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How to Write a Biopic Screenplay — Research & Writing TIps

W riting a biopic screenplay can present an enormous challenge for even the most veteran screenwriters. That’s because biopics often involve legal and circumstantial challenges that aren’t an issue with other forms. Don’t fear though: we’re going to show you how to write a biopic screenplay step-by-step. By the end, you’ll be ready to write a biopic screenplay either as a spec, or a script intended for production. 

Watch: Anatomy of a Screenplay — Ultimate Guide

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How to Write a Biopic

Start with a subject.

Before we break down how to write a film bio, perhaps we should ask the question: what is a biopic ? A biopic, short for biographical picture, is a movie about a person’s life. The primary subject of a biopic doesn’t have to be a celebrity; it could be a mailman who saved a child from a burning building, an accountant who accidentally discovered an embezzlement scheme, or a high school football coach who rallied a small-town together – it doesn’t matter.

The only thing that does matter is that your primary subject did something extraordinary within the setting of your story. 

The vast majority of biopics are about people who are at least somewhat famous. That doesn’t mean your biopic has to be about Winston Churchill or some other legendary figure. It can also be about somebody who achieved fame for doing something extraordinary in their field. Take Susannah Grant’s Erin Brockovich screenplay for example: the title subject became famous for her role in the Pacific Gas and Electric class action lawsuit.

How to Write a Biopic Screenplay  •  Erin Brockovich Trailer

Erin Brockovich is proof that you can write a viable biopic screenplay about an unknown subject so long as they were involved in something extraordinary. Erin Brockovich grossed nearly five times its budget at the box-office, was nominated for four Academy Awards and won Best Actress for Julia Roberts.

How to Write a Film Bio

Research is everything.

After you decide on a subject for your biopic, you should begin formal research. Remember: it is of the utmost importance that you find reputable sources during your research. But what is a reputable source?

Well, it’s never a bad idea to start with the horse’s mouth. Find out everything you can from the primary subject whether by talking to them, watching interviews or reading their content. If they’re dead, try to contact business contacts, estates, etc. When you get information on a subject from someone closely associated with them, we call that a primary source.

There are a myriad of strategies to use when researching a biopic, but  remember that the number one most important thing is organization.

WRITING A BIOPIC

Write the script.

Now that you’ve completed your research, dotted your i’s and crossed your t’s, you’re ready to start writing the script. Before you begin, review the proper  screenplay formatting guidelines  so that your script will comply with the industry standards. You can reference back to this article throughout writing to make sure everything is in tip-top shape.

Biopic genre screenplays are generally 90-120 pages, but some are much longer than the industry standard. We imported the  Lawrence of Arabia  script into  StudioBinder’s screenwriting software  to get a better idea of the breadth of an epic biopic. In this excerpt, you’ll notice that dialogue plays an essential role in relaying  exposition and character.

How to Write a Film Bio  •   Read the Lawrence of Arabia Script

Two things should be noted about the Lawrence of Arabia script: the first is that if you’re serious about writing a biopic screenplay, you should read it. The second is that this draft is the shooting script – so be mindful that all of the camera movements and transitions you see shouldn’t be in your screenplay. That may be a relief to hear, considering that the Lawrence of Arabia shooting script is over 260 pages long!

Now that we’ve taken a look at a classic biopic, let’s look for inspiration from something more contemporary. Steven Zaillian has written a few of the greatest biopics of all-time, like American Gangster   and Schindler’s List – but his 2019 The Irishman script might be the most famous of them all.

Let’s take a look at a quick video that explains some of Zaillian’s strategy for writing the script for The Irishman .

How to Write a Biopic Screenplay  •  The Irishman Screenwriting Strategy

As Zaillian says, “I had never read anywhere else that Hoffa couldn’t stand for somebody to be late but those details became an important part of scenes.” This teaches us an essential lesson about writing biopics; which is: sometimes we learn essential aspects of character from the most unlikely of circumstances. So as you write, incorporate all the weird intricacies you can find. Say your subject drinks tomato juice every morning – that’s something you want to put in the script. These are things that stick with us because they create specificity.

How to Write a Biopic Screenplay: Step 4

Check your facts and legal options.

Now is the point where you have to consider whether you want to leverage your biopic as a “portfolio piece” or a spec script for sale. The good news is that whatever you decide, your decision isn’t binding. No matter what, you’re always going to be able to keep the script in your portfolio to show off to prospective employers. But if you’re dead-set on getting your script in a producer’s hands, here’s what you need to know.

1. Be mindful of optioning  

If you choose to adapt your screenplay from a book about a subject, then you’re going to need to get an option. The book publisher technically has the rights to the story and they will need to agree to lease the rights for the film adaptation; whether that’s directly to you or the studio you sold the spec script to.

Biopic Genre Films  •  What Screenwriters Should Know About Optioning

2. get the blessing of the subject  .

No matter which way you cut it, you’re going to want to get the blessing of your primary subject. In the film Stronger , the primary subject Jeff Bauma helped promote the film.

How to Write a Film Bio  •  Jake Gyllenhaal Playing Jeff Bauma in Stronger

If the subject has passed, then you’re going to want to get the blessing of their estate or closest living relatives. 

3. Distribute works cited  

It may sound trite to say that you should attach a “works cited” or bibliography with your biopic, but you should attach a works cited or bibliography with your biopic. This will show producers that you took your research seriously.

How to Write a Biopic Screenplay  •  Why citations are so Important

4. pursue different avenues  .

There isn’t just one way to get your biopic produced; there are dozens. Consider submitting your script to organizations like The Black List – there you’ll be able to share your story with other aspiring and professional writers. 

How to Write a Film Bio  •  How an Underground Script List Changed Movies

Contact scholars on the subject in a clear and polite manner – the worst they can do is not respond. And if worst comes to worst, put the script on the back-burner and come back to it later.

How to Write Everyday

Writing a biopic screenplay requires an insane amount of work. For you to be successful, you need to be a disciplined writer. In this next article, we break down some tips and tricks for becoming a more disciplined writer, by exploring how to build productive habits. By the end, you’ll be ready to write everyday in a surgical manner.

Up Next: Successful Habits for Screenwriters →

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How to Make a Personal Film: One Man’s Journey to Make an Autobiographical Film

We have an article today by filmmaker Albert Dabah on making a personal film. If you’re at all interested in making autobiographical type films, then this article will be very interesting to you. Take it away, Albert!

My name is Albert Dabah. For the last 40 years I’ve been creating a variety of video projects for clients at my company Simba Productions .

Over that time, I found that I was motivated to create a narrative project in addition to video work . After almost 20 years of planning, writing, and finally production, I completed my film Extra Innings last year.

Extra Innings is in many ways autobiographical. It is very personal and unique to me and my story. I was spurred to create it because I wanted to share my own experiences, and so much of what went into the final film – characters, impactful moments, conflicts – were based on events that I recall from my past.

This made it easier to create the film in some ways, yet also a lot harder. Condensing many years into a two hour film is quite challenging, particularly on a very modest budget. You have to narrow down what is most important to the story when it all feels important.

From the very first moment through to distribution, creating a film is always an incredible challenge – but creating such a personal, autobiographical film presents a variety of more unique obstacles and considerations.

Raising Money

How you’re going to fund your film is obviously a concern for any production, not just one that’s personal to you. However, making a film of such an autobiographical nature comes with both benefits and drawbacks when it comes to raising money.

For example, basing the film on my own life added an additional financial pressure. Extra Innings is a period piece set in the 1960s.

While some indie film s can save money by utilizing a modern setting (and thus have easier access to ready-made props and costumes), a period piece meant putting a much larger part of our budget towards time- accurate clothing, props, and locations.

In that sense, fundraising was essential to get the film looking how it needed to.

Chances are that knowing the film is based on a true story will help drive interest in it. It’s helpful to identify who would relate to or support the messages of your film and keep them in mind as potential contacts.

SAVE became a fiscal sponsor and supported us with the fact that we could now receive donations for the film. Partnering with SAVE was tremendous validation for me to continue.

By gaining SAVE as a sponsor, I could go to like minded people who may have had similar losses. Part of the money raised would go into making the film , and a certain percentage would go to SAVE. The people who did donate would then get a tax credit.

Fundraising was also made simpler by the resources available online. We decided to utilize Indiegogo as our source for donations. This worked well for our film due to its long term nature.

Family and friends, as well as interested parties, could donate for up to years afterwards with no problems.

The Scriptwriting Process

The scriptwriting process for a personal project is an interesting challenge. It is important to dramatize a story that is autobiographical because you are creating a narrative based off of a true story. It is not a documentary.

You have the ability to use dramatic license to enhance certain actions of characters and situations. This is part of the fun of writing and helps create a more enjoyable film .

In the beginning, I wrote several different outlines of events that happened in around a 20 year period. Since it was based on my family, I wrote the characters and the characteristics that I wanted them to portray first.

Casting Your Film

My past experience casting with all kinds of actors, both film and Broadway, gave me the confidence to conduct my own casting. You should have a good idea of what the inside and outside of your character is: what he looks like and how he talks, acts, speaks, etc.

I always ask actors to give a different version of their reading that might be the total opposite of what you are actually looking for so you can see their range and abilities.

Additionally, I usually allow actors to improvise. Give the actor the opportunity to showcase his talent because he may bring a characteristic that you never thought of.

Even if an actor can act well, he has to look the part and fit the description of the character that you desire.

Personal Film – Conclusion

I hope that this discussion of my process creating Extra Innings has been helpful to learn a little about the quirks and pitfalls of creating a film based on your own life or on personal material. It’s an interesting beast for sure, but so rewarding when you make it all happen.

Our goal has been to get as many eyes on Extra Innings as possible. The storyline is one that is very relevant to today, and we’ve been very pleased by the response to the film.

We are now sending our film to festivals, reaching out to mental health organizations and Jewish Community Centers around the country, as well as using social media to promote the film.

So far Extra Innings has won “ Best Film ” at both The Manhattan Film Festival, as well as “Best Narrative Feature”, “Best Actor”, and “Best Supporting Actress” at the Jersey Shore Film Festival.

We want to reduce the stigma of mental illness and ultimately save lives, and using Extra Innings to start a discussion about mental illness is the way that we are trying to do that.

If you’d like to know more about Extra Innings , you can follow us at our Instagram , Twitter , and Facebook pages. You can also visit the Extra Innings website here for news and upcoming screenings.

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How To Write a Biopic

If you're getting bogged down thinking about what to write , you might consider crafting a biopic. But, what is it and how do you write a biopic? The biopic - or biographical motion picture - is one of the most straightforward films to plot in terms and structure. It's often a clear as the hero's journey .

How to write a biopic

But you need to make many other practical considerations, from securing the rights to any book on which the film is based to historical research and moral questions about balancing truth and accuracy with an exciting and dramatic plot.

What is a biopic?

What is a biopic? A biopic is a film that tells the story of someone's life, a character study . The film can be an accurate, embellished or partially fictionalized account.

Biopics of famous people are standard, but biopics can also depict the lives of ordinary people whose achievements are not widely known.

They are often based on a property - a bestselling biography or autobiography. But this is not a requirement.

Since biopics are based partly on real-life, they require some historical research and knowledge of the subject. Savvy viewers or those familiar with the subject and biopic genre conventions will feel cheated if too many vital details are missing or the film feels sloppy.

Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom - the political biopic

One of the best biopic examples is Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom , based on the former South African President's own 1994 autobiography. This is a political biopic.

Political biopics dramatize the real-life struggles of political or heroic figures and thus humanize their achievements. They help educate as well as entertain.

Biopics based on autobiographies don't attempt to give us a rounded view of what happened; they aim to convey the point of view of the person whose story we are telling.

This is a criticism that historian Dr. Vincent Hiribarren , a lecturer in world history at King's College London, leveled at Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom , in an interview with BBC History magazine:

"...the film was mainly based on Nelson Mandela's autobiography. So, yes, it clearly depicted Mandela's understanding of the apartheid years. Or, at least, what he wanted to let us know. As the film is not based on Mandela's life but on Mandela's own words, criticism leveled at Mandela's autobiography can also be directed at the film."

Key scenes rouse us and help us see Mandela as a hero who risked his life for the struggle against apartheid, including his " prepared to die " speech. He stated his willingness to face the death penalty at his trial for sabotage and organizing against the Apartheid regime.

We also see the triumphs of Mandela. He is released from prison, and we also see him sworn in as president .  

The key to writing a good biopic is not necessarily to write a balanced script but one that conveys the point of view of the subject; we must understand their motives and how events played out for them.

The personal as political - Darkest Hour

Darkest Hour is another political film that takes us into the heart of a character who changed the course of history, Winston Churchill.

Once again, we see his point of view from his accession to power in 1940 until the start of the Blitz, which helps us understand the history of Britain in World War II through his lens. The conflict of the film is both internal and external.

Churchill, faced with Germany's continuing invasion of Europe and no assistance from the United States, is conflicted about whether to fight on even in the face of seemingly impossible odds or to negotiate a peace with Germany as parliament and his rival Lord Halifax prefers, to prevent extensive loss of life.

We, as viewers, know how Churchill's plans will turn out if we decide to continue fighting because we have the benefit of hindsight. The mark of an excellent historical film is that it places us at that moment and makes us realize that the decisions he took - which might seem obvious to us - were not as straightforward at the time.

If you are writing a biopic of a historical figure, consider the relationship between history and your character. What does this character say about contemporary opinions? Think also about what it says about the time in which you are writing.

Top tip: Try not to research too heavily before you've put pen to paper. You may feel tempted to try and squeeze in every last detail you can. This can be jarring to the reader. If you're not sure of a particular historical fact, write a note for yourself, and you can always research this yourself later.

Adaptations of memoirs - Lion

Biopics don't necessarily have to be based on heroic or political figures. These might be harder to write since so much has already been written about these characters before.

Instead, you can find a person who has an extraordinary story that would interest a broad audience. How do you determine what makes an exceptional story?

Like stories, a biopic must have a strong enough conflict and enough twists and turns for it to be interesting to the reader. With the rise of self-publishing and social media, many people now promote their own stories, but there might not be enough commercial interest in such biographies. They might think they are interesting, but they aren't. How do you get around this?

First of all, you can choose a story to adapt with a gripping enough conflict and hook. Lion, starring Dev Patel, and based on the autobiography of Saroo Brinkley, A Long Way Home is a great example. It tells the story of five-year-old Saroo from an impoverished village in rural India who is separated from his mother at age 5, getting lost on a random train.

Unable to correctly remember the name of his village, he is finally taken into care in India before being adopted by an Australian family. Years later, by the power of the internet, he manages to track down his long-lost family.

The story has a gripping hook, a likable main character, and a great climax and resolution.

Alternatively, you can choose the life story of someone and embellish it, adding in extra twists and turns and, if necessary, changing some of the names. Remember, though, simply changing the names of characters in an existing book doesn't give you license to use it purchasing the rights.

Property and copyright issues

If you are basing your biopic on a book - either self-published or published - then you must enter into negotiations for the book's rights before you start writing your script. Otherwise, it could be a wasted effort, and another writer or company could turn the book into a script before you.

Traditionally published authors usually grant their book's film and TV rights to their agent, not their publisher, who can negotiate a deal on their behalf. Self-published authors generally retain these rights themselves.

If the book has been successful - a New York Times bestseller, for instance - these rights could be valuable, and you could face stiff competition to secure them. It would be unlikely to succeed if you have no previous background in scriptwriting and no established relationship with the author or agent.

With a less successful book, you may struggle to find a TV or film executive willing to take on your script when you pitch it . This is because the book - and therefore the story - has not been proven to be commercially viable. There's a greater risk for them there.

Remember that agents and writers don't usually sell the rights to their works to a screenwriter or production company. Instead, they give the production company or the writer an 'option' for a fixed period .

This is where the writer or agency rents out the rights for a fixed non-refundable fee. Production goals and financing goals are usually attached as a condition of the lease period continuing. If the production company, for instance, doesn't get the green light for the film or doesn't reach the production stage within a year, then the rights revert to the agent or the writer.

Consider these issues carefully before you embark on turning a book into a biopic. Make sure turning the biography into a film is a viable option before you part with your cash or your time.

Ready to write your biopic?

Writing a biopic can be a great writing exercise. Now that you understand how to write one, try out our screenwriting software for free today and get started writing your next masterpiece.

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Harry is a professional writer. His first novel The Talk Show was published in the U.S and the U.K by Bloodhound Books in 2021 and he is currently working on adapting it for screen. He's also written for Media Magazine - a UK magazine for students of A-level Film, Media and Television Studies. In addition, he was a senior ghostwriter at Story Terrace from 2015- 2021, the private memoir firm.

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Structuring Biographical Documentary Films

Last week I had the privilege of moderating The Lab’s Rough Cut series in San Francisco. The documentary-in-progress, Dreaming in Circus , was a biography of Tony Steele, a 72-year-old world-famous flying trapeze artist. Director Darin Basile, a first time filmmaker, had found a wonderful character in Tony, but he was wrestling with the film’s choppy structure. He encountered a problem that many makers of biographical documentaries face. How do you structure what often ends up being two stories?

I ran into this problem in my own biographical documentary of Marlon Riggs, a gay black film maker with AIDS who created soul-searching art at a furious pace. I Shall Not Be Removed: The Life of Marlon Riggs had two stories:  past and current.  The first story in these kinds of bio pics chronicles the public figure’s rise to fame and illustrious career.  The film material primarily relies on talking heads, photographs, archival footage, and (with the case of the Marlon Riggs biography) movie clips. Often with this type of biography there is a second story, beginning when the director picks up the camera and begins filming the subject, often late in the subject’s life. This story or portrait relies primarily on verite footage and talking heads.

Here’s the rub: if you structure your documentary chronologically, you face the problem of a bifurcated structure, an archive-heavy first half and a verite-heavy second half. Of course it is possible to make this shift in style work to your advantage, which is what I did in I Shall Not Be Removed, the Life of Marlon Riggs . The build up to the verite scenes energized the second half of the documentary. But generally in biographies, the real narrative and the meaty plot events happen early in the film, leaving the second half weak on plot twists, and thus less engaging. Director Basile’s instinct to weave both the past and present day stories was a good one, but resulted in a choppy  and at times episodic feel.

Our Rough Cut audience had several suggestions. The best solutions as I see it are three-fold. First, keep each of the two timelines relatively chronological. Multiple backstories, which might have worked fine in a single storyline, tend to disorient the viewer who is being asked to track dual arcs. Second, if the back and forth is a bit bewildering, then stay with each storyline longer. In other words, don’t cut from story A to story B and back to story A again quite as often. Third–and here you will rely on a clever editor and astute story consultant–craft seamless transition from one storyline to another through the use of transitional devices such as music stings, special effects, cuts on wipes, etc.

Even as a work in progress, Dreaming in Circus is a highly inspirational film. I hope you will see this fine documentary when it is tightly crafted and polished. For more information on how to craft a biographical documentary, check out my online self study course, Editing the Character Driven Documentary , on my website.

Go to http://www.newdocediting.com/land/editingdocumentaryecourse/

September 19, 2018

Writing true: a look at biographical screenplays.

By: Marshall Thornton

Writing a biographical film may sound really easy. After all, everything is there for you. However, real life is chaotic and messy, not to mention contradictory and confusing. A biographical screenplay should be none of these things. So, how do turn a life into a story? During film school, I took a class about biographical films and the instructor claimed that the key to bio-pics was to make sure your main character is motivated to become exceptional because of love. Specifically, romantic love. In the most simplistic terms, Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone to impress a girl, John Nash cured his own schizophrenia to get his wife back, and Gandhi did not lead Indian into independence to widen his dating pool.

Obviously, I don’t agree with this idea. Yes, you can write a bio-pic that way, however, I think there’s more to it. It’s about more than the love of a particular person, it’s about passion. That can mean a passion for another person, or a thing, or an idea, or even an animal. As a screenwriter, you have to find your main characters central passion then make sure everything in your script aligns with that passion. Make sure your main character makes decisions based on their passion. And then make sure that the characters around them mirror that passion.

Here are five films that take different approaches to biographical stories.

The Duchess

This sumptuous film tells the story of Georgiana Cavendish, the Duchess of Devonshire. She lived a remarkable life of wealth and comfort, presided over an influential political salon and even campaigned—in a time when women could not even vote—was an inveterate gambler, was a renowned fashion plate, and had a tempestuous marriage that eventually settled into a rather comfortable Ménage e Trois.

Kiera Knightly plays Georgiana Cavendish, The Duchess of Devonshire. Photo courtesy Paramount Vintage.

The screenwriters, Jeffrey Hatcher , Anders Thomas Jensen , and Saul Dibb were faced with the challenge of pulling all these disparate elements together. They accomplished that by lining up the primary motivations, or passions, of the three main characters. The most important decisions Georgiana makes are made with her children in mind—she rejects the love of her life Charles Grey when the Duke threatens to take her children. The Duke wants nothing but a male heir and treats Georgiana poorly until she provides one, at which point he pays off her gambling debts. While Lady Bess, first Georgiana’s close friend and later the Duke’s lover, makes it clear she’s only taken the Duke as a lover so that he’ll get her children back from her estranged husband.

The final image of the film supports this unifying theme, showing Georgiana and Lady Bess playing in the gardens with their children.

Megan Leavey

In Megan Leavey,  a young woman joins the Marines in order to focus her life but that doesn’t work out until she’s punished by being told to clean out a kennel. There, she meets a German Shepherd, Rex, being trained to sniff out bombs and becomes fascinated by the idea of training dogs to do this important work. After she fights to become a trainer, she begins working with Rex. The two go on two tours of Iraq eventually earning the Purple Heart after they’re wounded while sniffing out IEDs.

Unlike most biographical films, this one is centered on the relationship between the main character and an animal. Megan does have a short-lived romantic relationship, but the film is structured on her love of Rex and completes after she’s left the service and fights to adopt the retired Rex.

The story of one of the survivors of the Boston Marathon bombing, Stronger is a film that most closely follows the idea of doing it all for romantic love. When Jeff Bauman loses both of his legs in the bombing, he finds himself relying on his on-again/off-again girlfriend, Erin. The screenplay, by John Pollono , follows their attempts to build a relationship and Jeff recovers, fights PTSD and learns to walk on prosthetic legs.

Jake Gyllenhaal stars as a double amputee in Stronger . Photo courtesy Lionsgate.

