Screenwriting : Getting Started by Sammy Warshaw

I'm still quite new to screenwriting (been doing novels and comics most of my life), but idea-wise, it's always the ones that don't let go of me that I pursue. Typically these ones are also the kinds that reflect the world I want to live in, and the people I want to know, but don't lol. Hence most of them having a nostalgic quality than a contemporary one. As for the medium, it depends how much control I want to have. If I want maximum control, the idea will likely become a comic. If I want the reader to imagine the world without me necessarily showing them everything, novel. And if I want the reader to see and hear my characters and world (basically feel comfortable enough to let go of some control)... screenplay. By default most of my ideas are for novels but some of them I'm turning into screenplays because they work fairly well for that format (and table reads are pretty fun lol).

I love this question.

For me, this is one of the most fun parts of my journey. I never expected or forced the development of my different worlds—they came on their own. I trusted each idea and kept developing it little by little by questioning contradictions in the plot.

I now have about 20 ideas, and I’m still writing my first script. It’s fascinating, but it also makes me feel overwhelmed because my ideas develop at lightning speed while my writing process is much slower.

My big challenge for this year is to write at least three projects: The Silent PFC War, The De-Evolution Game, and The Disabled Puzzle.

If the idea of my story tracks with successful films and the main character is some “version” of me, eg, an MC that will allow me to express my voice while being sympathetic, funny, etc… then I know in my gut I need to write it (and that said idea falls into the category of “low budget” lol). Writing this out made me realize how much diplomacy the writer needs to have with themselves before they start filling up those blank pages. The inspiration for the idea can come from many sources (for me it’s some combo of novel+70s-90s movie+punk song) but always asking the question “will my idea resonate in present times with others?” Great question!

Hi Sammy! I'm brand new to screenwriting — just started last year — so I'm still learning every day. But what you said about ideas that "don't let go of you" really resonates. For me, the idea came after watching so many K-dramas and feeling like... I wanted to create something that gives people that same emotion. The one that stayed with me was a Joseon-era story with a rebellious prince and a common girl caught in political schemes. It wouldn't leave me alone, so here I am, trying to figure out how to do it justice. Still learning, but loving every hard step. And yes, i want to see my idea on the screen, because i think, i'm doing my best and i can do more than best.

I just ask myself if I would want to see the idea myself on screen. If the answer is yes, I write the screenplay.

I typically wait for an interesting inciting event to occur to me, determine whose story it is, and then simply start writing.

One example, which evolved into my story The Bagman, was when I was pumping gas in the wee hours surrounded by inky blackness. I felt exposed and wondered how I would react if the shit hit the fan.

Another was when I drove past an armored car on a stretch of roadway where one highway diverged into two. I wondered how the driver could be compelled to leave his dedicated route and go rogue. Once I figured that out, my short Follow Us came pouring out.

Every one is different from the last. The short "Homeless" was a dream that played out all in one night. Later, it turned into the feature, "The Book of Jon".

"The Jupiter Chronicles" came from my 10-year old (at the time) daughter asking, "Daddy, why don't you write a story about a brother and sister who rescue their dad on another planet." I put down what I was doing and just said, "OK!"

"Haven of Dante" came from the time when my wife was kidnapped and attacked at gunpoint. I wanted to share her story of overcoming through a young girl who inherits the mantle of fighting the nine circles of hell.

And "Agents of C.O.W." came from a visit from my autistic nephew. And the fact that I think cows are peaceful.

There's more but I don't want to take up the whole thread Sammy Warshaw LOL.

I use the Harry Cohen method: If the idea makes my fanny squirm, I stop. If it doesn’t make my fanny squirm, I proceed.

There are some ideas that I think are “worth” putting on screen, from an entertainment/intellectual/fun angle. However, some are not viable budget wise, or serve niche audiences, few producers may be searching for. Writing a script that sells is a balancing act, unless it’s a passion project, usually micro budget and self funded. There are many factors to consider, when facing a blank page EG Target audience, marketability, genre, budget, geographic boundaries etc. I begin by understanding the producer’s remit, or the particular market aiming for, mine the possibilities, & give my own unique spin on it.

The big variable I always lead with is whether I've got something to say via this story. Sometimes you figure that out up top, sometimes it takes a little outlining. But if the message is there and I've got opinions/feelings/arguments to express on the matter, then it's worth putting it to page!

