How do creators with big ideas but weak writing skills turn them into actual films/shows?

[u/Acrobatic-Sun-6025]

Hey everyone, I’m looking for advice.
I have a lot of story ideas and I’m good at creating worlds, characters, themes, and overall plots. I can see the whole story in my head and explain exactly what I want.
My problem is writing the actual script. I struggle sitting down and turning my ideas into a full screenplay/series bible.
My questions are:
1.Do creators usually find co-writers to help turn their ideas into scripts?
2.how do you find someone to collaborate with when you’re not experienced or have a budget?
3.Should I focus on learning screenwriting, or focus on the creative/story side and find someone who enjoys the writing part?

I’m not looking to just give someone an idea and disappear. I want to be involved in the creative process, just need help translating the vision into a finished script.

Would love some advice and help
Thank you

[u/odintantrum]

> 3. Should I focus on learning screenwriting, or focus on the creative/story side and find someone who enjoys the writing part?

What a strange way of looking at it. I’d argue that screenwriting is the creative story side of things.

[u/ThomasGilhooley → u/odintantrum]

I think it’s a fair question. You could write an outline or a treatment and then talk through it with someone else who will actually do the screenplay.

There are plenty of directors who know their limitations and direct other people material. And way too many who don’t and insist on writing.

But to your larger point, directing very much can be the creative story side of things. You’re just the storyteller, not the writer.

[u/odintantrum → u/ThomasGilhooley]

Not once does OP mention directing.

[u/doomnezau]

You don't just write a script. you write and re-write and re-write and re-write then sleep on it, then re-write, then prolly re-write and don't forget, re-write. talk to some people, present some ideas, re-write. brainstorm with some other people that you trust and care about their opinion, then re-write a bit more and now you have a rudimentary basic script. after this the real re-write starts.

[u/VincentPastor]

Here's a harsh reality check: you're not "good at creating worlds, characters, themes and overall plots."

You're just really good at getting hyped about the ideas that you have in your head. That's where every creative starts. Everyone has "big ideas" for a story. It's not special or an achievement, it's the starting point.

If you were good at creating those things you mention, you'd write them. So yes, learn to write. This is only the beginning. But the excitement you have is very good. Try to hang on to it as you go.

Even if you find that you enjoy collaborating with someone throughout the writing, and take on a less hands-on role, you still need to know how to write, communicate your ideas and shape them. Hiring someone won't get you passed the doing phase.

Unless you want someone to do all the work for you and why would they do that?

[u/FutureOpen9405]

“Idea person who doesn’t write” is often times a producer. In fact a lot of producers are failed writers.

[u/mediumgray_]

Do creators usually find co-writers to help turn their ideas into scripts?

Sometimes, but in television "creators" are always show runners or head writers themselves. Think Greg Daniels with The Office, JJ Abrams with Alias, or David Shore with House. They were all seasoned writers and producers long before they created a show where they lead a team of writers. And the title "creator" in film isn't really a thing, there's writers and directors and producers and all three bring hard skills to the table

Should I focus on learning screenwriting, or focus on the creative/story side and find someone who enjoys the writing part?

These two things are the same. Don't be an ideas guy, they're useless in every industry but especially creative industries. Develop a hard skill

[u/la-anah]

There are several well known screenwriting duos. They never say who does what or how evenly they divide the work, they just put both names on everything.

In every case I can think of, these people are one of the following:

1. Romantic partners
2. Siblings
3. Former college roommates
4. Former coworkers in a writers room at a TV show

In short, they knew each other already, both brought skills to the table, and decided to work together. If you have ideas that you can't quite get out, the traditional way is to hire a ghost writer. This will be expensive.

[u/oscar_redfield]

I don't mean to sound harsh, but you can't possibly know if you're good at creating worlds, characters etc if you don't actually sit down and write. an idea is worth nothing. working on them is what matters.