The real core of the film though is Jeff’s struggle with the role of the hero which is thrust upon him. The more the people around him push that role upon him the further he slips into depression. The further he slips into depression the more damage he does to his relationship with Erin. Finally, two things happen that pull him out of his downward trajectory. First, he finds out that Erin is pregnant, and second he meets the man who saved him by putting tourniquets around his injured legs, Carlos. When he meets Carlos, he learns that the man who saved him has a tragic past that he has only made sense out by helping others. By committing to others, Jeff saves himself.

(Note: I’ve talked about this before, having your characters do things for others is one of the ways to make audiences love them. This film is a great example of that.)

Young Victoria

Britain’s Queen Victoria is often a subject for biographical films—there are two about her later life, both starring Judi Dench—and TV series’ like the current Victoria . On its surface, Young Victoria  may appear to be about the love story between Victoria and her future husband, Albert. But, it is really about Victoria’s love of her country and her desire to be a good queen at a time when women were still not allowed to participate in politics, no less govern. One of the most important scenes in the film is one in which Albert indicates that he’s on her side, and wishes to help her govern rather than manipulate her as others have attempted, and continued to attempt. It is the reason she chooses him and the reason their relationship works.

Emily Blunt as Queen Victoria. Photo courtesy Sony Pictures.

The Dallas Buyer’s Club

Following the story of a wild-living rodeo rider who contracts AIDS in the mid-1980s and then fights to make experimental drugs available to himself and others, The Dallas Buyer’s Club is, at its core, about the human struggle to survive. What elevates the screenplay by Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack beyond a simple man vs. nature tale, is the stong arc they’ve given the main character, Ron Woodroof. He begins as a somewhat bigoted redneck and makes his way to accept that we’re all simply struggling to survive, and therefore deserve respect.

So, what are your favorite bio-pics? And what are they centered on? What are the techniques the screenwriters used to bring cohesion to the film?

• Dallas Buyers Club

Ethan Hawke’s surprising emotional journey to make his new film Blaze

What does ‘write what you know’ mean, anyway, marshall thornton.

Marshall Thornton has an MFA from UCLA in screenwriting. He spent ten years writing spec scripts and has been a semi-finalist or better in the Nicholl, Samuel Goldwyn, American Accolades, One-In-Ten and Austin Film Festival contests. As a novelist, he writes the Lambda Award-winning Boystown Mysteries . The eight book series follows the cases of a gay detective in turbulent 1980s Chicago. Marshall has also been known to write the occasional romantic comedy. You can find him online at marshallthorntonauthor.com . You can follow him on Twitter:  @mrshllthornton

4 Replies to "WRITING TRUE: A Look at Biographical Screenplays"

Pierre Lapointe September 19, 2018 (9:34 am)

Great observations and advice, Marshall. I’m developing a series on American explorer Josiah Harlan who became a king in Afghanistan in the 1830s.

It’s been a challenge since, aside from his own writings and the dismissive commentary from British officials and historians, there is scant information about the man’s personality.

So, as you suggest, I had to zero in on what made this man so driven and determined to become a king in such a distant and isolated part of the world that he was willing to risk life and limb for. Even though this may not have been what drove the real Harlan, I had to find something that was inherent to his character and had severely marked him as a young man. Something that was also relatable to a mass audience. Once I found that nugget of truth, it defined everything he did and also provided the major theme of the show reflected in the first scenes of the pilot as British colonial brothers tussle over an imaginary kingdom while the soon to be Afghan king Dost Mohammed has his half-brother’s eyes gouged out in retaliation for the butchering of his elder brother (all true by the way) in order to seize control of Kabul. Sibling rivalry and the need for parental approval can be subtle and all consuming.

Marshall Thornton September 21, 2018 (6:34 am)

Thanks for the comment. I wonder, is The Man Who Would Be King a fictionalized version of this story?

D. Harscheid September 23, 2018 (3:43 pm)

It is not fictional! Discovered in diaries found in an attic by a descendant in Philadelphia in 1968, we read the adventures of Josiah Harlan. From a Quaker family, Harlan, a seaman crushed by the rejection of a young woman, vows never to return to America.

Soon after, in 1820, he becomes the first American to enter to Afganistan and becomes a soldier, spy, linguist, doctor, naturalist and writer, a man who wanted to be a king and did, and commanded an army in combat. This from the book “The Man Who would Be King,” by Ben Macintyre 2004, Farrah, Straus, Giroux, 2004. Kipling obviously had heard stories about him.

David Harscheid September 23, 2018 (3:50 pm)

True Story from diaries discovered in a Philadelphia attic in 1968. A seaman, Harlan, crushed by rejection from a young girl, vows never to return to America, and in 1820 is the first known American to enter Afganistan. He becomes a writer, spy, naturalist, linguist and a king with an army.

Read: “The Man Who Would be King,” by Ben Macintyre, Farrah, Straus and Giroux, 2004.

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How to Write a Great Biopic: Pitfalls Screenwriters Should Avoid

How to Write a Biopic: Pitfalls Screenwriters Should Avoid

From BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY to JUDY, the biopic is a seriously popular modern movie genre. But having such a concrete story to work from in the telling of someone’s life isn’t always as carefree as it seems.

With the number of biopics increasing, also on the rise are the clichés and easy options for the screenwriters writing them. Familiar patterns have emerged that don’t always feel the most effective ways for creating drama around the famous protagonist.

In screenwriting , the biopic can be a great way to test your skills – taking a ready made story and putting it through the grinder of a feature length script.

So what are the key points to remember when coming to write a biopic?

Make Your Biopic More Than a Wikipedia Page

The research for your biopic might come in many different forms.

It might be detailed and exhaustive before you start, with you spending your time in libraries or archives.

Or you might be learning as you write, finding as much as you can online or in books, youtube clips or documentaries.

Vitally important to remember though is that you are writing drama . Too often writers fall back on the luxury of having a ready-made plot in the facts of the protagonist’s life.

Where is the drama in your biopic?

A film has to be more than just a comprehensive overview of the protagonist’s life from A to Z.   In researching factual events it can be seductive to merely feature and represent them.

However, as a screenwriter it is your job to find and convey drama. Otherwise, what is the difference between your representation of the facts and the Wikipedia page doing the same thing?

So what are the potential ways of avoiding falling into such traps?

• Search for both the external and internal conflict for the protagonist. 
• Don’t feel the pressure to get across every fact. Pick and choose the moments that feel important and relevant to the story you are trying to tell.
• Have a driving purpose. What’s the point of this biopic? What’s the movie theme ? What does the story of their life have to say thematically?
• If the character was not famous, would this story and the way you are telling it be interesting?

Your decision to dramatise your famous protagonist’s life should be justified by drama being present .  

What distinguishes your dramatisation from a potential documentary about the same subject?

Asking these questions may help you find the drama and conflict present in your chosen character’s story and provide the way to dramatic, cinematic storytelling.

Judy Trailer #2 (2019) | Movieclips Trailers Watch this video on YouTube

Don’t make your main character the only character.

Your chosen protagonist might be a real force of nature like Martin Luther King or someone who personifies charisma like Judy Garland. 

However, no man or woman is an island.

• Who are the characters that surrounded your protagonist?
• Are those characters well known too?
• Are they unheralded but essential presences lurking in the background of the protagonist’s life?

Whilst a biopic is a great way of getting to grips with a strong lead character, it can also be a great way of exploring subsidiary characters.

These characters might have less time spent on them. However, the time they get they make the most of. Such characters will typically play a decisive role in the main character’s life. For example, t hink McCartney to Lennon or George W.Bush to Dick Cheney . 

In a prestige picture these supporting characters can also provide important roles for character actors who excel outside the lead role.

• Is there a role within your biopic that has enough meat for an actor to get into. One that could get them a supporting role nomination?

It might seem cynical to think so long term.

But really it’s just about putting meat on the bones of your script. This meat will give the creative team, and consequently audiences, something to get their teeth into.

There might be a juicy main meal inherent in the story but who can be the delicious sides to compliment the main dish?

Don’t Overthink Your Audience

Your famous protagonist might come with their own ready-made audience.

• They might be the lead singer of a famous band, with a dedicated and loyal following (think Freddie Mercury and Queen).
• They might be a well known politician or public figure (think Dick Cheney or Neil Armstrong ).

Whatever your subject’s fame or popularity, you need to find a balance in not patronising the audience in telling them about the character and not taking what they might know for granted.

You run the risk of straying into Wikipedia territory again if you stick too rigidly to getting across the facts of the character’s life. However, you also want to make the story informative for those seeking to learn about this character.

So what to look out for and potentially avoid?

• Too many in-jokes or references that only the most dedicated fans will understand. One or two of these sly references are fine. However, overwhelm your script with such references and you risk alienating many potential audiences.
• Overly expositional dialogue or scenes where the sole purpose is to inform of a key moment or event. Such moments and events might be crucial to the character’s life but they also need to be moving the story on at all times.
• Relying on the perceived power and popularity of the subject at hand.

On this last point, for example, a song might be beloved and powerful. But hearing a version performed by the actor playing the singer is not the same as hearing the actual thing.

• So always think – what is this moment revealing to the audience about the character that real life footage cannot?
• What can the actor get across to an audience that isn’t present in real life footage of a performance?

Rocketman (2019) - Official Trailer - Paramount Pictures Watch this video on YouTube

Don’t take your structure for granted.

The three act structure feels particularly appealing when it comes to depicting someone’s life. After all, a life always has a beginning, a middle and an end.

And indeed, this linear approach can certainly be effective within film.

However, don’t take it for granted that your character’s life has to be told in such a linear way. There might be an alternative screenplay structure that is more potent in conveying the character’s life and experiences.

For example:

• Could you start at the end of the character’s life and work backwards?
• Would flashbacks between the past and present be effective in the telling of the story?
• Would using a fourth-wall break so the character can narrate to the audience be effective?

If employing an alternative structure just make sure there is thematic justification for using it.

• For example, if jumping back and forth from the present to the past, are the two equally matched dramatically speaking?
• Or if using a fourth-wall break, does potential narration and intimacy with the audience reveal something important about the character?

Biopics With a Difference

Whilst many biopics seem to follow a familiar formula, there are those that break the mould.

Let’s look briefly at three examples of biopics that do something a little different within the genre…

‘Can You Ever Forgive Me?’

Melissa McCarthy takes the lead role in the 2018 bio about writer Lee Israel , Can You Ever Forgive Me? The film is a snapshot of biographer Lee Israel’s life and of a time which came to define her.

When down on her luck as a writer, Lee turns to forging famous letters. In this she finds a lucrative new source of income in the face of mounting bills.

• The film doesn’t need to give a whole overview of Lee Israel’s life, as so much is said by catching her in this difficult and pivotal time in her life.
• We are given clues as to her background, life and career without having to see these things represented literally.

Just the messy state of her apartment gives us a clue into the life she has been living as well as to her mental state.

The piles of books, the way she neglects her health, her relationship with her cat. These behaviours tell us a great deal about her life.

‘I’m Not There’

Todd Haynes’ 2007 biography of Bob Dylan, I’m Not There , is possibly the most unconventional biopic ever made. Six different actors, from Christian Bale to Cate Blanchett, play the famous musician.