Actually, that’s true: a writer really does have to think like a producer from the very beginning. But the mechanism is different, and I think understanding whether the idea in your head is the right one is something very personal. It’s also intriguing that sometimes you find the right idea, but sometimes the right idea finds you, suddenly, while you’re doing something completely different.

For me, I always remember a line from a painter who said: I don’t invent a painting, I paint what is already there. In a way, it feels the same with writing. I often feel like I’m writing something that already exists somewhere. The real challenge is managing to express what you have inside as well as possible.

So how do you know if it’s the right idea? Personally, I think that if you have a strong story in your head, intriguing characters, twists, and events that unfold naturally without you having to force then, then that’s the story worth pursuing. If instead you only have a nice idea, but it’s naturally short or you have to struggle to invent what comes next, then it’s probably better to put it aside or write it for yourself. Not everything has to become a screenplay.

For me it usually starts with an idea that won’t leave me alone. If a concept keeps replaying in my head for days or weeks, I know there’s probably something there worth chasing. Even if it’s only for myself.

I’m usually drawn to situations where a character is pushed into an impossible choice and the story forces them to confront who they really are. If the premise naturally creates tension, moral conflict, and visual moments that I can already see unfolding on screen, that’s when it starts to feel like something worth developing.

I also try to look at it through both lenses: what excites me creatively as a writer, and whether the concept has the kind of escalation and stakes that would actually translate for an audience. If the story has a strong “what would you do?” element and keeps raising the pressure on the characters, that’s usually the direction I lean into. The audience will naturally put themselves in the character’s shoes. If, of course, the development is strong enough.

Several funny things happened in real life with my adult kids and our friends that were related and the story wrote itself. It's a multi-generational comedy feature that has great potential for commercial success.

If the idea comes to me and I never once go "Nah, that's a stupid idea" I'll run it by some writer friends. If they laugh and/or see the same series engine that I do, I start building out the idea and write the pilot.

Sammy, great question. For me, the right idea always starts with something that hits me personally (a fear, a "what if," or a character I can't stop thinking about), but I quickly run it through a producer lens: Is it something that will resonate with a broad audience. Does it have emotional stakes that make people care, plus a clear path to execution on a budget that doesn't scare financiers away.

Great topic! My personal guardrails are as follows:

Do I love the idea?

Is it a unique or new concept?

Is it accessible from a story, pitch, and production standpoint?

Is it budget-friendly (or can it at least justify the budget)?

Are the characters interesting, even if the idea is genre-forward?

If it was produced, how would it reflect on the rest of my slate?

Since I have six scripts across multiple genres and approaches, I tend to just write what I think is a neat idea at the moment. I built a custom "screenwriter CRM" to track my projects, including the raw ideas, and have about 20 in the bullpen warming up to be written, but I prioritize but what I wrote above.

For me I also come from a producing background (I’ve produced several commercial shoots for major brands like coca-cola, kohls, Sephora, SCJohnson, grubhub, caterpillar, and Aldi along with various film and tv shows) I approach writing from a producing perspective on what is viable budget wise and what will speak to people. So I based my current script on what I know, and I ended up writing a feature length script about which is: (here is my logline) In a fiercely competitive high school marching band, a marimba player investigates the mysterious death of her former friend while navigating a complicated love triangle—only to discover the truth may implicate the boy she’s falling for. And I based on inspiration from being in high school marching band and all the complexities it comes. But I enjoy writing from experiences and taking it and making into something more (like a true crime thriller or a coming of age drama.

I suspect 'good ideas' vary somewhat depending on genre. I work in sci fi and crime and I find that for those genres, the best ideas challenge cultural norms and/or cry out for justice.

As a pet lover and former history teacher, one day I was reading the diaries of WW1 veterans and their accounts of Mercy Dogs on the battlefields of No Man’s Land. These heroic canines inspired me to write a feature animated screenplay called Hearts of Valor and their epic thrilling journey to join their lost army unit is told from animals point of view. As one of the promotional tools in my campaign for the film, I am currently producing a mini documentary to shed light on the little history of military working dogs and how their roles have evolved and changed over the years from WW1 to the present. One thing has remained constant. The unwavering bond of love and friendship between these four-legged soldiers and their handlers which lies at the heart of my feature animated movie.

Stories about real-life ordinary people doing extraordinary things - that's what gets me going. I research the hell out of it, bounce it off a few people, and if still I'm thinking about it after a few weeks, that's a sign it's worth pursuing.

