I don’t remember when exactly, but at some point in my life I began reading screenplays for fun. I’d find my favorite movies’ scripts online and examine how the writer told the story that eventually would manifest in the final outcome of a film. I was fascinated with the unspoken communication going on between the screenwriter and the director and actors, and the ultimate differences between what was on the page and what made it to the screen.

 

This habit eventually evolved into attempting to write a screenplay, myself. Throughout college I probably tried at least a dozen times. I’d usually fail to make it past the first ten pages, however, largely due to frustration or boredom. All of this is to say, when I faced the opportunity to spend an entire semester working on a single Capstone project, it didn’t take long for me to realize I’d finally be forcing myself to write a screenplay. Now, with the work complete, and two episodes of a limited series and 96 pages of screenwriting turned in, I have a few reflections on my experience and where I think this semester has taken me as a writer.

 

Writing a script, and in doing so making up an entire story from scratch, has been incredibly influential on how I view my writing process. In the past, my writing process for any assignment had been very structural. I’d begin with research, form an argument, write the paper, and revise the writing. Rarely was I making major argumentative changes midway through the writing process when I had already committed to a certain thesis. When writing these scripts, however, the uncertainty and inexperience resulted in a much more fluid writing process . The story that I began writing in mid-February evolved into a different narrative by the time I completed this project in April. As I created these characters and built up this world, I learned more about the actual story I was trying to write, and in doing so, I found the story along the way. Never before in my writing career have I had to balance so many moving pieces. I had to keep track of the overall narrative while writing on a very molecular level of individual characters and scenes. It was challenging and new and frustrating, but of course, more rewarding as the episodes came to fruition. 

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Another reflection I had was that this project allowed me to engage my creativity on a different level than other writing projects. I literally was starting off with nothing. I had to create every character, every backstory, every scene, and every story arc. These decisions then had to be curated together in a way that made sense for the audience and engaged them. Getting to make those decisions and turn them into an entire world where my characters were living and interacting was incredibly fun. I didn’t choose to write a script for the chance to be creative, but it may be the aspect of the project I ended up being the most appreciative of in the end.

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Finally, I’ve reflected on the actual subject matter I tackled in my story. I’m thankful that I found the confidence to write about college in an authentic way and explore uncomfortable topics. This may be the way I’ve grown the most as a writer since I started the Minor two and a half years ago: the willingness to challenge myself and experiment both in terms of writing medium and writing subject.