Writing the New Climate Blockbuster

Thanks to whichever marketing exec coined the phrase “Go big or go home,” I have words for the writing mood I currently find myself in. Maybe it’s because of the summer solstice when everything is at peak bloom, even the sunshine. Maybe it’s because this is the time of year my honey and I trek to the last great local drive-in theater to hunker down on lawn chairs in the bed of his pick-up truck and worship at movie screen altars bigger than the night sky. Or maybe I’m just being called to match the energy of this moment on earth when everything is extreme – extreme floods, extreme heat, extreme… well, extremism.

In screenwriting, nothing’s more extreme than the blockbuster. These stories explode onto the scene like asteroids and slam into our collective consciousness. We consume them, digest them, dissect them, emulate them, and even rail against them. Along the way, they become cultural touchstones that shape our thinking, and their enduring impact is as notable as their profit margin.

I know what you’re thinking: Setting out to write a blockbuster script is a fool’s errand. One would have more luck finding the Holy Grail than in manifesting the perfect alignment of story, producers, cast, crew, marketing, a well-timed release, and an eager audience to receive it. But climate screenwriters are obstinate optimists attuned to setting lofty goals. Somehow, we’ve put ourselves in the B-A-N-A-N-A-S position of crafting stories from complicated, decades-in-the-making climate issues. Who better to set their sights on writing blockbuster screenplays than the foolish dreamers among us?

Until now, the few climate-related blockbusters that exist have mostly served as warnings or wake-up calls. Since we’re now much more aware of the perilous state of the planet, audiences are primed for new kinds of breakout hits, ones that tell stories of empowerment, regeneration, reversal, and healing. Of course, there’s no playbook or formula to capture the lightning in a bottle that is the blockbuster. Yet, every one of them surely started with a writer creating the soil conditions for that big story to take root.

Throw a Logline Party

Katzenberg said 'idea is king,' but this is an age of smashing the patriarchy in the era of Bridgerton. It’s time for idea to be queen. She reigns supreme when it comes to blockbuster scripts. To find that solid gold climate hit, write a bunch of loglines. Then write some more. When you’re finished with that, write even more. 

Now entice your friends, coworkers, long-lost cousins, and fellow climate activists to your lair with the promise of yummy nibbles and refreshing bevies. Once you’ve ensnared – I mean, gathered them, pass out your loglines and have them rank them in order of what sounds like something they’d most like to see with a gaggle of friends on a Saturday night. If all goes well, a winning idea will rise to the top. If not, keep those mocktails flowing as you rethink and revise.

Start at the End

No matter the genre, a blockbuster story rises to a thrilling crescendo. Consider: What new take or payoff could your story have that would leave audiences stunned and delighted? We already know the stakes couldn’t be higher when it comes to the climate crisis. The trick is to figure out how to personify issues in a relatable, intimate way so that, at the conclusion of your story, viewers are left with a galvanizing feeling of satisfaction. No small feat! Before you really dive into writing, take ample time to figure out an ending that people will be talking about well after they leave the theater or close the laptop.

Be Attention Seeking

In Drag Race lingo, the blockbuster should snatch our wigs in the opening scene and not let go until the credits roll. Twists, turns, and surprises are key. View every aspect of your story through the lens of Does this (scene, character, moment, line, location, pacing etc.) hold my attention? Let your answers dictate what happens on the page. If you’re unclear on what grabs you, read and analyze other blockbuster screenplays to track your own attention span. Note where you start reading faster (Thumbs up!) or where your interest sags (Thumbs down!).

Make a Box Office Vision Board

Don’t wait until you’ve finished your script to start thinking about where or who you could send it to. Make a list of blockbusters you love. Research what production companies and studios made them. (Pro tip: Focus on the ones that have sustainability initiatives because a climate blockbuster’s big impact should not be its environmental footprint!) Clock the names and faces of the producers, director, editors, and more. Make a list, create a file, or go old school with an analog vision board. 

Use all of this to anchor your dreaming, not to fool yourself into thinking you have any control over your future collaborators. Bringing something big into form means understanding the larger ecosystem it might exist within. The goal is to help your brain think it can do the impossible.

Take Yourself Seriously

The climate screenwriter doesn’t go it alone. She enlists the help of trusted and skilled fellow writers, writing coaches, and other support. She has reps who are on her side. She’s open to feedback. She collaborates. She’s invested in the outcome. She talks about it. She asks for help. Because the climate crisis is big, and as climate screenwriters, our mission is to go bigger.

For more help writing a climate blockbuster, check out these tips on how to build a climate screenplay.