For me it often begins with a character who carries a wound or a secret. I start by asking what truth they are avoiding and what situation would force them to face it. If the conflict feels emotionally honest and the world feels cinematic enough to live on screen, then I know it’s a story worth writing. I also try to choose ideas that explore something human — desire, fear, redemption — because those are the stories audiences recognize themselves in.

Sammy Warshaw What an interesting question. Honestly, my day job is insurance- so sometimes things people say in person or by phone will set me to thinking. But occasionally, I'll do research into underutilised subgenres for horror, thriller, or even romcom. I think it helps me to think outside the box. My stories tend to showcase neurodivergents and the LGBTQIA community as normally as they live their lives and the concept that love is the core of all storylines- even horror. My latest project deals with "What if I took my favourite 80s wild scifi thriller, Dreamscape, and mushed it hard with The Manchurian Candidate-- and updated it to the near future. Welcome to the Somnia Protocol- where removing fear-- is not just a policy for those in charge, but can eliminate the pause we make when things aren't always kosher."

Most of the things I feel like I can write about start with the kernel of something that happened to me or almost happened - so I have somewhere to start and build from. Coming from a production background, I also can’t help but keep that in the back of my head for what is realistic and also how far it can be pushed. I was just talking to a friend about how much we accomplished for an episode of The XFiles. The certainly had a huge budget but with that, the way we scheduled was amazing, reused the bones of sets to build next sets. And how it was written. All my history really helps. In addition to the kernel and experience - what do I enjoy watching keeps me in that zone as well. Great question!

The half-hour comedy series I’m developing draws heavily from my own experiences growing up in the 1980s. The feature I’m writing began as a vivid image from a dream and has since grown into a multi-generational spy thriller about a family embedded in the Hollywood film industry.

It’s funny how some ideas come straight from life while others seem to show up out of the ether.

Kendall, I love the idea of characters being pushed into impossible choices. That’s often where the most interesting emotional truth appears. When a character has to choose between two things they both care about, the story almost starts writing itself.

For me the right idea usually comes from something that refuses to leave my mind.

Sometimes it’s a moment, sometimes a character, sometimes a question about human nature.

If the idea stays with you for years and keeps growing instead of fading, it usually means there is a real story inside it.

Excellent question, Sammy! I always think from a producer’s standpoint when I embark on a new screenplay; however, I tend to steer clear of trendy, shoot-em-up action movies. That said, I believe in my scripts and stand by them, and I'm already on my 9th feature-length dramatic screenplay!

The only one of my works to receive recognition is ONCE AN EPRESS, one of my earliest scripts, which was awarded a Finalist Award at the 2025 Santa Barbara International Screenwriting Competition. This story centers on the happiest days of Napoleon’s life: His time with his second wife, 19-year-old Marie Louise, Archduchess of Austria. Every painting I ever saw of Napoleon depicted him as a dour, discontented man. But after reading 3 books about their marriage and the beloved Empress of the French, whom Marie Louise became, I discovered that Napoleon showered her with the most illustrious life imaginable.

Then came Napoleon's disastrous retreat from Moscow, his subsequent abdication, and exile to the Island of Elba. After that, he never saw his wife or their young son again. Marie's father, the Emperor of Austria, saw to that!

My first screenplay resulted based on a song, a friend of mine wrote. I then used the concept of that song to write a novel. I then adapted that novel for the screen, and my first screenplay was born.

I am Roberto Leoni’s widow, and I worked with him for almost forty years.

He was a constant avalanche of ideas, brilliant at turning them into “feasible” screenplays, as demonstrated by the many films made from his stories.

One example is the huge success of Santa Sangre, which he conceived and wrote.

The story was born during a sleepless night, when he suddenly invented the entire plot.

Then he proposed it to Claudio Argento, who obviously wanted his brother Dario to direct it, but Roberto thought Alejandro Jodorowsky was more suitable.

He used to tell a wonderful anecdote about the beginning of that project.

When Claudio contacted his French agency, Jodorowsky said that before accepting he wanted to meet Roberto “alone.”

So, Roberto went to Paris.

In the entrance hall of the agent’s building, Alejandro suddenly appeared from a dark corner, dressed entirely in purple, and theatrically said: “Oui, c’est moi…”

Then he dragged Roberto into a café, because he said he didn’t want to talk in that “swindling place.”