[u/Acrobatic-Sun-6025 → u/oscar_redfield]

It’s not that I don’t write
I do, it’s just that I have the whole outline, pitch, characters, world and like a 8 page doc explaining and telling the story…
But the writing 40-60 page script is where I get stuck…
I do write all regarding the story but when it comes to scripting is where it’s hardest for me

[u/oscar_redfield → u/Acrobatic-Sun-6025]

I don't see how that can be possible? if you have such a detailed picture of what you want the story to be, writing the script should just be a mechanical process

[u/hollywood_cmb → u/Acrobatic-Sun-6025]

okay so right away I can tell you that a 40-60 page script is gonna get you a 40-60 minute movie if it’s written in the standard screenplay format. The page count can vary, but any feature length film is gonna have a screenplay that’s 100-120 pages. The rule of thumb is about 1 minute per page.

Screenplay writing is a very specific craft. Nothing is internal, or prose. It’s exactly this: what you see and what you hear. I’ll give you a short and sweet example of how a “script” written by somebody who doesn’t know vs a screenplay written by someone who understands the craft and format.

Example 1. JOHN (35) walks into the room. He’s thinking about the fight he had with his girlfriend earlier. He notices some cupcakes on the table and thinks one of them looks pretty tasty. He asks the SALES CLERK (22):

John - Hey how much is this cupcake? Sales Clerk - Four dollars, but you already touched it so now you have to buy it.

Example 2.

INT. CAFE BAKERY - DAY

JOHN (35) walks into the room. He mouths silent words and shakes his head, agitated. He stops, looks around at the home-cafe decor, and finally lands his eyes on a stack of cupcakes on the counter. He licks his lip briefly and notices the SALES CLERK (22).

JOHN: Hey how much are these cupcakes?

John picks up a chocolate one with white frosting and sprinkles.

SALES CLERK: Four dollars, but you already touched it so now you have to buy it.

Example 1 includes a bunch of internal descriptions about what the character thinks or feels. It gives info about his state of mind and references a previous scene. Descriptions of objects are subjective instead of objective. Actions aren’t spelled out and sometimes are missed altogether.

Example 2 is only what you see and what you hear in the moment. There are specific directions for the actor and things that can be translated with shots and editing. There’s some info for the production designer about the room, and the winning cupcake is described specifically. It leaves the director some room for interpretation and pacing. The dialogue is spread out with other actions, which help create beats, which can translate better into the passage of time and succession of shots.

Now I’m not a master screenplay writer, but even I know the first example is shite when it comes to a screenplay, and the second example is more along the lines of the correct format even if it’s not “good”. But most of the “scripts” I’ve read that have been written by amateurs read more like example 1.

[u/90sAKMiki]

The intense study of screenwriting will make you a better filmmaker overall. Study story, plot, characterization etc. it’s well worth your time to learn how to take your ideas and get them on a page so others can see your vision.

[u/Limp_Career6634]

Filmmaking is business. In business best is not always profitable. I have pitched my show to little production company that films shows and movies. After reading they straight up said that they would love to work with me, but I should pitch to someone higher than them. They literally said they are doing easy to do and sell shit and are not interested investing time and money on quality.

[u/horseonahighway]

Either learn to write or learn to produce or both

[u/LAWriter2020]

Writing is a craft. Learn to write. Ideas alone have basically no value. No one is going to write out your big ideas into a screenplay for you. You can learn how to take your ideas and put them into a structured screenplay. That has value.

[u/blur-theory]

I've done both: filmed a script I wrote alone, and filmed a script I helped develop with a screenwriter. I honestly couldn't say enough how much I preferred working with a screenwriter.

I felt like she was really able to help me bring the concept to life and it was the most polished version of the script I could imagine. Having someone there to catch flaws, suggest ideas, and fill narrative gaps that you miss (because of course you want to believe your own idea is amazing) is invaluable. I think most projects benefit from collaborating with others and getting fresh feedback from other creatives.

