Write On! Features: Writing For The Movies

By Alice Charles

While the entertainment landscape is changing rapidly, it’s still a good time to write and sell projects for the big screen – if you pitch it right. For example, American newcomer Travis Baun set up his holiday comedy The In-Clause up at Netflix after coming top of the Blacklist (the respected industry list of best unproduced screenplays) two years in a row.

Genre films such as holiday movies are in big demand with companies such as Hallmark making more than 40 a year. Writing a genre script for such outlets is a unique balancing act as it requires working within very definite parameters, as we’ll see. But if you can do it, it’s well worthwhile. So let’s take a look.

In the past, Hollywood would often prioritise subversion, high stakes and moral ambiguity, but networks such as Lifetime and Hallmark thrive on dependability, emotional safety and comforting predictability. Understanding how to write movies for such channels involves looking closely at the strict world of a network’s creative parameters, structural rules and thematic elements.

Know The Brand

The first step is to watch the kinds of movies networks like Hallmark and Lifetime make. Many are on YouTube – you’ll find them under the channels’ dedicated pages. Make a note of the titles; these channels tend to specialise in romantic comedies and thrillers. As you start to watch, you’ll notice that there’s a ‘secret sauce’ to the storylines.

Audiences tune in for a guaranteed emotional payoff: a warm, nostalgic world where the individual triumphs, family bonds heal, and true love conquers all.

Fans don’t tune in to a Hallmark movie to be shocked, distressed, or left with an ambiguous ending. If you write a dark comedy, development executives will politely tell you: “That’s funny, but we can’t do that.” The world must remain safe, comforting and wholesome; even if it’s a thriller, it can’t be too dark or in any way violent.

Veteran screenwriters often note that working for these networks means writing within strict limitations, but this can foster its own kind of creativity. Structure is very important here, as it involves writing to commercial breaks. What does this mean? Typically, a standard Hallmark script runs between 95 and 105 pages, assuming a standard page-per-minute rule of thumb. Because the movie is interrupted by commercials roughly every eight to 12 minutes, each act must build towards a minor emotional peak or a soft cliffhanger to stop the viewer from changing channels during the break. It’s a crucial difference between writing a feature film for the cinema and a TV movie.

Here’s what this Nine-Act Structure looks like in practice for a romantic comedy:

Act 1: The Inciting Incident / Setup
Act 2: The Break From The Ordinary World
Act 3: The Spark Of Chemistry
Act 4: The Shared Goal / Task
Act 5: The Midpoint Shift / Bond
Act 6: Complications Arise
Act 7: The ‘Almost’ Kiss
Act 8: The Misunderstanding
Act 9: The Grand Gesture And Climax Resolution

The Set-up (Acts 1-2): The protagonist faces a dilemma—such as an assignment to buy out a historic small publishing company or a trip home for a family wedding.

The Complication (Acts 3-5): She arrives at the destination and clashes with the love interest, only to be forced to work alongside him to save a local festival, or historic building.

The Climax And Resolution (Acts 8-9): Near the end of Act 8, a misunderstanding occurs—often when the protagonist’s old life crashes into her new one (e.g. her boss calls, or her big-city fiancé arrives unexpectedly). Act 9 quickly resolves this conflict, leading to the iconic, final grand gesture and a romantic kiss.

The tropes in Hallmark movies have become so familiar, even comedians make fun of them – but it doesn’t make the films any less popular. Fans enjoy these elements like twinkling fairy lights, thick knit scarves, hot cocoa stations, ice skating rinks, and freshly fallen snow. So, go ahead and plan your gingerbread housebuilding contests and Christmas tree-lighting ceremonies!

The Protagonist

Most of these films have a female protagonist (roughly three-quarters of all Hallmark films) and these characters must be relatable yet aspirational to the core demographic. Typically, the heroine is a high-powered, busy professional living in a major metropolitan city like New York or Los Angeles (but the films are getting more global). She is highly competent but emotionally disconnected, buried in her career, or perhaps engaged to a ‘Bellamy,’ the wrong guy who doesn’t share her values. Think of Meg Ryan’s fiance in Sleepless In Seattle and you’ll get the idea.

Her love interest is often anchored in small-town life, local tradition, and manual or artisanal craft. Think Christmas tree farmer, innkeeper, or the manager of a multi-generational family business. He represents authenticity, slow living and emotional availability.

Meanwhile, the world around them must feel vibrant but cosy. Secondary characters include wise, loving grandparents, well-meaning but slightly meddlesome parents and loyal best friends who provide timely advice. Antagonists are simply misguided, and eventually come around to the protagonist’s way of thinking.

When it comes to thrillers, it’s important to avoid too much emphasis on police work and violence (these films must be suitable for children to watch). The protagonist is tasked with solving the mystery more or less on her own. To this end, she usually has a supportive partner and/or good friend. The difference here with the thriller genre is that these networks have featured true stories.

Breaking In

To get started, write a one-page treatment containing a logline and basic synopsis with all the key turning points in your script – and have a relevant sample to submit that shows your writing skill. If interested, development executives will request a two-page treatment where you go into your story and characters in more depth. If accepted, you can expect to see your work going into production fairly quickly.

Networks such as Lifetime and Hallmark are keen to take advantage of overseas tax breaks and so many of these films are actually shot in Canada. But increasingly other locations are being used: places like Ireland and even France have featured. However, a screenwriter must keep budgets in mind: these films are highly efficient business models, typically shot on tight budgets of $1-2 million over rapid schedules of just two to three weeks.

If you limit the number of locations and avoid visual effects and stunts, your script is more likely to find a home.

The final step is understanding how to get your script into the right hands. Check the credits of the films on Hallmark and Lifetime and look up the writers and producers on IMDB.com. Who are their agents and/or managers? Note that many production companies don’t accept unsolicited submissions from unrepresented writers.

Writing for channels like Hallmark and Lifetimes may look simple from the outside, but it demands an advanced understanding of tight formatting, efficient plotting, and tone control. By mastering the formula, embracing the constraints, and writing with sincerity, you can successfully craft a story that resonates with millions of viewers.

Useful Link:
The Blacklist blcklst.com

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