His first question was: “When did you invent this story?”

Roberto replied: “In May.”

“But in May when?”

“Well… I don’t remember exactly.”

“Think about it.”

Roberto improvised: “I think it was the 7th.”

Alejandro snapped his fingers and said: “I knew it! That night I went to sleep early, and the Angel of Stories passed through Paris and found me asleep. So, he went to Rome to you. But this story is mine, and you are a thief!”

From that moment on, during the entire making of the film, he kept calling Roberto “that thief there”… and Alejandro had himself credited as the author of the story and the screenplay.

Here you can find Roberto telling the anecdote... https://bit.ly/WHEN_I_WROTE_SANTA_SANGRE

And in any case, writers are often one step ahead of reality.

Roberto once wrote a novel called Cain’s Island, about a television show set on a remote, untraceable island where the contestants have no rules. In the story, one of them eventually begins killing all the others in order to secure the grand prize.

About a year after the book was published, a real television show was announced in Siberia where contestants were supposedly allowed to do anything, with no rules at all. It attracted a great deal of attention and many aspiring participants.

Only later was it canceled, with the organizers claiming that it had all been a large social experiment designed to observe how the audience would react.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/controversial-russian-reali...

For me, it always begins with an idea looking for its realization.

I believe that several personalities live within every human being — sometimes ranging from an angel to a devil. Each person individually, and society as a whole, should strive to keep the angel on the surface and the devil buried as deep as possible.

In real life, however, this does not happen very often. When circumstances invite the devil, he is the one who emerges, while the angel may have to wait a long time for his turn. But that turn will eventually come — all that is needed is for the right circumstances to arise.

My feature-film screenplay for the faith-based period drama THADDEUS is about this very belief: that there is something good in every human being.

When I wrote the five-series novel, ZEEKA CHRONICLES: REVENGE OF ZEEKA, I was amazed at the positive comments from readers [there were negative ones too]. Many of them suggested it was movie material. The book won several awards.

Winner in Readers’ Favorite International Awards (2018)

- Gold Award in Emagazine Readers’ Choice Awards (2018)

- Finalist in Author Academy Global Awards (2018)

- Five-star seal from Readers’ Favorite

Eight years later, I decided to attempt to write a screenplay. I submitted it to several agents on Stage 32. One said he loved it, but "it was too ambitious." Others gave me reasons to rewrite certain parts. Then I saw that a feature should be 120 pages only, so I removed one series and submitted it to the 13Horror.com Film & Screenplay Contest 2025. It placed as a finalist. in that contest. I am still hoping to sell that screenplay. Meanwhile, I wrote another one adapted from one of my romance novels, THE GIFT OF LOVE. I submitted it to a Drama Contest on Stage 32 and am waiting to hear the judges' decision in April 2026. Publishing 68 books was no easy task, and I am afraid that I have to stop writing books and screenplays because I recently started suffering from pains in my right hand.

For me sometimes it's about a character. I just NEED to write something for this character I created - especially when little things in everyday life remind me of something THEY would do. That excitement when something clicks in your head and you say to yourself, "THAT is what "so-and-so" would do! I gotta use that!"

If you're not excited about building the character every step of the way, then you won't be excited enough to write their story.

For me ideas rarely start when I sit in front of a blank page. They usually appear somewhere outside the writing process.

For example, the idea for my character Katoko came from a simple play on words while I was walking outside and reading random street signs. The name stayed in my head and slowly started building a character and eventually a whole world around him.

I often let ideas live in my mind for a long time. I imagine how the character looks, how they think, and how they live. When I finally start writing, something interesting happens. The character begins to make choices on their own and the story moves in directions I did not fully plan.

For me the right idea is usually the one that keeps returning until it demands to be written.

My focus is mostly on telling a story that I want to see up on the screen. I think if you tell a story you want to see, that will show up on the page, which hopefully comes across to the producer or studio executive that's reading it.

Whether it's worth putting up on the screen is out of my hands.

I love this. This part is the obsession, turned dope for my addict mind. When ideas survive, I'm forced to feed them questions and challenge. I think the ideas are similar to my own existence. If the idea is "right," there's nothing I can do other than feed it with relentless challenges. Turns out I (and my ideas) am worthy of a lot more than we think we can handle. If they (script idea) lives through this, I HAVE to write it.

