Write down your ideas for what will happen to your characters in this new world. Once you have a clear sense of the people who will inhabit your screenplay, you need to create their world. Get a feel for how they talk and how they express themselves.Write something like a diary entry from the point of view of your character.There’s a useful exercise, frequently used by actors, for exploring your main character: These seemingly inconsequential answers will help you create a full, complex cast of characters. Know what their most embarrassing childhood memory is. Know what makes them tick, what makes them excited. You should get to know them better than you know yourself. Your characters, especially your main character(s), will be your new best friends when writing a screenplay.
The Hollywood cliché goes “ the same but different” and it’s up to you, the writer, to provide this. You also need to make sure that there is something different and special about your idea. You just have to be aware of what mindset your audience will have. This doesn’t mean that you can’t mess with the audience’s expectations or combine genres. Remember that you are writing for a visual medium and let your imagination run wild!
Use your own experiences to get you started. If you need inspiration, read newspaper articles and novels. Learn which ideas grab you, which ones you feel you could do justice, and which ones the world needs to see. Just get those ideas down on paper and explore them. Sit down with your laptop, pen and paper, or vintage typewriter and start brainstorming ideas. You probably already have a few in the back of your head. If you don’t have any ideas yet, you’re lying. Where would we be if Vince Gilligan had forgotten to scribble down “Chemistry teacher cooks meth to pay for cancer treatments” in his idea journal? If you don’t already have one, it’s good to keep a notebook with you so you can keep track.