• These differing depictions of Dylan are never intended to be literal. Instead, they seek to represent different facets of his public persona.
• Often these versions of Dylan aren’t explicitly highlighted as being him but hinted as being Dylan like characters.

In this bold approach, the film aims to say something about Bob Dylan’s storytelling, as well as about fame and the public persona of an artist.

The film shows just how far from a literal telling of a person’s life a biography can stray and yet still say something insightful about that person.

‘The Social Network’

David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin ‘s 2010 film The Social Network, about the genesis of Facebook, is a biopic responding to the place that Facebook holds in contemporary culture.

Even though Facebook has moved on substantially since The Social Network premiered, the film perfectly captures a moment in time within American culture. The portrayal of Mark Zuckerburg is a cipher for this moment in time.

• The film doesn’t waste time giving us much of an idea of Mark’s backstory. We meet and see Mark when we need to.
• The portrayal of Mark sums up a generation of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, rather than being strictly factual and linear about Mark’s life.

Whilst this provoked some notable objections , it perhaps explains why the film is still so resonant even if its relevance has faded.

The film asserts that Mark Zuckerburg didn’t just found Facebook in 2004, he is 2004.

In Conclusion

Yes, a biopic is an attractive prospect for a screenwriter . It comes with a readymade story, a strong protagonist and an in-built audience.

However, these attributes can often obscure the essentials elements of writing a script in the first place. These essentials are, chiefly, finding and representing drama.

As you’re getting to know your subject intimately, don’t just fall back on the obvious characteristics or actions that make them stand out.

Look closer and find the subtext beneath their famous personas and the drama that makes them tick.

• What did you think of this article? Share it , Like it , give it a rating, and let us know your thoughts in the comments box further down…
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Film Genres

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Keeping up with the journal literature

You can get the app from the App Store or Google Play.

Don't own or use a mobile device? You can still use BrowZine! It's now available in a web version. You can get to it here . The web version works the same way as the app version. Find the journals you like, create a custom Bookshelf, get ToCs and read the articles you want.

A quick definition for biographical films

Biopic (biographical picture; biographical film)

A film that tells the story of the life of a real person, often a well-known monarch, political leader, or artist. Thomas Edison’s Execution of Mary Queen of Scots (US, 1895) prefigures the genre but perhaps the earliest biopic is Jeanne d’Arc/Joan of Arc (Georges Méliès, France, 1900). Biopics were popular with audiences in Europe in the early 20th century, including Queen Elizabeth (Henri Desfontaine and Louis Mercanto, France, 1912), Danton (Dimitri Buchowetski, Germany, 1920), Anne Boleyn (Ernst Lubitsch, Germany, 1920), Napoleon (Abel Gance, France, 1927), and The Private Life of Henry VIII (Alexander Korda, UK, 1933). Beyond Europe and North America, biopics celebrated anti-colonial figures and continue to do so ( see Philippines, film in ). The biopic was a staple of US cinema during the studio period, with some 300 films released between 1927 and 1960. The work of director William Dieterle, including The Story of Louis Pasteur (1936), Juarez (1939), and The Life of Emile Zola (1937), is particularly worthy of note. It is common for films from this era to start in media res and proceed by way of flashbacks through a ‘stages of life’ structure, with details from a person’s early life often prefiguring the events they subsequently became known for ( see plot/story ). This structure allows the biopic to move between public and private knowledge pertaining to the film’s subject: the revelation of a private self is one of the genre’s key pleasures. Citizen Kane (Orson Welles, 1941), generally agreed to be one of the greatest films ever made, is a scathing and thinly disguised biopic of newspaper magnate, William Randolph Hearst. US versions of the genre display a shift from celebratory studio-era films to a ‘warts and all’ approach in the late 1960s and 1970s; as, for example, in the Woody Guthrie biopic, Bound For Glory (Hal Ashby, US, 1976). From the 1990s, a number of films, such as 32 Short Films About Glenn Gould (François Girard, Portugal/Canada/Finland/Netherlands, 1993) and the Bob Dylan biopic I’m Not There (Todd Haynes, US, 2007), actively sought to deconstruct the genre. The lives of entertainers, film stars, and artists comprise some 36 per cent of all Hollywood biopics, a tendency that continues in the contemporary cinema with films showing the rise to fame of Freddie Mercury ( Bohemian Rhapsody (Bryan Singer, 2018)) and Elton John ( Rocketman (Dexter Fletcher, 2019)).  ...

Kuhn, A., & Westwell, G. (2020).  Biopic . In  A Dictionary of Film Studies . Oxford University Press. Retrieved 19 May. 2023

Finding library resources for biographical films

The Jones Media Center has a collection of biographies for viewing. To find them, you can do a subject search for " biographical films ." To find books about biographical films, look at the subject headings that contain " history and criticism ." These books will discuss historical films in general or those produced in different countries. To find film resources on a specific person, you can do a subject search and add " drama " with your other search terms.

• biographical films Call number range PN 1995.9 .B55 on Baker Level 4 .
• biographical films [ ... insert name of country ... ]
• autobiographical films

Introductory reading(s)

Selected book title(s)

Finding scholarly articles & journal titles

Articles and other writings about movies can be found in many publications. We don't have any periodicals that look exclusively at biographies in our collections. You can use Film & Television Literature Index to find articles. You can also search in America, History & Life or Historical Abstracts depending on which historical figure you want to research.

Selected list of biographical films

Find more biographical films in the online catalog .

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How to Sell Your Life Story to a Producer

Last Updated: November 26, 2023 Approved

This article was written by Jennifer Mueller, JD . Jennifer Mueller is an in-house legal expert at wikiHow. Jennifer reviews, fact-checks, and evaluates wikiHow's legal content to ensure thoroughness and accuracy. She received her JD from Indiana University Maurer School of Law in 2006. There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 92% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 60,902 times.

Whether you experienced a single exciting or traumatic event, had an amazing adventure, or simply lived a long and rich life, you believe you have a story to tell. Maybe you've watched television movies or feature films based on true stories and thought "My story is more interesting than that." But there's a lot of work that goes into getting your story into the right hands. If you want to sell your life story to a producer and see it adapted for film or television, you first must develop a pitch. Do what's necessary to protect your rights so you can maximize the profits that potentially could come your way.

Developing Your Pitch

• Your outline can be as detailed or as skeletal as you like. Keep in mind that just because you include a particular fact or detail doesn't necessarily mean it will make it into a feature or television movie, if you end up selling your story.
• While your life is chronological, it may not follow the same lines a story would. Think about a story you've heard or a movie you've seen that had a good story line, and map your life story out along similar lines.
• A standard movie is broken into three acts, with the characters in the story following a similar trajectory. You may not think of the people in your life as characters, but in the movie of your life story they would be.
• Pull out episodes or events from your memory that will serve as a build-up to the ultimate climactic event. Those will make up the first act of your story.
• The climax will be the pivotal moment or event that provoked some sort of change, or from which you learned some sort of lesson.
• The third act of your story will encompass those events that draw together the climax and provide closure to the entire story.

• Think about a summation of the life story you want to tell in terms of how you would tell it to a friend with whom you were having a cup of coffee or a drink.
• The synopsis includes the entire story – the beginning, the middle, and the end – in a very brief way without a lot of details.
• Don't worry if you're not a strong writer – it's not as though the synopsis is going to be published. Simply focus on using active language to describe what happens in the story of your life.
• Write your synopsis in the third person, and strive to take yourself out of the story as much as possible and look at it from the standpoint of someone else who doesn't know you.
• Think about the aspects of your life that would be interesting or gripping to other people – those are the points you want to highlight in your synopsis.

• One way to think of a logline is as the punchline to a joke – only without the joke. This is a sentence or two that's going to tell the producers to whom you pitch what your story is about and what viewers ultimately should get out of it.
• Imagine if you overheard a punchline but never heard the joke itself. A good punchline would intrigue you and make you want to hear the joke so you could laugh along with everybody else. This is the same thing you're striving to do with your logline: make the producers want to see (meaning make) the whole movie.
• You can find examples of these sorts of summaries on many of the film sites online, such as IMDB or Rotten Tomatoes. Read the short summaries of movies you know to get a feel for the type of logline you can use for your life story.
• It can help to think about the genre of the story you're trying to tell – would it be a thriller, an adventure, or a romantic comedy? Your logline should be angled toward that genre.
• Keep in mind that some stories have elements of several genres, which would lend themselves to several loglines that emphasize each of those themes in turn. If you can't sell your story as a romantic comedy, for example, you might be able to sell it as a drama.

Protecting Your Rights

• Particularly if some event in your life has garnered local – or even national – media attention, you may have already received calls from people interested in buying your life rights.
• Under no circumstances should you so much as contemplate making a deal with someone to produce your life story without at least talking to an attorney.
• Not only can a good copyright attorney help you protect your rights before you start trying to sell your life story to a producer, they can review contracts and make sure you're going to get what you want and be fairly represented in any deal you sign.
• If you don't know any copyright or intellectual property attorneys, start your search on the website of your state or local bar association. There should be a searchable directory of attorneys licensed to practice in your area.
• Most bar associations also have an intellectual property section for attorneys who specialize in that area of law, so it's a good idea to focus on members of that section.
• Don't worry about trying to find a lawyer in L.A. or New York City (unless that's where you happen to live) – a local attorney will be easier for you to keep in touch with and may have lower rates.

• You can find examples of life rights contracts online, or if you've hired an attorney they may have a few samples to go over with you.
• Keep in mind that when you sign a life rights contract to sell your life story, this means the producer – or the writers or directors they hire – will have the right to change various aspects of your story if they believe it would make a stronger film.
• By selling your life rights, you lose the ability to sue the producer or anyone else associated with the film for defamation or invasion of privacy if you end up having problems or disagreements with the way your life is portrayed on film.
• These are serious issues that you should think long and hard about before you decide you want to sell your life story to a producer. While you may have some control over the story, in most cases you'll have to give up all rights or the producer will simply walk.

• You can register your outline (also known in film circles as a "treatment") and synopsis for copyright protection by visiting the U.S. Copyright Office's website at copyright.gov.
• If you file your application online, copyright registration is only $35 and protects the words themselves as you've written them, as well as derivative works.
• This means no one can make a film based on your outline or synopsis without your permission, or you can sue them for copyright infringement.
• Keep in mind you can't sue anyone for copyright infringement in federal court unless you have a registered copyright.
• Since it's your life story, you may have a state lawsuit for invasion of privacy or defamation, depending on the content of the film. However, if you got significant publicity as a result of the events that are recounted in the film, you have a higher burden of proof that is substantially more difficult to meet than the burden of proof for private individuals.
• These written materials also can be registered with the Writer's Guild of America for a similar amount of money, which provides them with additional protection in the film community.
• While registration may be one of the simplest and cheapest things you do to protect your story, it also may turn out to be the most important – especially as you start sharing your story with producers you hope will adapt it for film.

Selling Your Story

• Many movies or television specials based on true life stories happen because the producers optioned the film rights for a biography or autobiography that was already a bestseller.
• For this reason, it's almost always a good bet if you want to sell your life story to a producer to get it out in print first.
• A bestselling book may seem out of your reach, but you may be able to hire a ghost writer and put out a self-published book for a few thousand dollars.
• If a book seems out of your reach, you might want to look to local or regional interest publications to start garnering media attention for your story.
• Build a presence on social media and attract friends and followers with tales from your life that you'd ultimately like to see made into a movie.
• Keep in mind that producers ultimately are fairly conservative people when it comes to buying stories and making movies. The more you can demonstrate that there's already a proven demand for you and your story, the better chance you have of selling your life story to a producer.