For me, I'll see a small prompt somewhere or hear a song lyric that really catches my attention, and I can come up with a whole scene based on that prompt or lyric. Then, if I focus on it enough, that scene will turn into a whole outline and characters. Then, pretty soon, I have a whole story idea.

I keep a journal by my bed, I usually don’t remember dreams but when I do they’re intense and they have turned into several scripts that still require research or outlining beats to fill in the rest of the story. Since I’m more mature, I have many life experiences and have met many fascinating people with stories that need to be told and they are the foundation of many of my based on true life scripts.

I think the right idea usually begins as something very personal to the writer. Many stories live in a writer’s mind for years before they are written. At first, the writer sees the story as a creative success on its own, long before thinking about production or the market.

But I also agree that understanding the producer’s perspective can help shape the story into something that can eventually reach the screen.

I keep a notepad in my purse, by my bed, always within arm's reach, so I can write down ideas before I forget them. I hate when that happens. Personally, I'm interested in new ideas. There's a remake of everything under the sun. I want to challenge the status quo, and that is what I'm working on. I'm writing something I want to watch; something I think all of my movie-loving friends will want to watch over and over. I love to put a movie on while I work or if I want to get in a mood or escape from reality. I am writing something to take people on a fun, romantic ride, full of ups and downs, twists and turns. Aside from something unique, I'm interested in something with meaning. I love the idea of having a captive audience for 2+/- hours and being able to make a global impact to change minds. I think that is a precious gift and I intend to use it for good. That is the intention of my first screenplay, Under My Skin. From a producer's perspective, it has to be marketable and make a profit. With that said, I'm always amazed by how many terrible movies get made. LOL

I like stories with multiple threads. Maybe multiple protagonists with interconnecting stories. It’s tricky to keep a coherent story together but rewarding when the threads reward with the idea that the whole is greater than the parts. I also like to have multiple inciting or at least interesting bits.

I'm inspired by personal experiences, and then I embellish the experience. I'm fortunate to have been in some pretty wild circumstances, and I've met some very interesting people. And once the story starts flowing, I can't stop it. Writing while listening to music always inspires. I have five "completed" feature scripts and a couple of action/drama series.

Hi, that’s a great question.

For me, every project usually starts with an idea that genuinely excites me. If an idea doesn’t move me emotionally, it’s very hard to stay committed to it through the entire writing

process.

When I’m trying to understand whether an idea is strong enough, I often put myself mentally in the place of the characters and explore what emotions the situation creates and how the events would affect them. That helps me understand if the conflict has real emotional weight.

I’m also very interested in stories that carry a purpose. Personally, I’m not very drawn to making a film just for the sake of making one. I’m more interested in the ideas behind the story: the themes, the messages that might be hidden within it, and the reflections or questions that the audience might take with them after the film ends.

When an idea excites me emotionally, affects the characters in meaningful ways, and contains something deeper to explore, that’s usually when I feel it’s worth developing into a screenplay.

-Alejandro.

Hi Sammy! Nice to see you here! For me, it usually starts with a hook or something strange happening in a grounded, real-world setting. If the concept sparks vivid images in my head, I feel a deep emotional connection to the characters, and the story feels authentic to me—something I’d genuinely want to watch unfold on screen and believe audiences would too—then I know it’s worth pursuing. Once I have an outline, I look for ways to reduce or combine characters and locations without compromising the story. My songwriting background probably influences that, as I tend to write visually and concisely.

I’ve only completed one screenplay because it haunted me for so long.

In the 70s, when Iwas a flight attendant for Pan Am, we flew to Vietnam doing charter flights.

During one of those flights, I met a navy nurse, an angel in white amongst the sea of blue and green.

I’d had what we say is a “ call “ to be a nurse, and I was planning on quitting soon and going to school (which I did do).

What happened when we entered the terminal at Oakland was horrific and I never forgot it.

Years later, providentially so, I met up with some nurses who had served in VN. The year was 1993..

They told me they all suffered more or less from PTSD and finally, the military was allowing them counseling. They invited me to a session because of what I told them happened to me .

That was the beginning of interviewing, many nurses and other soldiers who served in VN. I had about 20 hours of taped interviews and put it aside because I was a single mom crazing three kids and working full-time as a nurse.(and doing stand-up comedy on the side.).

In 2023, I dusted it off the pages after I retired, and copyrighted the edited version.

