You Can Turn Your Life Experiences Into a Nigerian Movie
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Christina Ngene
I am a movie enthusiast with a passion for writing and a desire to see the African movie industries grow. I try to use my skills as an artist to cheer for Nollywood by writing for NollyMania. • Syndicate Correspondent
Traditional book publication keeps declining as the visual era continues to mature. Most people want to transform their stories and experiences into a screenplay rather than write a book. So, if you want your experiences to be made into a Nigerian movie, that is possible but you must follow the set standards.
Come up with a logline that summarizes your story in one sentence.
Logline is your primary marketing tool. It is also the first thing you present as soon as you meet a filmmaker after your script is written. Logline is good for every story because it will guide you and keep your story on point. With it, you will not lose focus on the most valuable aspects of your story. The protagonist, antagonist, and goal should all be present in your logline.
Make a Sketch
Just like artists, you should put up a rough sketch of your story first. It must be concise and deliver the goals of the story. With it, producer scan through your work quickly to know whether the story merits their money. Story sketching is also a good marketing tool. If your sketch is not working after making it, there is no need to waste ink. Just revise your work and do it over again. Sketches could be about two to four-page summary. Title, logline and synopsis are what make up a sketch.
Outline your story with a good structure
Now you begin the most creative part of your story where you also map out the settings of your story. All scenes will play out in the structure, major events and dialogues will unfold here. It is often recommended to read screenplays from other movies to understand the structure.
Editing
If you successfully get here, follow the steps:
- Read from top to bottom of your work once without changing anything yet.
- Make notes on a different sheet while reading.
- Focus on major formative changes and fill gaps.
- Increase the characters’ action.
- Remove characters with fewer actions.
- Rewrite scenes that don’t sit well from the top.
There are several ways that you can transform your experiences into a Nigerian movie script, you don’t have to follow one exact step. You can also follow our article on how to write a movie script.
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