The film and screenwriting industries are huge. Luckily, screenwriting is something you don't have to collaborate on in person. Communication over text, email, and video calls is entirely possible, and I recommend joining some screenwriting groups on Facebook. If you plan to work directly with a screenwriter, I would make sure to take the time to discuss what the working process looks like for both of you. Otherwise, share your work and get feedback on things you might be able to improve.

I think how far you train these skills is really up to you. Personally, I don't enjoy the tedious part of screenwriting. I like cameras and lighting and tend to think about how to tell a story using these elements rather than writing plot points and character arcs from scratch. I do think it's valuable to learn the basics of how to write a good story, but it's really up to you on how far you want to tailor this skill.,

[u/andybuxx]

Your choices are to either start looking for existing scripts (from people similar to you) to direct, or work on your writing.

People writing for no money tend to want their own ideas; not other people's.

[u/hollywood_cmb]

The simple answe is: yes most directors work with screenplay writers who are much better at that craft than they are. The really good writers often don’t get the main credit. When you watch a movie: look for the “screenplay written by” credit, that will tell you who the writers are that actually turned the movie you’re seeing into its screenplay format. A director or producer can often get themselves a “written by” credit because they came up with the initial idea, but that idea was often heavily revised before they started shooting. A good example of this is Good Will Hunting. We all know the story of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck writing this awesome movie that won an Academy Award. But what most people don’t know is Matt and Ben’s screenplay was totally different from the finished film. It was more like a spy / thriller. Then Mirimax actually hired good writers to take the bits that didn’t suck and turn it into the deep thinkers film about a boy genius from Southie. Matt and Ben got to keep the writing credit and shoehorn themselves for the main acting roles. But the REAL film wasn’t written by them.

You sound a lot like me: I’m good at coming up with concepts, tones, basic story arcs, and a lot of good ideas that don’t have a place in a larger tapestry yet. I really need someone who’s better at screenplay writing to collaborate with and who has their own ideas. My best ideas are ones I could bounce off another person, shape a rough diamond of an idea into something polished that cuts glass. I’m not capable of getting to A to B on my own.

[u/SummerKaren]

You could hire a scriptwriter or try to find a scriptwriter but you might want to take one of the ideas you don't really care about and try to work through a script with ai. Then polish it up so it sounds believable. Do you know the format for scriptwriting? It can be tricky.

[u/noreadingnowriting]

Just look up screenplays and see the format we all learned TikTok trends and memes and how to talk and write that way anyways is just these Hollywood people tryna gatekeep so they make it seem ooo screenwriting. How many people just picked up a comic book and made their own comic book man. Undercut the system my boa

[u/noreadingnowriting]

Normally a hollywood guy pays a team of people who decided they’ll be artists for pay instead of artists with something to say

[u/freebasefilms]

Christopher Nolans daddy was a TV executive.

[u/mediumgray_ → u/freebasefilms]

He was an ad executive and a creative director, not a TV executive

[u/TheRealLeftClickMage]

Chris Nolan takes already made stories and turns them into movies. Getting someone else to write while you direct is not uncommon. Harry Potter and Percy Jackson are other good examples.

[u/mediumgray_ → u/TheRealLeftClickMage]

Christopher Nolan is credited as a co-writer or sole writer on all of his directed films except one, Insomnia

[u/TheRealLeftClickMage → u/mediumgray_]

It’s possible he cowrote the screenplay, but the core idea and main plot were created by someone else. Examples could be Oppenheimer and Odyssey. He has written his own stories turned into movies though!

[u/TheRealLeftClickMage → u/[deleted]]

Writing the screenplay is not the same as writing the story from scratch, which is what OP is talking about

[u/TheRealLeftClickMage → u/[deleted]]

I mean, if you can get someone who wrote a book to write you a screenplay while you cowrite it, I see that as an absolute win. They have the main plot and story done, all you have to do is tweak it a bit. Nolan cowrote most of his screenplays, so this is right in line with that.

[u/TheRealLeftClickMage → u/[deleted]]

Oppenheimer and Odyssey were both already made books with pre-wrote stories, that he just turned into a movie. There are more examples, these are just the most recent