Finally, in 2025, the world is ready for these stories so Istarted submitting the screenplay to various film competitions… six award so far!

All that to say, I write what won’t let go of me when I put my head on the pillow.

Sammy Warshaw Hi! So many aspects of life are a shared experience. While each of my ideas evolve out of my own personal experience or curiosity. I shape my ideas to connect with as many people as possible. It's my hope that my story ideas will help people realize there's more which connects us than separates us.

Sammy Warshaw Thanks for asking this! So far, I draw from the vault of ideas in my creative catalog of books, web series, comics, and short stories that I have written and adapted. From these stories, I already have worlds, characters, conflicts, and themes; they simply need to be developed further.

I truly believe that, first and foremost, the story must speak to me as the writer and creator before it can speak to others. I can usually trace the foundations of each story I’ve written back to personal life experiences, childhood games, my cultural background, and things I learned in school. Because the stories come from an authentic place, I believe they will resonate with others—at least, I hope so.

At the same time, I also evaluate universal themes and messages that are compelling to audiences and ask whether the story feels relevant to today’s world. Many of my stories include thrilling action, comedy, and adventurous fun, while also highlighting themes of unity, hope, and liberation—ideas I believe are especially important for audiences to experience and immerse themselves in today.

Living life works for me.

Hi Sammy Warshaw - My first attempt at a screenplay was an animated musical. Ambitious for a first script! I had a show on SiriusXM and an animation studio thought the concept might work as an animated series. They even produced an animatic, but the project stalled.

About a year later the same studio called and asked if I had a Christmas idea. I didn’t -- but I told them I’d have one the next day. They loved the concept and I wrote my first screenplay. Looking back, I was very green. The project didn’t move forward, but I kept working on the script because I believed the idea itself was original enough to have a chance.

At the same time I was running an audio drama company, writing weekly scripts while learning how to write screenplays. That first script has now gone through more than 60 drafts over the years, and at one point was even offered an option that I ultimately decided not to take.

I also started writing some lower-budget features because I realized I had to start thinking like a producer. An animated musical is a big swing, and I figured a producer might be more willing to consider it if the writer already had some produced credits.

Eventually I turned that original animated musical into an audio drama. We professionally recorded and orchestrated the songs, and the project went on to win a Parents’ Choice Award.

Fast forward 18 years: I now have four produced features, that first script placed in the Academy Nicholl Fellowship, and the animation studio that started the journey is willing to take another look. I also have 27 scripts on the market.

So for me, the “right idea” is usually the one that keeps pulling me back -- even if it takes nearly two decades to get there!

This is my first time pitching a script but I've written wild and outrageous fantasy action stories since I was in high school. I grew up watching a lot of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan movies, cementing my love of action films. I find that my ideas originate randomly, I can see a piece of garbage and wonder about where it came from and what possible back story there was for it to end up here. Recently, I've noticed some of my most provocative ideas burst free when I see conflict between strangers. Especially that in between, there's a weird hazy quiet moment, the air thin and you just kind of feel ick. Like looking through a sheet of glass that someone's just wiped with a soiled semi-wet rag. The streaks look dirty but also somewhat interesting when the sun hits it from an angle but you know damn well its not pretty. When they stare each other down, the ground pulsating from the over flow of anger. The low growls, the click of clenched teeth, the hot air exhaled from flared nostrils, their fists so tight blood drips on the ground. Just when you THINK you know what's going to happen, a possible all out brawl, body slams, knuckle cracks, or heads bashed in...? They surprise the shit out of you by pulling out machetes and one of them chops right down the middle of the opponent's head! That watermelon smashing squish sound, the crack of the skull, the gush of blood and the silence that follows. The air feels hollow and thick at the same time, you search the place and wonder why the hell you're still there. Run you idiot! That's the kind of "out of my seat, eyes stinging, head woozy, skin itch, almost wetting oneself" story ideas I get when I'm simply watching two people talking shit while playing a game of dominoes. I like randomness with a side of action. Don't worry. I totally know. I'm not for everyone.

I write what I would want to watch. It has relatable aspects, spiced with aspirational elements - action, drama, stunts and powerful female characters.

"To be honest, Sami, my journey started with a deep desire for transformation. Writing is my lifeline to success and building a legacy. I believe that when a creator's personal hunger for achievement meets a story that demands to be told, you get a level of commitment and energy that reflects on the screen.

