Inspiration

Inspiration for Writing Movies

Now that we've gone over the 12 Stages of the Hero's Journey according to Joseph Campbell, it's time to get inspiration for your first movie. As any writer knows, inspiration is the beginning of every work of art, whether it's a story, a painting or a song. Every artist needs a muse, someone or something, to inspire them to create. Movie writers--or, as you will be more commonly called, screenwriters--are no different than other artists.

We get an idea, a vision, a concept. Something just pops into our head, and, all of a sudden, we can see it on the movie screen of the mind. We know it's a great idea for a movie, one we would go see in a heartbeat if it were playing in theaters.

Sources of Inspiration for Movies

It can be just a brief glimpse of a scene playing out in our minds, something simple, really, but this spark alone can serve as inspiration for an entire feature-length screenplay. I've had whole stories come to me based on just one fleeting image. Sometimes it's a song that evokes in us a certain feeling or mood. It can be a memory we have that we want to revisit and change, or a what if.

Countless of movies start with the premise "what if?"  What if there was an attorney who only went to law school to learn how to break the law more effectively and get away with it? What if someone found an antique portrait from the late 1800s, only this portrait is of a lady who lives next door in the present time? What if there was a secret portal to a parallel universe in an abandoned building down the street?

As these instances show, when you put inspiration to good use, you can turn the ordinary into extraordinary. Watch the short clip above to find out what inspired legendary cinematographer Steven Spielberg to pursue a career in the film industry.

What moves you? What interests you? That is what you should write your movie about, because chances are, if it's interesting to you, there are others who will like it, too.

But how do you get that spark of inspiration? Is it only reserved for those who go to a four-year university and get a degree in film? How do screenwriters get ideas for movies? Is it something you have to prepare for in some way?

If you ask people in the industry, a common answer you'll get is that it happens differently for everyone. You could be sitting in your car one day and suddenly see something that lights up the bulb over your head.

Anyone can write a movie!

That's why you must be prepared at all times with a portable voice recorder or a pocket-sized notepad. Once you start focusing on getting ideas for your story, the inspiration will come to you.  Mark my words.  It can strike like lightning--anywhere, anytime--so be ready!

Ten Tips on How to Get Inspiration for a Movie

1. Start a dream journal:  Every morning, as soon as you wake up, jot down in a notebook what you dreamed about the night before.  The more you do it, the easier it will be to remember your dreams.  It's all about training the mind to get in the habit of remembering your dreams. Dreams are a limitless source of inspiration. Take advantage of it.

2. Take 5 minute breaks once or twice a day to meditate: Find a quiet space outside, where you can hear nature sounds, or a place where you can retire for a few minutes at a time without being interrupted.  Sit and relax, and close your eyes.  Imagine you're sitting at a movie theater.  Write down what you see on the screen.

3. Pay attention to your surroundings: Everywhere you go, there is the potential for finding ideas and inspiration for a scene in your movie.  Maybe it's a conversation you overhear that intrigues you, or a news headline you read on the way to work.  It could be something a co-worker or a family member says.  Be alert.  Compelling stories are everywhere.

4. Listen to music: What kind of music would be good for the soundtrack of your movie?  Is it a thriller with suspenseful music?  Or perhaps it is a funny, silly soundtrack for a slapstick comedy.  Come up with music that will inspire you to visualize scenes for your movie.

5. Record your thoughts: Our fast-paced lifestyle hardly ever allows for us to take time to write down our ideas. However, if you're serious about getting inspired for a story, you will find ways to get around all the distractions. If you're caught in traffic, for instance, you can use the voice recorder app on your phone to record yourself.  Let your ideas flow in stream of consciousness.  Describe, in as much detail as possible, what appears on your mind. You can write, edit and fill in the details later, but don't let the spark of inspiration die down because you got too busy and forgot about the genius idea you got while the boss was talking to you.

6. Use real people as inspiration for your characters: It can be a reclusive, eccentric aunt you only see once a year.  Does she keep to herself because she is hiding a terrible secret perhaps?  Let your creative imagination fill in the blanks.  Or maybe it's that cute waiter that flirted with you at the coffee shop this morning.  Would he give you the time of day if you dared ask him out?  How can you know unless you write it?

7. Revisit past events in your life: Your memories are a great source of inspiration for movie scenes.  We all have situations we wish we could go back and change.  There are also moments we long to relive just the way they happened.  These memories are like cards you can arrange and rearrange.  You can rewrite entire sections of  your life and relive them in a movie you write.

8. Post-its.  Lots and lots of them: Write a one-sentence rundown of potential scenes you might like to include in your movie.  Each potential scene goes on a post-it note.  After you have come up with approximately 30 scenes, post them on a poster board, and play with their order to see what story you can put together with different order combinations.

9. Watch 3 movies in the genre of your movie: Let's say you want to write a western with cowboys and Indians.  Your best bet is to explore the genre to see what's been done before.  What can you do to write an original western with a new twist?  Start by watching John Wayne movies to familiarize yourself with the genre conventions. In order to defy convention, you must first know it inside out.

10. Cast your actors: Even if you can't afford Hollywood stars, you can still cast them in your movie for creative purposes only.  If you want Jimmy Fallon in your movie, you don't need to call his agent.  Just create a character for Jimmy Fallon and have fun writing him. Once your movie is written, let fate decide.  Chances are you'll be writing such an amazing character, many actors will end up wanting to play him anyway, so don't limit yourself and reach for the stars!

Now that you've gathered some ideas for your movie, it's time to organize them into story form. This process is called "storification." The word doesn't really exist. I coined it, at least as far as I know, but I could be wrong. Either way, "storifying" your ideas is the next step, so let's get started. 

CLICK HERE TO STORIFY YOUR IDEAS USING YOUR CREATIVE IMAGINATION