You have a lot of ideas for your next film project, but how do you decide which ones are worth pursuing and how to turn them into realistic plans? In this article, you will learn some techniques that can help you develop your most promising ideas into actionable plans, whether you are working solo or with a team.
The first step is to generate as many ideas as possible, without judging or dismissing them. You can use various methods, such as mind mapping, free association, word lists, or prompts, to stimulate your creativity and explore different angles. You can also brainstorm with others, as long as you create a safe and supportive environment where everyone can share their thoughts and feedback. Once you have a pool of ideas, you can filter them based on criteria such as originality, feasibility, relevance, and potential impact. You can use tools such as scoring, ranking, or voting to narrow down your options and select the ones that stand out.
The next step is to research and refine your selected ideas, to make sure they are viable and meaningful. You can use various sources, such as books, articles, interviews, documentaries, or surveys, to gather information and insights about your topic, genre, audience, and market. You can also use tools such as SWOT analysis, PESTLE analysis, or Porter's five forces, to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of your ideas, as well as the external factors that may affect them. Based on your research, you can refine your ideas by adding details, clarifying goals, addressing gaps, or solving problems.
The third step is to outline and structure your ideas, to give them a clear and coherent shape. You can use various formats, such as loglines, synopses, treatments, or beat sheets, to summarize and communicate your ideas in different levels of detail and complexity. You can also use tools such as storyboards, diagrams, or charts, to visualize and organize your ideas in terms of scenes, sequences, acts, or themes. By outlining and structuring your ideas, you can test their logic, flow, and consistency, as well as identify and fix any issues or inconsistencies.
When I wrote my first book(under a pseudonym), I developed a comprehensive outline to break it up into individual stories and small fragments so that I could focus my efforts in reasonable chunks of time while also being able to write these stories out of order as I fleshed them out. Given that I opted to set each of these stories in the past framed by a narrative written in the recent past into the present, I then developed a structure to to ensure that readers would get sucked in while also contrasting the narrative against the stories for greater effect. In the end, I developed something of a corkscrew effect, a slow wind up to a story that went faster and faster right up to the finish, setting the stage for book two.
The fourth step is to pitch and feedback your ideas, to get validation and improvement from others. You can use various methods, such as elevator pitches, presentations, or demos, to convey your ideas in a concise and compelling way. You can also use tools such as feedback forms, surveys, or focus groups, to collect and analyze the opinions and reactions of your potential collaborators, clients, or audiences. By pitching and feedbacking your ideas, you can gauge their appeal, relevance, and feasibility, as well as learn from the suggestions and criticisms of others.
The fifth step is to prototype and test your ideas, to see how they work in practice and measure their results. You can use various techniques, such as mockups, sketches, or samples, to create low-fidelity or high-fidelity versions of your ideas. You can also use tools such as experiments, simulations, or metrics, to evaluate and compare the performance and outcomes of your ideas. By prototyping and testing your ideas, you can check their functionality, quality, and effectiveness, as well as discover and correct any errors or flaws.
The final step is to implement and review your ideas, to turn them into finished products and assess their impact. You can use various strategies, such as project management, budgeting, or marketing, to plan and execute your ideas. You can also use tools such as reviews, ratings, or feedback, to monitor and measure the satisfaction and engagement of your clients or audiences. By implementing and reviewing your ideas, you can deliver your vision and value, as well as celebrate your achievements and learn from your mistakes.