Every week, people tell me they have a story they want to turn into a film. Many have carried it for years without writing a single page. As a film producer, founder, and CEO, I always ask the same question: What are you waiting for?
Last week I covered how to produce a film. This week, I’ll cover the first step. Before a producer can bring a story to the screen, someone has to put it on the page. You don’t need film school. You need craft, discipline, and an understanding of the business.
1. Develop the Story First
An idea is not a screenplay. Who is your main character, what do they want, what stands in the way, and what happens if they fail? Know your premise, your conflict, and how the story begins and ends.
2. Learn the Craft
A screenplay is a blueprint for a visual experience. Learn scene headings, action lines, and dialogue. Read produced screenplays alongside the films and notice how writers show emotion through action.
3. Start With Affordable Software
Tools like WriterDuet and Fade In handle industry formatting without a big investment. Your priority is a finished script, not expensive software.
4. Write Consistently and Finish
Inspiration is not a schedule. Set a daily page goal or a first-draft deadline. You can fix an imperfect finished script. You cannot produce one that stays in your head.
5. Rewrite and Get Feedback
Cut scenes that don’t advance the story. Try a table read, share your script with thoughtful readers, and separate useful criticism from personal preference.
6. Think Like a Producer
A script with international locations, a huge cast, and heavy effects costs far more than a contained drama in one house. Know the budget implications of your choices.
7. Build a Portfolio
Polish one excellent script before starting ten. For television, write an original pilot and a series bible. Short films are a great way to collaborate with emerging directors.
8. Protect Your Work
Keep dated drafts, document collaborations in writing, and be thoughtful about how AI tools handle original material. Before you sell, option, or license a script, get qualified legal advice.
9. Get Your Work to the Right People
Build relationships with producers, directors, and writers. Enter reputable competitions and development programs. Be wary of anyone promising access for an upfront fee, and learn to pitch your story in a one- or two-sentence logline.
Why Follow-Up Matters
A young woman once messaged me on Facebook, month after month, asking to share her work. She emailed, too, and kept following up even when I didn’t respond right away. When I finally read her script, I produced it. That opened her door into Nollywood, and today she is one of the lead writers at Lady Laide Studios.
I can’t promise persistence works for everyone. But silence doesn’t always mean rejection. Follow up professionally, respect boundaries, and keep sharpening your craft, so that when the opportunity comes, the work speaks for itself.
The Takeaway
You don’t need permission to begin. You need a story, a willingness to learn, and the discipline to finish. Whether you write for Hollywood, Nollywood, or streaming, start writing and get your work read.
Next week: how to become a working actor.
If you have a story to write, what’s stopping you: the time, the craft, the story itself, or getting someone in the industry to take a chance on you? Tell me in the comments.