Written by Johanna Duering
Turning academic research into a screenplay is more than just a creative endeavour – it’s a deeply personal and transformative process. It requires not only an understanding of historical facts but also the ability to weave these facts into a narrative that connects with both the writer’s own cultural identity and the audience. My journey began with a scholarly interest in how POC (people of colour) are portrayed in American films, which gradually shifted to a personal exploration of West African history, specifically Ivory Coast. This transition from academic analysis to personal storytelling reflects how research can be reimagined into engaging culturally vibrant narratives.
During my undergraduate studies, I developed a keen interest in how marginalised communities are portrayed in American cinema, particularly noting how many films exploit Black pain for entertainment and reinforce harmful stereotypes. This led me to question how these portrayals impact Black viewers and consider if there is a more empowering way to represent these stories. While I initially aspired to be an actor, exploring directing and screenwriting revealed a passion for storytelling.
When I began my master’s program in Creative Writing, my focus shifted inward, closer to my Ivorian heritage. I became deeply interested in the stories of my grandfather, his life during the colonisation of Ivory Coast and his love for film and television in the 1970s and 1980s served as a rich source of inspiration. My research took on a personal tone as I sought to understand the political climate of Ivory Coast during its fight for independence and its early years as a nation. I had dived into the history of Ivory Coast, from pre-colonial times to the present day, studying political movements, key figures, and cultural dynamics. This wasn’t just about gathering facts; it was about constructing a world that could authentically serve as the backdrop for my screenplay, a world that truly reflected my ancestors’ experiences.
In all honesty, there wasn’t a specific film or TV show that directly inspired me; it was more about what I wasn’t seeing on streaming platforms. One film that did however resonate with me for its political reflection was the feature film La Nuit Des Rois (Night of the Kings) released in 2020, which was beautifully executed in its art of storytelling. The writer, Philippe Lacôte, drew from personal experiences, transforming a violent reality into a mythical tale where histories collide. The drama film spoke to me with its unique and stimulating film aesthetics, offering a fresh perspective that was both visually and thematic engaging.
My creative process began with informal conversations with my mother and grandmother, which sparked the development of a synopsis. I started by outlining the story scene-by-scene and then created a beat sheet detailing the main actions in each scene. This structure was useful in identifying significant character movements and providing an overview of the narrative’s progression. While writing, I didn’t strictly follow the scene-by-scene structure. Instead, it served as a guide to help me stay focused and prevent me from feeling overwhelmed or losing direction in the narrative.
Developing the characters was one of the most crucial parts of this process. I wanted them to feel real, not just as products of their time but as people with depth, struggles, and contradictions. I spent a lot of time thinking about their psychological and emotional lives, drawing from my research and my own experiences. When crafting a screenplay, one of the most important questions to ask is: Why does the main character have a visceral connection with this subject? It helped me understand what drives the characters at a fundamental level and ties their personal journey to the larger themes of the story.
Once the foundation was laid, I experimented with various writing techniques. For example, I used intercutting to show two simultaneous actions that are thematically connected. This can be done by directing the protagonist to confront their past in a heated argument, whilst another character is making a decision that will impact the protagonist’s future. Both scenes play out simultaneously, leading to new realisations for both characters by the end of the sequence. This technique is particularly effective in maintaining a sense of motion and continuity, especially in moments where the tension is at its peak.
I found it effective to limit intercuts to two locations to avoid confusing the viewer. The interplay between the two scenes should be clear, with visual or thematic links that help the audience understand how the scenes relate to each other. Another narrative technique was using montage sequences to convey time passing. For instance, I used a montage to show a character’s emotional transformation as they move from a place of complacency to one of action. The juxtaposition of quick, vivid shots with emotional beats helps the audience feel the urgency and emotional weight of the scene. I worked on striking a balance by breaking up longer dialogue sections with moments of action that reveal character or advance the plot, ensuring that each scene remained compelling and served a purpose in the narrative.
There were certainly moments when I felt stuck. Whenever I found myself in this predicament, I knew it was time to step away, close my laptop, and simply read. This back-and-forth between reading and writing helped keep the creative process moving forward. Writing in the historical drama genre presents its own set of challenges. My past struggles often stemmed from clinging too tightly to historical details and feeling confined to a specific timeline. Over time, I learned using historical context as a backdrop, rather than a constraint, allows the foreground to flourish with imagination.
This process has taught me the importance of crafting stories that are not only true to the past but also relevant to contemporary audiences. It’s about creating a dialogue between history and fiction, between personal experience and collective memory, and ultimately, between the storyteller and the audience. It’s a living, breathing narrative, and I’m excited to bring it to life.