As I develop the script for my new film Ambush, I realized I’m working on plot first, then characters. This may seem a little insignificant, because that’s usually how it’s done. You come up with an idea, a subject, then you flesh out the plot, characters and write the script. Of course there are a few more steps, but that’s how it usually works.
For me, this is kind of new. In the past, while working on scripts for my feature films Skye Falling and 9:04 AM, I would come up with an idea, or a visual (in the case of Skye Falling, it was a shot from the final scene; for 9:04 AM, it was a recurring dream I had), then I’d flesh out the idea a little to form a very basic plot. From there, I’d work on the characters, which would drive the plot.
As I said, it’s different for me to be working so much on the plot first, then focusing on characters, but it’s working out well. Of course, as I write out character bios, they are indeed influencing the plot. Maybe not as much as with Skye or 9:04, which were character pieces, but it’s helping me to get the plot nailed down.
Syd Field talks about this stuff in his great books Screenplay and Screenwriter’s Workbook, which I’m using to help me write the script.
