In this episode, Scott and Desiree kick off a brand-new 4-part series on mapping your screenplay from start to finish. And we’re starting exactly where every script begins (or dies): with the idea.
Whether you’re sitting on 12 half-baked premises or feel like you’ve seen every concept under the sun, this episode will help you figure out which ideas are worth developing, and which ones might need to be flipped, mashed up, or thrown in the trash.
In this episode:
- The actual difference between a premise and a concept
- What makes an idea pitchable, marketable, and memorable
- Why your concept needs more than just a cool situation—it needs conflict
- How to know if your idea has a strong “story engine”
- What your voice has to do with finding the right idea
- Why generic scripts die early (and how to avoid “been there, done that” territory)
- What seasoned writers do before they commit to an idea
- Three tools to spark original concepts: What If, Mash-Up, Flip the Expected
- How to test whether your idea can actually sustain a full script
Plus, you’ll hear:
- Why you should never chase trends
- How to identify the themes and obsessions that define your writing
- Why your lived experience, quirks, and worldview are your best writing tools
- Homework to help you vet your ideas before investing a year of your life in the wrong one
This is the first of four deep-dive episodes designed to help you develop your next feature from idea to finished draft, starting with the spark that makes a script worth writing.