For me, 'King of the Iron Fist' isn't just a story; it’s the vehicle for my dreams and my mark on the world. This drive is what makes me look at every scene not just as a writer, but as a partner in the project's commercial and artistic success."

I’m naturally a very visual thinker, so when I write I almost see the characters in front of me – their passion, their pain, and the emotional tension between them. For me, the most important thing is that the audience can feel the same emotions we experience while creating the story.

I also believe a film needs a certain kind of energy. An energy that pulls the viewer in and carries them all the way through the story. If someone turned off the TV in the middle of the film, they should almost feel the absence of the story immediately – that curiosity and emotional tension that makes them want to know what happens next.

For me, an idea is worth putting on screen when it has the power to emotionally capture the audience and keep them fully engaged, almost unable to step away from the journey.

For a long time I actually had no idea how I came about the stories. But I have noticed that all the screenplays that I've written have been stories that I've wanted to also direct and all of them have been stories where I had heard something interesting from someone about something and started thinking about it, then developed a story around it.

My last feature film was very simple where someone told me that some guys made a fake band to get visas and I immediately I had a story in my head.

But Sammy Warshaw you got me interested, what is something that draws you as a producer to a story or a screenplay and how does something catch your eye? Are you drawn to the idea, the execution in the screen play or do you instantly have a preconception once you hear a logline and then if you like it, add some of your ideas onto it?

Hey Sammy, for me there are two ways of finding the right idea. And you need both cause it's easy to come up with ideas but which one should become a script is a different beast. One way is all about something persistent. It's usually a scene that just keeps popping back up in my mind, something cool and exciting. If the scene sticks with me for a couple weeks, then I start thinking about potential stories that could fit that scene.

The other approach comes from my view of storytelling as an elixir for audiences. I always had an audience-first approach but that doesn't mean stories can't have depth or must feel like bitter medicine. Two of my screenplays deal with how to repair broken father and son relationships set against the backdrop of horror and sci-fi. Something a lot of people can relate to but also something that I had trouble with. So, I worked through it in screenplay form, building on an exciting scene that I wanted to see on screen.

If I had to sum up both approaches, I like to paraphrase an old motto from the game developer Bungie. They used to say "we make games we want to play!" and that made them quite successful (Halo games for example) and incentivized high quality. We adapted this at my own production company and I use it for my writing too: "we make movies we want to see!"

Hi Sammy Warshaw ,

My name is Amalia Brat, and I’m passionate about writing. I can write pretty much anything, but right now I’m focusing on one story.

Before I dive deeper, I’d love to know if it’s worth pursuing. If you could take a look at my logline and give me your opinion, I would be very grateful.

Thank you so much for your time and advice!

For me, it's usually an idea that speaks to the human condition. Often inspired by a social or environmental issue, stories about underrepresented groups, almost always tinged with my personal outrage about an issue. I gravitate toward stories about which I have personal knowledge or have researched to a point of authentic comfort. I love period piece stories. Usually, my choices are envisioned from start to finish before I start writing.

For me, it's simply this: the idea won't go away. In fact it just grows and grows. Pretty much demands to be written. In terms of content, it doesn't matter whether it's a story-lead idea or a plot-lead idea, either way the seed gets sown and my brain just insists on watering it until I don't have room in my head for it any more. Unfortunately... you know... there's only so many hours in the day!

Hi Sammy, my idea for my novels was borne when a huge turning point in my life, meant that I was suddenly living alone over 20 years ago - and had plenty of time to write the passion and frustration I felt, with just a ballpoint and some foolscap. My stories were based on erotic passion - and it wasn’t easy to bring them back into the daylight, all these years later, and adapt them as part of my first published novel, Forgetting Lorna Rose. I have applied for a TV drama and am busy writing a script, but have a series of four novels, so far. My days are spent bringing my characters to life - my study has become the favourite room in the house!

Brock’s Zesty Secret Sauce: Pay close attention to Life and the human experience. LISTEN……EAVESDROP on conversations, mentally jot down dialogue that REALLY POPS! Transport them directly into appropriate scenes. I’m currently writing my 9th and final feature screenplay.

I worked hard to develop a unique story that has strong coverage as a prestige thriller. The characters are reflections of people who I encountered over a lifetime. Some didn’t make it as far as I have, so their appearance in the action is an homage to integrity and strength of character. Now it’s time to run the gauntlet, and see if a strong first draft can attract a creative team and attached talent to bring Lexi Balestra to life.

sometimes the story, maybe the inciting incident, is secondary to the journey.

