN: What’s Huss up to?

RAMYA: Fish trade. He’s in Goa now. We were there too, but he got into some trouble and ended up in jail.

Arun's face pales as he reads the message.

Scene 4

INT. ARUN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Arun's hands are shaking slightly while typing.

COMPUTER SCREEN

ARUN: Wait, he killed someone? Who?

RAMYA: Yeah, one of my FB friends. Huss didn’t like him, and honestly, neither did I. So, good riddance.

Scene 5

INT. ARUN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Arun's eyes widen. He wipes sweat from his brow, breathing heavily.

COMPUTER SCREEN

ARUN: How did he find out about him?

RAMYA: Somehow, Huss accessed my phone. He made me call that guy home. I thought it’d be fine, just wanted him to get a scare. The dude had a heart condition. That saved Huss from a life sentence, just got five years. He’s getting out next week.

ARUN: Next week?

RAMYA: Yeah, so if you’re coming, it’s gotta be this week.

Arun is scared and leans back in his chair.

Scene 6

INT. ARUN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Arun gets up and paces the room. Takes a deep breath and sits back down, typing nervously.

COMPUTER SCREEN

ARUN: Can’t do this week. It's half-yearly closing time at the office.

RAMYA: Office stuff at night too? Don’t make excuses. You gotta come. If you ghost me, I’ll tell Huss about you. He won’t like it. You’ll handle the rest.

Scene 7

INT. ARUN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Arun's face is full of fear. He rubs his forehead, his hair disheveled. Thinking about the next move. Then, startling him, his phone rings.

Scene 8

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Arun picks up the phone, his voice trembling.

ARUN: Hello?

HUSBAND: Why’d you kidnap her? My wife. Wherever you’re hiding, I’ll find you and hang you out to dry.

Arun's face turns grey. He looks at the phone in disbelief before suddenly hanging up.

Scene 9

INT. ARUN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Arun is startled by a knock at the door. He moves cautiously towards the door, heart pounding. A shadow is seen.

Scene 10

EXT. APARTMENT COMPLEX - NIGHT

The camera pulls back to reveal a woman standing in the doorway, drenched in rain, holding a blood-stained knife. Distant thunder rumbles.

FADE OUT

BLACK SCREEN

FADE IN

INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY

Arun sits in a clean hospital room, restless and haunted. An elderly PSYCHIATRIST sits across from him.

PSYCHIATRIST: You need to tell us everything, Arun. We can help you, but only if you tell us everything.

Arun's gaze is distant, his voice barely above a whisper.

ARUN: She messaged me first... not me...

FADE OUT

CREDITS ROLL

THE END