• For example, if you want to write the screenplay, it might be a good idea to go ahead and get started. You probably will have better odds getting a producer to bite if there's already a script, even if it's one that will need a lot of work.
• If there are specific actors you imagine playing roles in the movie of your life story, you might want to consider getting in touch with their agents and getting them on board with the project first. It can be good to have someone "inside Hollywood" in your corner, not to mention the fact that actors often produce movies as well.
• Generally speaking, you'll have a better chance at selling your story if you've got something – whether that's a particular actor who's attached or a working screenplay – than if you've got nothing but an idea.
• If you want control over the movie or a final okay on the finished product, you probably will have to settle for less money in exchange.
• You also should keep in mind that producers typically will be reticent to have any significant degree of input from someone with little to no knowledge or experience in making movies.

• For example, if you're a middle-aged woman who has gone through a harrowing or traumatic relationship or life crisis, you may want to try your luck with television networks such as Lifetime that frequently produce television movies based on true life stories.
• To find producer's names, look up films that are similar to the film you think could be made from your life story. Find out the production companies and the names of the producers, then search for ways to query them.
• You'll want to build a lengthy list of producers to whom you want to pitch before you start, because you have to assume that most, if not all, of them won't even respond to your initial pitch.

• Never send a full script, or even a synopsis, to a producer or anyone else unsolicited. Thick packages containing scripts often will simply be thrown in the trash unopened, because no one wants to risk being exposed to the content and potentially ending up in a copyright infringement lawsuit because they produce an unrelated film with substantially similar elements.
• Introduce yourself in your cover letter, provide your logline and maybe another sentence or two about your life story – but that's it. The shorter, the better.
• Include a sentence or two describing the publicity you've received as a result of your story, either in the press or through a published biography.
• Close your letter by encouraging the person to whom you're writing to contact you if they're interested in hearing more, and then wait for them to come to you.
• If you have newspaper clippings, you may want to include a copy of one or two short stories to show the level of public interest in your story.
• Be prepared to send many of these letters out and never hear anything back from anyone. You may want to follow up by making a phone call or sending an email, but don't hound them.
• If you don't hear anything back, it's safe to assume they're not interested. Strike that name off your list and move on to the next one.

Selling an Option

• Option contracts can be a great way to earn money without having to give up all the rights in your life story (unless the option is exercised).
• However, option contracts take your ability to advertise and sell your product elsewhere for a specific period of time. Some producers will purchase options on works to simply take them off the market so it can't be made by someone else. [15] X Research source

• See what plans the producer has for your project. Ask about the sort of budget the producer thinks is feasible. Ask for the producer's thoughts on casting. The more answers the producer has, the more serious they are about making the project a reality.
• Try to find out what other projects the producer has options on with a similar subject matter. If the producer already holds rights to a project similar to yours., they may want to purchase an option to shut your project down.

• Most option contracts also include a provision allowing the producer to extend the option period for another year. In some cases, your contract might include multiple extension periods. [16] X Research source
• A common option provision might state: "The option shall be effective during the period commencing on the date hereof and ending one year later (the “Initial Option Period”). The Initial Option Period may be extended for an additional six months by payment of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) on or before the Initial Option Period expiration date."

• When you agree on an amount, it will be paid when the option contract is signed. This amount will either be folded into the purchase price (if the producer exercises their option) or will be separate. In general, the first option payment is often folded into the purchase price while subsequent extension payments are not.
• A common price provision may look like this: "In consideration of payment of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000), Writer hereby grants the Producer a six (6) month exclusive option to purchase all motion picture, television, ancillary and exploitation rights in and to the Property, in order to develop and produce an original motion picture based on the Property, provided that any sums paid under this Section shall be credited against the first sums payable on account of such purchase price."

• Your exercise provision might read: "Producer may exercise this Option at any time during the Option Period, as it may be extended, by giving written notice of such exercise to Owner and delivery to Owner of the Purchase Price." [17] X Trustworthy Source American Bar Association Leading professional organization of lawyers and law students Go to source

• "If the Producer does not timely exercise the option during its original or extended term, the option shall terminate and all rights in the Property shall immediately revert to the Writer. The Writer shall retain all sums paid."

Expert Q&A

You might also like.

• ↑ https://johnaugust.com/2004/selling-a-story-if-youre-not-a-screenwriter
• ↑ https://www.earlytorise.com/how-to-sell-movie-ideas-to-hollywood/
• ↑ https://www.writersdigest.com/editors-picks/learn-how-to-write-a-synopsis-like-a-pro
• ↑ https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/hiring-copyright-attorney.html
• ↑ https://www.marklitwak.com/purchasing-life-story-rights.html
• ↑ https://www.writersstore.com/protecting-your-script/
• ↑ https://www.copyright.gov/fls/sl35.pdf
• ↑ https://www.indiewire.com/2013/08/how-to-develop-a-pitch-an-excerpt-from-the-hollywood-pitching-bible-35788/
• ↑ https://filmmakermagazine.com/76650-how-to-find-a-producer/#.V3x-Aldr2Ao
• ↑ https://www.scriptmag.com/features/producers-pov-how-and-where-should-i-pitch-my-tv-show
• ↑ https://www.filmconnection.com/reference-library/film-entrepreneurs/idea-for-movie/
• ↑ https://www.dklex.com/options-for-plays-musicals-motion-pictures-and-television-programs.html
• ↑ https://lehmannstrobel.com/articles/acquiring-story-rights/
• ↑ https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/migrated/2011_build/entertainment_sports/option_and_purchase_agreement.authcheckdam.pdf

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Mon, 03/24/2008

Whose Story Is It, Anyway? Obtaining a Subject's Life-Story Rights

By Tom Isler

It read like a Hollywood script. One day, an unassuming black teenager is picked up off the streets of Winston-Salem, North Carolina by policemen searching for a suspect in the murder of a 25-year-old white woman. Though innocent, he's charged and convicted of the crime by an all-white jury. After all legal channels for appeal are exhausted, and despite exculpatory DNA evidence, the man's lawyer realizes the only way he can free his client is to find the real murderer himself. He does. After nearly two decades of incarceration, the wrongly convicted man is released from jail with nothing but forgiveness in his heart for the people who denied him the prime of his life.

"It's almost more dramatic than a Hollywood version, because you'd see a Hollywood movie and go, ‘That can't be true. He doesn't come out like Gandhi afterwards!'" says filmmaker Ricki Stern, who, with co-director Annie Sundberg, chronicles this true story of prejudice and injustice in the 2006 documentary The Trials of Darryl Hunt , which was distributed by THINKFilm and broadcast on HBO. "Yes, he is kind of like Gandhi afterwards."

Stern and Sundberg knew the story could attract attention from Hollywood, so the filmmakers negotiated deals to acquire the rights to the life stories of Darryl Hunt and his lawyer, Mark Rabil. In the event that a remake was produced, Stern and Sundberg wanted to make sure that they would be compensated for the 10 years they spent following the case; that the subjects, with whom the filmmakers had grown quite close, would be taken care of properly; that they would have a say in who got permission to retell Hunt's story; and that they could dictate, to a certain degree, their own involvement with the adaptation.

Increasingly, documentaries are being viewed not just as properties to distribute but as development material for producers looking to make feature film adaptations, stage productions or television series. More and more, documentary filmmakers are obtaining life-story rights from their subjects so that they will hold all of the cards when producers come calling. "It's a hot issue right now," says Victoria Cook, an entertainment lawyer and partner at Frankfurt Kurnit Keil & Selz in New York City. "There's a lot of activity in the remake doc market."

Some high-profile examples: New Line Cinema is working on an adaptation of The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters , Seth Gordon's documentary about video game legends (with Gordon attached to direct the adaptation). The latest documentary from Peter Gilbert and Steve James, At the Death House Door , about a former Death Row chaplain in Texas, is being reworked for a feature by IFC, which funded the documentary. And Brett Morgen's Chicago 10 , which blends animated re-creations, archival footage and public-domain court transcripts to tell the story of the 1969 "Chicago Seven" trial, has been optioned for a remake, to be directed by Steven Spielberg.

Why would filmmakers need to get life-story rights from their subjects? Roz Lichter, a New York-based entertainment lawyer, explains that, legally, producers making a fiction film based on a documentary subject are under no obligation to sign any deals with the documentary filmmakers, who, in many cases, uncovered the story in the first place and proved it could be told in a cinematically compelling way. Feature film producers need to negotiate with documentarians only if they want to promote their feature as based on the nonfiction film, or if they plan to tell the story in largely the same way the documentary does.

Even then, some studios will take their chances. W. Wilder Knight, an entertainment lawyer with Pryor Cashman in New York who worked on Marilyn Agrelo's Mad Hot Ballroom , says the feature film Boys Don't Cry closely tracked the structure and narrative told in Susan Muska and Greta Olafsdottir's documentary, The Brandon Teena Story . But he advised the filmmakers against suing the studio. "My clients ramping up for major litigation against a major studio is not the best use of time," Knight explains. "That falls into the life-is-short category."

Stern and Sundberg found themselves in a similar situation concerning their most recent documentary, The Devil Came on Horseback , about a former US Marine captain in Darfur. The film's subject, Brian Steidle, didn't sign over his life-story rights to Stern and Sundberg, opting instead to write a book, which he ended up selling to the production company 72 Productions for a feature adaptation. The company didn't buy the remake rights for the documentary, although Stern is convinced the film played a role in the production company's pursuit of Steidle's book. "If you've had a doc made about you, you can't deny the influence of that on people looking to make a fictionalized version," Stern maintains. The production company did sign a separate agreement with Stern and Sundberg to be able to market the film in connection with the documentary.

To make sure that documentary filmmakers don't get overlooked, lawyers advise filmmakers to secure life-story rights from their subjects whenever possible and package them together with the adaptation rights. Cook says a package deal is attractive to studio executives, who are generally looking to minimize the risk of litigation and limit the effort they have to expend to obtain all underlying rights to a project, and can actually make adaptation deals more likely.

Although documentary filmmakers can always go back and negotiate deals with subjects when an offer arises, setting up an agreement in the beginning is preferable, according to Cook.

While potentially advantageous, however, it's not always practical, Stern warns. "You run the risk of alienating [subjects] if you're coming at them with a legal document" before you ever start shooting, she explains. Stern and Sundberg advise starting the conversation about best- and worst-case scenarios for the film and possible offshoots only as early as feels comfortable.

Life-story rights are somewhat of a misnomer because no one owns their own stories. Facts can't be copyrighted or trademarked, and, just as producers don't always need remake rights to make a fiction film based on a documentary, neither do producers technically need a subject's permission to make a movie or TV program about his or her life. (Think E! True Hollywood Story or, in the literary world, the unauthorized biography.) But studios that don't secure life-story rights from subjects are opening themselves up to potential lawsuits-claims of libel, defamation or invasion of privacy. Thus, life-story rights deals, at their core, are promises by subjects not to bring such claims against the studios.

