Research Plan

I will conduct both primary (research conducted by me) and secondary(research already available to you e.g internet, books T.V etc) research when developing my screenplay.

The primary research I will need to do will include interviews with people asking questions such as what elements they want to see in a drama, conspiracy type film. I will conduct this interview whilst with my friends and I will ask them detailed questions and gain their opinions to add to and evolve my idea. I will conduct my primary research first as it can be very time consuming so I will get it finished as early as possible.
I will also produce a questionnaire to collect personal information which can not be collected anywhere else such as the internet. I will ask a variety of people from different ages, backgrounds etc to gain their opinion and add validity to my results and the higher number of people I ask will make my research more representative. Also due to my grandfather recently dying of the disease, I observed someone first hand who suffers with the disease and I know first hand how it feels to have someone you love suffer from it which I can apply to my idea to make it more authentic. Interviewing a doctor who is experienced with treating cancer patients and has knowledge of the disease would be extremely insightful aswell. Otherwise methods of primary research include focus groups, pilot studies, participant and non-participant obsevation and group interviews. The primary research I gain will add valuable, personal opinions which can not be found anywhere else. These opinions will benefit my screenplay as I will include their preferences when evolving the idea.

I will also conduct secondary research which is available to me in a variety of forms, e.g. internet, books, videos, documentations,T.V etc. My idea is based on an alleged conspiracy of cancer treatment so I will need to reserach the disease to understand more about it and make my short film more gripping and accurate. I could go about this by looking at medical websites online, reading books from the library, and watching documentaries.  Also as I am highly unexperinced with the screenwriting process, I will need to read screenplays available to me on the internet to gain an insight on what a successful screenplay looks like and what elements it includes to be a successful screenplay. Linking to this I will read books about screenwriting to gain hints and tips of how to write a successful screenplay. Such books include 'Reading for a Living' and 'Raindance Writers lab write + sell the hot screenplay'. This books can be ordered online or there are copies available in the school library. Also reading literature from other drama, conspiracy genres will benefit me as it will give me an idea of the type of elements and ideas involved in this certain genre. Also watching films from the drama and conspiracy type genres will make it easier to as what elements my screenplay should include.

Schedule (All published on my blog)


Step one: Insert an entry outlining an original idea for a short film.

Step two:  Publish a research plan explaining how I  will conduct both primary and secondary research and how it will be utilised.

Step three: Post an entry on your collated research and comment on it and explain how it will be integrated within your short film idea.

Step four: Read and analyse existing screenplays and explain how this will benefit your idea.

Step five: Read literature on screenwriting and explain how this has benefited your understanding of writing a screenplay.


Step six: Go back to your original idea and evolve it using your collated research whilst remembering your research never stops and will continually grow.