Did You Know?
At the very first Academy Awards in 1929, there was an Oscar for Title Writing, given to the person who wrote the words on the cards that flashed on screen during silent movies. Joseph Farnham won it. Talking pictures took over so quickly that the award was never given again.
How to Get Started
Getting started in screenwriting doesn't require film school, expensive software, or Hollywood connections. It begins with paying close attention to the stories you already love, learning how they are built, and writing your own, starting small and finishing what you start. Every screenwriter began as someone who watched a movie and wondered how it was made.
Explore the Basics
With a parent, watch a favorite movie and pause it three times: near the beginning, in the middle, and near the end. At each stop, answer one question out loud or on paper. At the beginning: what does the main character want? In the middle: what is getting in the way? At the end: how did it turn out? Every screenplay is built on those three questions, and once you can spot them you will never watch a movie the same way again.
Try It Out
Write a one-page scene between two characters, such as a kid and a talking dog, or two friends who find something strange in their backyard. Set it up the way real scripts do: write where the scene happens on the first line, then put each character's name in capital letters on its own line with what they say underneath. When you are done, ask a family member to play one of the parts and read it out loud together. Hearing your words spoken is the fastest way to find out which lines work.
Join the Community
Ask your public library or school about free programs for young writers, such as story-writing clubs, reading groups, or a chance to help put on a short play. Libraries are also a good place to find picture books about how movies are made. Being around other kids who like making up stories will give you ideas, an audience, and maybe a partner for your next scene.