The agreements can be set up in a variety of ways. Subjects can restrict the deals to certain periods of their lives, or they can retain certain rights, such as the right to tell the story in book form, even if they give a studio permission to develop everything else from feature films to video games. Studios, understandably, want agreements to be as broad as possible to maximize the potential revenue they could extract from the project.

In typical life-story rights agreements, subjects grant producers permission to fictionalize certain elements of their stories. They also agree to consult with producers, furnish them with materials that could be helpful in the writing process, and help promote the film. In return, subjects receive a payment when the deal is signed-anywhere from $1 to tens of thousands of dollars, depending on the situation--with more promised if the project goes into production, typically a percentage point or two of the film's total budget.

If subjects sign over their life-story rights to documentary filmmakers, the filmmakers can turn around and option the rights to a studio, and the rights will revert back to the filmmakers if the studio doesn't move forward with the project after a certain period of time.

Although the legal agreements generally aren't that complicated, closing the deals can be. "They are the most frustrating agreements you can negotiate," Knight says. "People begin to think their rights are worth many, many millions of dollars when, in fact, they're not." The other difficult part is convincing subjects to give up virtually all control over how they are portrayed on screen.

If subjects or filmmakers demand too much, they risk jeopardizing the entire project.

"You try to find a sweet spot where you're satisfying yourself and your subject, but you're also making it palatable to producers who are going to be purchasing those rights," says filmmaker Jesse Moss, who obtained life-story rights from the subjects of his documentaries Speedo and Con Man .

In reality, subjects and documentary filmmakers never see a big payday from the studio unless the remake goes into production. "Not a lot of money changed hands," Moss recalls of his initial deal with Speedo, a demolition derby driver from Long Island, New York. "I didn't have any money. It was a modest sum, and I said, ‘Look, if this film gets made, we'll both do well and if it doesn't, then nothing happens.'"

Although Warner Bros. optioned Speedo for a remake, the project never went anywhere, Moss reports. Currently, he's is working on a script for a fictionalized version of Con Man for Paul Giamatti's production company.

Few documentaries optioned by studios ever make it into production. Which is why Morgen, who obtained life-story rights from the subjects of his documentary On the Ropes , about amateur boxers in New York-another remake that was never realized-is so adamant that documentary filmmakers look out for their subjects when life-story rights deals are first brokered. "As filmmakers, we'll go off and have our careers, but for the subject, this is probably their best chance," he says. Paying a subject only $1 to option life rights, promising much more on the back end, is, in Morgen's opinion, "exploitative."

But sometimes that's the only way deals can get done, and, for some subjects, at least, that's really all they care about. Before a special screening of The Trials of Darryl Hunt at New York University last year, Hunt addressed the issue of giving up his life-story rights to the filmmakers. He said he felt he owed Stern and Sundberg. "There's no way I could have told this story," he said. "There's nothing in this world I could give them that would compensate them for what they've done for me."

Concerning a fiction film of his life, Hunt said the goal was to have his story heard. And fiction films undeniably have a further reach than documentaries. Stern confirms there has been some interest from various parties, but no real progress. "Annie and I got sidetracked with other projects," she says.

But to Stern, there's no mystery why documentary subjects would want to give documentary filmmakers their life-story rights. "They know we will do our best to keep the integrity of their journey intact," she says. "They're not film producers. They don't want to be film producers. They might as well work with people they know and like and trust to make the best possible movie."

Tom Isler is a writer and filmmaker in New York.

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The 50 Best Biography Movies of All Time

My 50 personal favorite biography movies of all time. Honourable Mentions: Elvis (2022) Mank (2020) Dolemite Is My Name (2019) First Man (2018) The Disaster Artist (2017) The Danish Girl (2015) Trumbo (2015) 127 Hours (2010) Hachi (2009) Hunger (2008) The Diving Bell & The Butterfly (2007) The Basketball Diaries (1995) Quiz Show (1994) Glory (1989) My Left Foot (1989) Escape From Alcatraz (1979) Midnight Express (1978) Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid (1973) Funny Girl (1968) in Cold Blood (1967) Related: The 25 Best Biography Movies of the 21st Century - https://www.imdb.com/list/ls097509937/ The 25 Best Historical Movies of All Time - https://www.imdb.com/list/ls069565244/ The 25 Best Period Piece Movies of All Time - https://www.imdb.com/list/ls046806935/

• Movies or TV
• IMDb Rating
• In Theaters
• Release Year

1. Goodfellas (1990)

R | 145 min | Biography, Crime, Drama

The story of Henry Hill and his life in the mafia, covering his relationship with his wife Karen and his mob partners Jimmy Conway and Tommy DeVito.

Director: Martin Scorsese | Stars: Robert De Niro , Ray Liotta , Joe Pesci , Lorraine Bracco

Votes: 1,252,715 | Gross: $46.84M

2. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

Approved | 218 min | Adventure, Biography, Drama

The story of T.E. Lawrence , the English officer who successfully united and led the diverse, often warring, Arab tribes during World War I in order to fight the Turks.

Director: David Lean | Stars: Peter O'Toole , Alec Guinness , Anthony Quinn , Jack Hawkins

Votes: 313,291 | Gross: $44.82M

3. Schindler's List (1993)

R | 195 min | Biography, Drama, History

In German-occupied Poland during World War II, industrialist Oskar Schindler gradually becomes concerned for his Jewish workforce after witnessing their persecution by the Nazis.

Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Liam Neeson , Ralph Fiennes , Ben Kingsley , Caroline Goodall

Votes: 1,445,198 | Gross: $96.90M

4. Raging Bull (1980)

R | 129 min | Biography, Drama, Sport

The life of boxer Jake LaMotta , whose violence and temper that led him to the top in the ring destroyed his life outside of it.

Director: Martin Scorsese | Stars: Robert De Niro , Cathy Moriarty , Joe Pesci , Frank Vincent

Votes: 379,131 | Gross: $23.38M

5. Amadeus (1984)

R | 160 min | Biography, Drama, Music

The life, success and troubles of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , as told by Antonio Salieri , the contemporaneous composer who was deeply jealous of Mozart's talent and claimed to have murdered him.

Director: Milos Forman | Stars: F. Murray Abraham , Tom Hulce , Elizabeth Berridge , Roy Dotrice

Votes: 426,386 | Gross: $51.97M

6. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

R | 180 min | Biography, Comedy, Crime

Based on the true story of Jordan Belfort , from his rise to a wealthy stock-broker living the high life to his fall involving crime, corruption and the federal government.

Director: Martin Scorsese | Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio , Jonah Hill , Margot Robbie , Matthew McConaughey

Votes: 1,574,886 | Gross: $116.90M

7. The Pianist (2002)

R | 150 min | Biography, Drama, Music

During WWII, acclaimed Polish musician Wladyslaw faces various struggles as he loses contact with his family. As the situation worsens, he hides in the ruins of Warsaw in order to survive.

Director: Roman Polanski | Stars: Adrien Brody , Thomas Kretschmann , Frank Finlay , Emilia Fox

Votes: 908,125 | Gross: $32.57M

8. A Beautiful Mind (2001)

PG-13 | 135 min | Biography, Drama, Mystery

A mathematical genius, John Nash made an astonishing discovery early in his career and stood on the brink of international acclaim. But the handsome and arrogant Nash soon found himself on a harrowing journey of self-discovery.

Director: Ron Howard | Stars: Russell Crowe , Ed Harris , Jennifer Connelly , Christopher Plummer

Votes: 984,143 | Gross: $170.74M

9. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)

R | 160 min | Biography, Crime, Drama

Robert Ford, who has idolized Jesse James since childhood, tries hard to join the resurgent gang of the Missouri outlaw, but gradually becomes resentful of the bandit leader.

Director: Andrew Dominik | Stars: Brad Pitt , Casey Affleck , Sam Shepard , Mary-Louise Parker

Votes: 192,432 | Gross: $3.90M

10. Lion (2016)

PG-13 | 118 min | Biography, Drama

A five-year-old Indian boy is adopted by an Australian couple after getting lost hundreds of kilometers from home. 25 years later, he sets out to find his lost family.

Director: Garth Davis | Stars: Dev Patel , Nicole Kidman , Rooney Mara , Sunny Pawar

Votes: 250,289 | Gross: $51.74M

11. Patton (1970)

GP | 172 min | Biography, Drama, War

The World War II phase of the career of controversial American general George S. Patton .

Director: Franklin J. Schaffner | Stars: George C. Scott , Karl Malden , Stephen Young , Michael Strong

Votes: 107,731 | Gross: $61.70M

12. The Aviator (2004)

PG-13 | 170 min | Biography, Drama

A biopic depicting the early years of legendary director and aviator Howard Hughes ' career from the late 1920s to the mid 1940s.

Director: Martin Scorsese | Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio , Cate Blanchett , Kate Beckinsale , John C. Reilly

Votes: 383,289 | Gross: $102.61M

13. Ed Wood (1994)

R | 127 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama

Ambitious but troubled movie director Edward D. Wood Jr. tries his best to fulfill his dreams despite his lack of talent.

Director: Tim Burton | Stars: Johnny Depp , Martin Landau , Sarah Jessica Parker , Patricia Arquette

Votes: 183,687 | Gross: $5.89M

14. BlacKkKlansman (2018)

R | 135 min | Biography, Comedy, Crime

Ron Stallworth , an African American police officer from Colorado Springs, Colorado, successfully infiltrates the local Ku Klux Klan branch aided by a Jewish surrogate who eventually becomes its leader. Based on actual events.

Director: Spike Lee | Stars: John David Washington , Adam Driver , Laura Harrier , Topher Grace

Votes: 290,196 | Gross: $49.28M

15. The Elephant Man (1980)

PG | 124 min | Biography, Drama

A Victorian surgeon rescues a heavily disfigured man who is mistreated while scraping a living as a side-show freak. Behind his monstrous façade, there is revealed a person of kindness, intelligence and sophistication.

Director: David Lynch | Stars: Anthony Hopkins , John Hurt , Anne Bancroft , John Gielgud

Votes: 257,712

16. A Hidden Life (2019)

PG-13 | 174 min | Biography, Drama, Romance

The Austrian Franz Jägerstätter, a conscientious objector, refuses to fight for the Nazis in World War II.

Director: Terrence Malick | Stars: August Diehl , Valerie Pachner , Maria Simon , Karin Neuhäuser

Votes: 27,990

17. Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

R | 125 min | Biography, Crime, Drama

Three amateur bank robbers plan to hold up a bank. A nice simple robbery: Walk in, take the money, and run. Unfortunately, the supposedly uncomplicated heist suddenly becomes a bizarre nightmare as everything that could go wrong does.

Director: Sidney Lumet | Stars: Al Pacino , John Cazale , Penelope Allen , Sully Boyar

Votes: 272,406 | Gross: $50.00M

18. Bonnie and Clyde (1967)

R | 111 min | Action, Biography, Crime

Bored waitress Bonnie Parker falls in love with an ex-con named Clyde Barrow and together they start a violent crime spree through the country, stealing cars and robbing banks.

Director: Arthur Penn | Stars: Warren Beatty , Faye Dunaway , Michael J. Pollard , Gene Hackman

Votes: 120,367

19. Downfall (2004)

R | 156 min | Biography, Drama, History

Traudl Junge , the final secretary for Adolf Hitler , tells of the Nazi dictator's final days in his Berlin bunker at the end of WWII.

Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel | Stars: Bruno Ganz , Alexandra Maria Lara , Ulrich Matthes , Juliane Köhler

Votes: 374,261 | Gross: $5.51M

20. Memories of Murder (2003)

Not Rated | 132 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery

In a small Korean province in 1986, two detectives struggle with the case of multiple young women being found raped and murdered by an unknown culprit.

Director: Bong Joon Ho | Stars: Song Kang-ho , Kim Sang-kyung , Kim Roe-ha , Song Jae-ho

Votes: 214,894 | Gross: $0.01M

21. Fruitvale Station (2013)

R | 85 min | Biography, Crime, Drama

The story of Oscar Grant III, a 22-year-old Bay Area resident, who crosses paths with friends, enemies, family, and strangers on the last day of 2008.

Director: Ryan Coogler | Stars: Michael B. Jordan , Melonie Diaz , Octavia Spencer , Kevin Durand

Votes: 85,761 | Gross: $16.10M

22. Into the Wild (2007)

R | 148 min | Adventure, Biography, Drama

After graduating from Emory University, top student and athlete Christopher McCandless abandons his possessions, gives his entire $24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhikes to Alaska to live in the wilderness. Along the way, Christopher encounters a series of characters that shape his life.

Director: Sean Penn | Stars: Emile Hirsch , Vince Vaughn , Catherine Keener , Marcia Gay Harden

Votes: 656,532 | Gross: $18.35M

23. The King's Speech (2010)

R | 118 min | Biography, Drama, History

The story of King George VI , his unexpected ascension to the throne of the British Empire in 1936, and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch overcome his stammer.

Director: Tom Hooper | Stars: Colin Firth , Geoffrey Rush , Helena Bonham Carter , Derek Jacobi

Votes: 706,789 | Gross: $138.80M

24. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

PG | 110 min | Biography, Crime, Drama

In 1890s Wyoming, Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid lead a band of outlaws. When a train robbery goes wrong, they find themselves on the run with a posse hard on their heels. After considering their options, they escape to South America.

Director: George Roy Hill | Stars: Paul Newman , Robert Redford , Katharine Ross , Strother Martin

Votes: 226,303 | Gross: $102.31M

25. The Intouchables (2011)

R | 112 min | Comedy, Drama

After he becomes a quadriplegic from a paragliding accident, an aristocrat hires a young man from the projects to be his caregiver.

Directors: Olivier Nakache , Éric Toledano | Stars: François Cluzet , Omar Sy , Anne Le Ny , Audrey Fleurot

Votes: 925,733 | Gross: $13.18M

26. Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972)

Not Rated | 95 min | Action, Adventure, Biography

In the 16th century, the ruthless and insane Don Lope de Aguirre leads a Spanish expedition in search of El Dorado.

Director: Werner Herzog | Stars: Klaus Kinski , Ruy Guerra , Helena Rojo , Del Negro

Votes: 62,034

27. The Irishman (2019)

R | 209 min | Biography, Crime, Drama

An illustration of Frank Sheeran's life, from W.W.II veteran to hit-man for the Bufalino crime family and his alleged assassination of his close friend Jimmy Hoffa.

Director: Martin Scorsese | Stars: Robert De Niro , Al Pacino , Joe Pesci , Harvey Keitel

Votes: 429,479 | Gross: $7.00M

28. Man on the Moon (1999)

R | 118 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama

The life and career of legendary comedian Andy Kaufman .

Director: Milos Forman | Stars: Jim Carrey , Danny DeVito , Gerry Becker , Greyson Erik Pendry

Votes: 137,238 | Gross: $34.58M

29. Persepolis (2007)

PG-13 | 96 min | Animation, Biography, Drama

A precocious and outspoken Iranian girl grows up during the Islamic Revolution.

Directors: Vincent Paronnaud , Marjane Satrapi | Stars: Chiara Mastroianni , Catherine Deneuve , Gena Rowlands , Danielle Darrieux

Votes: 99,941 | Gross: $4.45M

30. Green Book (2018)

PG-13 | 130 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama

A working-class Italian-American bouncer becomes the driver for an African-American classical pianist on a tour of venues through the 1960s American South.

Director: Peter Farrelly | Stars: Viggo Mortensen , Mahershala Ali , Linda Cardellini , Sebastian Maniscalco

Votes: 566,230 | Gross: $85.08M

31. Mirror (1975)

Not Rated | 107 min | Biography, Drama

A dying man in his forties remembers his past. His childhood, his mother, the war, personal moments and things that tell of the recent history of all the Russian nation.

Director: Andrei Tarkovsky | Stars: Margarita Terekhova , Filipp Yankovskiy , Ignat Daniltsev , Oleg Yankovskiy

Votes: 51,976 | Gross: $0.18M

32. Finding Neverland (2004)

PG | 106 min | Biography, Drama, Family

The story of Sir J.M. Barrie 's friendship with a family who inspired him to create Peter Pan.

Director: Marc Forster | Stars: Johnny Depp , Kate Winslet , Julie Christie , Radha Mitchell

Votes: 211,819 | Gross: $51.68M

33. The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

PG-13 | 117 min | Biography, Drama

A struggling salesman takes custody of his son as he's poised to begin a life-changing professional career

Director: Gabriele Muccino | Stars: Will Smith , Thandiwe Newton , Jaden Smith , Brian Howe

Votes: 558,773 | Gross: $163.57M

34. Heavenly Creatures (1994)

R | 99 min | Biography, Crime, Drama

Two teenage girls share a unique bond; their parents, concerned that the friendship is too intense, separate them, and the girls take revenge.

Director: Peter Jackson | Stars: Melanie Lynskey , Kate Winslet , Sarah Peirse , Diana Kent

Votes: 67,285 | Gross: $3.05M

35. Gandhi (1982)

PG | 191 min | Biography, Drama, History

The life of the lawyer who became the famed leader of the Indian revolts against the British rule through his philosophy of nonviolent protest.

Director: Richard Attenborough | Stars: Ben Kingsley , John Gielgud , Rohini Hattangadi , Roshan Seth

Votes: 239,916 | Gross: $52.77M

36. American Gangster (2007)

R | 157 min | Biography, Crime, Drama

An outcast New York City cop is charged with bringing down Harlem drug lord Frank Lucas, whose real life inspired this partly biographical film.

Director: Ridley Scott | Stars: Denzel Washington , Russell Crowe , Chiwetel Ejiofor , Josh Brolin

Votes: 451,376 | Gross: $130.16M

37. The Social Network (2010)

PG-13 | 120 min | Biography, Drama

As Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg creates the social networking site that would become known as Facebook, he is sued by the twins who claimed he stole their idea and by the co-founder who was later squeezed out of the business.

Director: David Fincher | Stars: Jesse Eisenberg , Andrew Garfield , Justin Timberlake , Rooney Mara

Votes: 756,039 | Gross: $96.96M

38. Spotlight (I) (2015)

R | 129 min | Biography, Crime, Drama

The true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core.

Director: Tom McCarthy | Stars: Mark Ruffalo , Michael Keaton , Rachel McAdams , Liev Schreiber

Votes: 500,858 | Gross: $45.06M

39. Hotel Rwanda (2004)

PG-13 | 121 min | Biography, Drama, History

Paul Rusesabagina , a hotel manager, houses over a thousand Tutsi refugees during their struggle against the Hutu militia in Rwanda, Africa.

Director: Terry George | Stars: Don Cheadle , Sophie Okonedo , Joaquin Phoenix , Xolani Mali

Votes: 371,285 | Gross: $23.53M

40. 12 Years a Slave (2013)

R | 134 min | Biography, Drama, History

In the antebellum United States, Solomon Northup , a free Black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery.

Director: Steve McQueen | Stars: Chiwetel Ejiofor , Michael Kenneth Williams , Michael Fassbender , Brad Pitt

Votes: 739,657 | Gross: $56.67M

41. Malcolm X (1992)

PG-13 | 202 min | Biography, Drama, History

Biographical epic of the controversial and influential Black Nationalist leader, from his early life and career as a small-time gangster, to his ministry as a member of the Nation of Islam and his eventual assassination.

Director: Spike Lee | Stars: Denzel Washington , Angela Bassett , Delroy Lindo , Spike Lee

Votes: 101,774 | Gross: $48.17M

42. The Imitation Game (2014)

PG-13 | 114 min | Biography, Drama, Thriller

During World War II, the English mathematical genius Alan Turing tries to crack the German Enigma code with help from fellow mathematicians while attempting to come to terms with his troubled private life.

Director: Morten Tyldum | Stars: Benedict Cumberbatch , Keira Knightley , Matthew Goode , Allen Leech

Votes: 822,400 | Gross: $91.13M

43. American Sniper (2014)

R | 133 min | Action, Biography, Drama

Navy S.E.A.L. sniper Chris Kyle's pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and turns him into a legend. Back home with his family after four tours of duty, however, Chris finds that it is the war he can't leave behind.

Director: Clint Eastwood | Stars: Bradley Cooper , Sienna Miller , Kyle Gallner , Cole Konis

Votes: 527,560 | Gross: $350.13M

44. Serpico (1973)

R | 130 min | Biography, Crime, Drama

An honest New York cop named Frank Serpico blows the whistle on rampant corruption in the force only to have his comrades turn against him.

Director: Sidney Lumet | Stars: Al Pacino , John Randolph , Jack Kehoe , Biff McGuire

Votes: 134,301 | Gross: $29.80M

45. Awakenings (1990)

PG-13 | 121 min | Biography, Drama

The victims of an encephalitis epidemic many years ago have been catatonic ever since, but now a new drug offers the prospect of reviving them.

Director: Penny Marshall | Stars: Robert De Niro , Robin Williams , Julie Kavner , Ruth Nelson

Votes: 158,035 | Gross: $52.10M

46. The Big Short (2015)

R | 130 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama

In 2006-2007 a group of investors bet against the United States mortgage market. In their research, they discover how flawed and corrupt the market is.

Director: Adam McKay | Stars: Christian Bale , Steve Carell , Ryan Gosling , Brad Pitt

Votes: 482,139 | Gross: $70.26M

47. Hacksaw Ridge (2016)

R | 139 min | Biography, Drama, History

World War II American Army Medic Desmond T. Doss , serving during the Battle of Okinawa, refuses to kill people and becomes the first man in American history to receive the Medal of Honor without firing a shot.

Director: Mel Gibson | Stars: Andrew Garfield , Sam Worthington , Luke Bracey , Teresa Palmer

Votes: 591,012 | Gross: $67.21M

48. Dallas Buyers Club (2013)

R | 117 min | Biography, Drama

In 1985 Dallas, electrician and hustler Ron Woodroof works around the system to help AIDS patients get the medication they need after he is diagnosed with the disease.

Director: Jean-Marc Vallée | Stars: Matthew McConaughey , Jennifer Garner , Jared Leto , Steve Zahn

Votes: 518,003 | Gross: $27.30M

49. In the Name of the Father (1993)

R | 133 min | Biography, Crime, Drama

An Irish man's coerced confession to an I.R.A. bombing he did not commit results in the imprisonment of his father as well. Meanwhile, a British lawyer fights to clear their names and free them.

