Whether they took place a few years or a few centuries ago, events from history provide rich ground for creating a compelling screenplay. However, there are lots of things to consider and pitfalls to avoid. To help you get started, our Writing the Fact-Based Film 101 series looks at the basics of writing the historical drama.
Original vs. fact-based story
One of the first things to think about is the type of historical drama you want to write. The main options are:
1. Dramatize an episode from history – e.g. The Post (2017)
2. Tell a fictional story against a historical backdrop – e.g. Titanic (1997)
3. A blend of the two – Gangs of New York (2002)
Research the historical period
Research is crucial to gain an understanding of the events and time period you want to depict. This includes the social, political, economic, and cultural context. Books, documentaries, and scholarly articles provide a grounding, but also look at periodicals from the era, oral histories and other sources that add depth. One of the pitfalls of research is that it can become the ultimate procrastination tool. Define the parameters of your research and ensure you keep the requirements of your story in mind.
Outline your story
One way to ensure your research remains manageable is to develop an outline for your screenplay early on in the process. While this is likely to change over time, it can narrow your focus to what you need to know to write your screenplay. An example is Stan & Ollie (2018), which focuses on the later career of the comedy duo, without dwelling on what came before. The outline should also define your protagonist and supporting characters.
Craft a compelling plot
History as lived rarely lends itself to drama, so it is important to develop a compelling narrative structure. As with any type of screenplay, amplify the conflicts and challenges your protagonist must face, both on a personal level and within the broader historical context. Related to this is a need to be realistic about what you want to achieve. While historical dramas have a tendency to be epic length, maybe your story is so rich, detailed or sweeping in scope that it would better suit the broader canvass of a TV show or mini-series?
Use your tools
Screenwriting offers a range of tools to help you dramatize history while retaining the spirit of the truth. Flashback, compressing/altering the timeline, creating composite characters, and writing representative scenes/sequences can all help you structure an effective narrative which authentically conveys the real-life events.
Create authentic dialogue
Pay attention to the language used during the chosen time period. Incorporating some period-appropriate language can enhance the authenticity of your dialogue. Be mindful of modern terms and slang that would be inappropriate for your time period. One pitfall here is the use of outdated and potentially offensive language which may be right for your characters in their era but is unacceptable nowadays.
Link the historic to the contemporary
Whatever your time period, remember that you are writing for modern audiences. So, ensure your themes are universal. Broad ideas such as the corruptive nature of power, love conquers all, and the damaging impact of discrimination on society all resonate today. Think about how your chosen time period and historical event/s can illuminate an issue which is relevant to the people who will read your script and, hopefully, one day watch the produced film.
Show, don’t tell
The ubiquitous rule of scriptwriting! Instead of providing information through exposition, let the action, as driven by your characters’ choices, reveal the historical details. Enhance this with vivid scene descriptions. However, you’re not writing a historical novel, so keep it concise.
Consider different perspectives or a unique structure
If you want to tell a story based on a well-covered era or dramatize a high-profile event from recent times, it might be worth exploring a different approach. Likewise, maybe you find your chosen story is hard to develop for the screen. Solutions include telling the story from a different perspective, such as Parkland (2013), or adopting a unique structure, such as The Social Network (2010) or Reversal of Fortune (1990).
Legal implications
This is too complex to cover fully here. However, it is important to be aware of any rights attached to the story you want to tell, such as copyright related to the source material you use.
Overall
Writing an effective historical drama requires a balance between factual accuracy and engaging storytelling. Don’t be afraid to immerse yourself in the time period and to explore the full potential it offers, from the various conflicts to what your story can tell us about contemporary life. Ultimately, whatever time period you choose for your drama, audiences respond to interesting and layered characters, emotive conflict, resonant themes and a satisfying ending.