I think it comes down to the story. I read a lot of produced scripts and some are written poorly but the story is really good. When I'm writing, I try to lock the story down first and then find the perfect protagonist to fit the story. Might be a mailman or an executive at a bank but it all hinges on the story.

Hi Sammy,

For me, an idea is worth pursuing when it keeps coming back uninvited. I'm having coffee, walking around, and that same image or situation just shows up again. That's the sign.

What usually hooks me is some kind of contradiction — a world that looks grand on the surface but has something rotten underneath. It doesn't have to start with a character. Sometimes it's just a place, a moment, a deal gone wrong somewhere. As long as I can feel that tension already in it, that something will eventually betray something else, I know there's something worth exploring.

I'm actually developing a series right now that comes from exactly that place. Adventure, but with characters that carry a lot of weight — contradictions, damage, things they haven't dealt with. And the noir element isn't just aesthetic. It changes the rules of the whole thing. Suddenly you're not sure who to root for, or whether reaching the destination is even a good thing.

It's a fabulous idea that refuses to go away unless you begin to write it, then it and the characters take over, and I must keep up with them whilst enjoying the emotional ride. It's about the privilege of watching it intricately evolve, caring about the characters, loving it, laughing, crying and knowing for sure many others will love it too.

Sammy - To add to the part of your question - 'writer needs to think like a producer from day one' - I want to add to my earlier response that I wrote/write with budget in mind. In a scene that involves an explosion, we see our protagonist's grip on steering wheel tighten, her body pressed back into her car's leather seat, her pupils constricting. A scene written several years ago, (screenplay has been evolving as muse sees fit), a Volume can now be used as production tech has evolved to meet complex or expensive visual needs.

Sammy Warshaw eu sinto a história digna de ser levada para tela quando eu penso se eu gostaria se a Obra que eu estou me inspirando seria boa se estivesse com este roteiro, se eu estou escrevendo uma Obra de Crimes, como La Casa de Papel, eu penso como seria La Casa de Papel deste jeito, se eu gostaria se ele fosse assim, entendeu?

As vezes eu também pergunto para amigos e familiares, para eu ver como o público reagiria ao roteiro

Any idea I just can't ignore & find myself sketching on paper I tend to automatically put a story to.

The pilot I just finished writing originated from an idea I had when I was fifteen years old. It's taken a couple decades to percolate, but now is the absolute right time for it.

Guys, these are all incredible answers! So happy to meet all of you here. I’ve recently opened up my availability for PREMIUM and STUDIO coverage - as well as 30 and 60 minute consulting sessions. I’m a voracious reader and I love connecting through the journey of screenwriting.

Several of mine have stemmed from dreams I have had, usually after eating a couple of hot dogs (for some reason), which makes things pretty easy, as I have already "seen" the finished product and found it entertaining and worth putting on paper.

The feedback I’ve had from my very first novel - Forgetting Lorna Rose, has given me the inspiration for a TV drama series which encompasses all four books. It begins as a part-bio drama; which has been very therapeutic - to write certain traumas and make it a part of someone else’s life in a paperback. The scenes I created in my mind, were always for television. I apply a small amount of wit and comedy to my fictional novels, to break up the suspense and crime drama. I truly believe they’d be appreciated on screen.

because this generation does not read as much

For me the idea usually starts with a few images or scenes that stay in my mind for a long time. I had several moments like that which eventually became the core of my first feature script. Around Easter 2025 I finally decided to stop thinking about it and just start writing. I began with those scenes and slowly built the story around them until the script was finished.

Now I’m working on my next script and the process is similar. It began with a single scene and about fifteen pages. I write a few scenes, then step away for a while and let the story grow in my head. Often the best ideas appear during those breaks. For me the key is starting with something that feels vivid enough that I can already see it on screen.

An idea can spark the moment you hear or see or read some thing that resonates with you immediately, ideas spark organically and as a writer you know without doubt, when it resonates with you deeply it will definitely find a connection with the audiance you seek, once it connects with you through that invisible but strong creative cord, it will not let go off you untill it manifests itself through a process that only you can navigate with your craft,iam a writer-producer so by default it triggers several thoughts on the viabiliby of making it for real or letting it pass or developing it further.