How to Write a True Crime Movie: Working with a True Crime Story
The phrase “Based on a true story” is one guaranteed to make any moviegoer perk up in their seat, before the title credits have even started rolling. There is something about their promise of truth (or some portion of it) that functions as a snare for the audience of a true crime movie.
Evidently, this notion has continued to persist, as we have seen the popularity of the true crime genre skyrocket; infiltrating every facet of mainstream media that we engage with today.
As the podcast, television and film industries become increasingly saturated with true crime related content, there is no better time to start writing your true crime movie.
Above all, this article will walk you through the 12 steps of writing a true crime story:
- 1. Choosing Your Crime. What Makes a Good True Crime Story?
- 2. Finding Your Source Material
- 3. Establishing Your Angle
- 4. Detective Point of View
- 5. Criminal Point of View
- 6. Omniscient Point of View
- 7. Genre and Theme
- 8. Setting
- 9. Character Development
- 10. Plot Development
- 11. Dialogue
- 12. Director, Writer, Actor
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