Director: Jim Sheridan | Stars: Daniel Day-Lewis , Pete Postlethwaite , Alison Crosbie , Philip King

Votes: 186,542 | Gross: $25.01M

50. The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)

Passed | 114 min | Biography, Drama, History

In 1431, Jeanne d'Arc is placed on trial on charges of heresy. The ecclesiastical jurists attempt to force Jeanne to recant her claims of holy visions.

Director: Carl Theodor Dreyer | Stars: Maria Falconetti , Eugene Silvain , André Berley , Maurice Schutz

Votes: 60,415 | Gross: $0.02M

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The history of Key Bridge, Baltimore’s engineering marvel of the 1970s

The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore partially collapsed into the Patapsco River early Tuesday after a freighter crashed into it. The steel-arched bridge was considered an engineering feat when it was built in the 1970s.

Here’s what to know about the 47-year-old bridge, its history and its significance.

Baltimore bridge collapse

How it happened: Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed after being hit by a cargo ship . The container ship lost power shortly before hitting the bridge, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) said. Video shows the bridge collapse in under 40 seconds.

Victims: Divers have recovered the bodies of two construction workers , officials said. They were fathers, husbands and hard workers . A mayday call from the ship prompted first responders to shut down traffic on the four-lane bridge, saving lives.

Economic impact: The collapse of the bridge severed ocean links to the Port of Baltimore, which provides about 20,000 jobs to the area . See how the collapse will disrupt the supply of cars, coal and other goods .

Rebuilding: The bridge, built in the 1970s , will probably take years and cost hundreds of millions of dollars to rebuild , experts said.

How to Audition for a Movie | 6 Tips for Success

With multiple ways to learn, find something that suits your time, your level, and your budget

Wondering how to audition for a movie and make it to the big screen ? Here, we’ll share six important tips for success.

It doesn’t matter whether you are interested in learning how to audition for a movie role as a child, a teen, or as an adult. It also doesn’t matter what kind of movie you’re interested in or what city you plan on auditioning in. Knowing how to prepare for a movie audition will require the same kind of tenacity, skill, and know-how no matter what the specifics of your situation might be.

Many major movies are filmed in big cities such as Los Angeles and New York. Whatever big city you are closest to, you should start by looking up the local film office. For example, if you search online for “Massachusetts State Film Office,” you should see a website like this .

Every state also has its own film office, which will have all the information you need about what is being filmed in that state, local auditions, etc.

How to Ace an Audition for a Movie?

Wondering how to get into acting? Here are six simple steps to follow:

• Find the role
• Try smaller productions first 
• Get some background work 
• Know how to apply for movie auditions (and where to find information)
• Prepare for stiff competition
• Work your way up to better jobs (and union spots!)

Don’t worry – we will go into more detail about how to audition for a movie the right way in our guide below. 

Not sure where to start as you’re trying to figure out how to get an audition for a movie ? It may be helpful to sign up for acting lessons! Your coach will not only be able to teach you how to audition for a movie or TV show, but can also provide you with general acting training that will serve you well throughout your entire career and as you learn how to apply for a movie audition.  

Check out the video below to learn more about what acting lessons have to offer, and keep reading for more helpful tips to nail your next audition:

https://www.facebook.com/TakeLessons/videos/tips-on-emotional-acting-learning-acting-technique/895465977723371/  

How Do You Find Out About Auditions for Movies? 

There are a few different ways you can find film auditions notices.

One is to get a talent agent. This can be tricky, but if you happen to have any actor friends with their own agents you can ask them to pass along your information. Make connections wherever you can find them and don’t be afraid to be shameless in your self-promotion! Reach out to agents wherever you can, including on LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

While you want to avoid coming off as overly desperate, it can be helpful to approach potential agents with a quality pitch on what you can offer them – rather than the other way around.

Aside from finding an agent, there are a few other ways you can discover auditions. For example, you can:

• Go to a talent showcase – agents often hold open auditions to uncover new talent
• Search for casting calls online 
• Use social media to find open casting calls and auditions 
• Create an account on an audition site like Project Casting 
• Contact a local film office for a list of current productions that are hiring

How to Audition for a Movie: 6 Steps

Know that you know how to find an audition, let’s dive deeper into how to audition for a movie with no experience.

1) Find Your Role

This is a necessary step for those interested in how to audition for movies.

For most films , it may sound superficial but looks really are everything. You will need to try to assess which characters you could play on film. For example, do you look like a high school student? Could you portray a daughter, or a sister? Or could you play the dreamy boyfriend?

Think of all the different character possibilities you could portray, and start looking for the most appropriate auditions.

2) Find Smaller Productions

If you’re diving into film for the first time, you don’t necessarily have to shoot for the major, commercial films.

You might not realize it, but whatever city you are in there are many independent and student films being created and filmed all the time! This is a great way to start out, and see what it’s like being on a film set. It’s also a good way to improve your acting resume . 

If you’re a college student, you should also get involved in your school’s film department. Many students will need to make films for their majors. These won’t pay well, but it’s a great way to start learning about film and how to act on film.

Also, low-budget independent films and short films are a great way to get a speaking part!

3) Find Background Work

If you’re wondering how to audition for a movie, you’ve probably already done some acting training or taken acting lessons. If so, don’t be be afraid to go for the big budget films! But films are being made every day, and they usually need tons of extras.

Extra or background work – you will learn so much about film, get a decent paycheck, and perhaps even be featured on film. The part may be small, but you never know – depending on your look and how you act on the film set, you could get bumped up into a featured or speaking role.

If you want a speaking role, or a main role in a film, doing extra work is essential before you can hit these goals. Extra work will help you become comfortable on camera, get used to the terminology, and learn how a movie is made.

You may or may not need to audition for extra work. I encourage you to research online for local casting directors – try searching for something like “Background Casting Directors” and a list should come up near your city.

You then can register to have your headshot and resume on file, and if they have a role open for your character type they will get in touch with you.

4) Keep an Eye Out for Audition Notices

Many audition notices are posted online on sites like Playbill , Backstage , Actors Access , and Casting Networks . Some of these trade websites require a monthly fee to subscribe, and some of them even allow you to “audition” by submitting your materials online.

Your materials should include a headshot and acting resume, and perhaps a reel of video footage. With the industry changing so much, it’s easy to get headshots taken and get some film footage with YouTube, Vimeo, Vine, and so on.

5) Expect Competition at Auditions

At a film audition, you should expect a lot of other people auditioning for the same role as you. Sometimes the writer or director may be present in the room. Other times it will be interns from a local film office who will film a quick take and send it to LA for more consideration.

No matter who is in the room, you should always remain professional and courteous at all times. A film role audition will usually consist of you reading lines from the actual movie, say with another actor, who they are also considering for a role.

Sometimes you will have seen the script before, and other times they’ll give it to you on the spot. The casting team has many people to see, and are usually tired from auditions. If you’re wondering how to audition for movies in the best way: be prepared and don’t ask them many questions.

Don’t be afraid to experiment, either. Although you might consider yourself an actor for action movies, playing around with other genres can boost your skills in your preferred area. 

Looking for inspiration? Here’s a video that has some helpful tips on getting started in improv comedy:

6) Work Your Way Up to the Union

Working in film and TV , you will eventually need to be part of the union, which is called SAG/AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild, and American Federation of TV and Recording Arts).

The union will make sure you are paid fairly, have health insurance, and are not working under unethical circumstances. Many of the main roles and speaking parts in major films are cast with actors represented in the union, and usually only actors in the union can audition for that role.

If you are not in that union, you are then considered non-union. Non-union actors are paid less, so you’re probably wondering, how can I get in that union? The answer is: it will take some time, work, and dedication!

You will need to do extra work for a few years before getting into the union. If you audition for a film as a non-union actor, and are offered a union role right away, the production will grant you the opportunity to join the union. No one can just join, you have to earn your way up!

Also by doing extra work, sometimes you can earn “waivers,” which are given when the role is meant for a union person, but they cannot possibly find a union person to fulfill it. Once you earn three waivers (three days on set), you become eligible to join.

However, there is a pricey initiation fee to join, and once you join you can’t do work that is not covered by a SAG/AFTRA contract (meaning you can’t do non-union work).

Can Anyone Just Audition for a Movie?

Are you wondering how to audition for a movie without an agent – or if that’s even possible in the first place?

The answer is yes, but it depends. Major movie studios and production companies have different ways of looking for actors. Some hold open auditions, which means anyone can come and audition, while others prefer to go through talent agencies. It is important to note, though, that open auditions are quite rare, and most companies prefer to work with agents to ensure quality talent.

But what if you’re not represented by an agent? How do you get noticed? There are several ways to do this. One is by networking and attending events such as acting classes, workshops, and industry parties. You never know who you might meet and what doors could open for you. 

Another way is by building a strong online presence through social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube. Many casting directors, producers, and industry professionals use social media to discover new talent.

But before you start attending events or posting videos, make sure you have the basic skills of acting down pat. Talent agents and casting directors expect aspiring actors to have training in acting, whether it be through a school program, a private acting coach, or both. Having a well-prepared resume and headshot is also crucial, as this shows that you are serious about pursuing a career in acting.

Does it Cost Money to Audition for a Movie? 

Here’s a question that many new actors find themselves asking. Should you pay money for the privilege of auditioning?

The answer to that question is always a resounding NO. Auditions should never, under any circumstances, cost you any money. 

While there’s a good chance that you’ll likely be investing money in the audition in other ways. For example, you might find yourself paying to have your headshots printed, your actor bio written , or paying for a talent agent. However, you should not pay money for the audition itself.

If you’re asked to pay money to audition, there’s a good chance that it is a scam. Run in the other direction! 

How to Audition for a Movie as a Child

Becoming a child actor involves a lot of hard work, dedication and persistence. It’s not just about talent alone, but also about having the right attitude and skills to make it in the industry. Here are some general tips:

Find a Great Coach

Before auditioning for a movie, it is important to get proper training from a reputable acting coach. A good acting coach will teach you the fundamentals of acting, how to express emotions and body language and how to improvise. They’ll also help you create an impressive acting resume and headshot. 

Join an Acting Group

Joining an acting group is a great way to meet other aspiring actors and learn from industry professionals. Attending local acting workshops, casting calls , and networking events can also help you get noticed by casting directors.

Research the Character and the Movie

It’s important to do your homework on the movie and the character you are auditioning for. Watch movie trailers, read the script and research the director and production company. This will help you understand the tone of the movie and the character you are auditioning for.

Dress the Part

Make sure to dress appropriately for the audition. Wear solid-colored clothing, keep your hair neat and tidy and avoid wearing any accessories that can be distracting. Remember, you want to look presentable, but not overpowering.

Be Confident!

Confidence is key when auditioning for a movie. Walk into the audition room with your head held high, speak clearly and confidently, and give your best performance. Remember, casting directors are looking for someone who can not only act, but also has a strong personality and presence.

How Do You Audition for a Movie With No Experience?

Whether you have zero experience or you’ve auditioned for movie roles several times, the auditioning process is more or less the same. Work hard to find and maintain connections in the industry and you’ll likely find yourself on the path to silver screen success in no time!

Knowing these tips for how to get an acting job is your first step, but keep in mind that working your way through the film industry will take time. With hard work, patience, and persistence it will all pay off, and you will have fun doing so!

Photo by  Nic’s Events

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