Create a good concept. The concept is the most fundamental element of the action genre where the aforementioned basic components of character, desire and conflict all have to exist within a concept. So, what is good concept for an action screenplay? It is a situation where the stakes are high and generally involves a moral interplay between "good" and "evil" characters played out through violence or physical force. It is also a situation that can be described in a very referential way. For example, the film “Speed” is one of the most successful of the modern genre. When it was pitched to studios, it was pitched as “Die Hard” on a bus. The person hearing this automatically has an immediate comprehension of the story’s concept.
Develop strong characters of conflicted values. In a good action screenplay, a character must face a goal wrapped in a moral dilemma that ultimately could result in death on an epic scale. However, they face that dilemma while facing issues of their own flawed character. An excellent example would be “The Rock." In the “Rock," Nicholas Cage’s character is faced with overcoming his own fears and inadequacies in order to save San Francisco from chemical terrorism. In other words, the stakes are high and our hero, a flawed individual, must overcome something within himself to achieve the desired goal, which seems completely out of reach. Having said that, a character must be able to face this choice head on and be able to accomplish that goal in the end, or there is no pay off for the audience. Keep in mind that a character’s goals and the stakes are intimately related, as in the example above. So the desire and the conflict are directly related. Also, inner conflict can be just as compelling as long it is not a trivial. The higher the stakes your character faces, the more compelling is the conflict. If done properly, the essence the characters writes itself.
Follow the six points of script structure. All of these elements need to fit into a structure to be successful. Now, in a properly structured movie, the story consists of six basic stages, which are defined by five key turning points in the plot. Please see Michael Hauge’s diagram of the six stages of plot structure (seen here for reference). In an action film, using “The Rock” as an example, the structure would go like this: Act I: Stage 1 (Set up) a) Stan Goodspeed as a competent and yet edgy chemical expert for FBI, who is deathly afraid of needles. b) General Himmel and band of mercenaries steal VX gas warheads. Stage 2 (New Situation) a) Goodspeed and girlfriend are having a baby. b) Brigadier General Francis X. Hummel takes over Alcatraz and makes his demands of either financial reparations for veterans or he releases stolen VX gas into the atmosphere, killing millions. The new opportunity for Goodspeed is that he is sent to San Francisco to salvage this situation. Act II: Stage 3 (Progress and change of plans) Goodspeed is paired with John Patrick Mason, former British intelligence agent, who was sent to Alcatraz for allegedly stealing Hoover’s private files. Mason also happens to be the only man to have successfully escaped from Alcatraz. Also, during this section you have the subplot of Mason’s daughter, the high impact car chase and the arrival of Goodspeed’s girlfriend in San Francisco. Stage 4 (Higher stakes and complications) When John and Stanley are sent into Alcatraz with a Navy SEAL team, General Hummel's men kill the entire SEAL team, leaving Stanley and John to work on their own to rescue the hostages. In addition, Hummel releases one of the warheads as a warning shot. Both men are at the point of no return. Act III: Stage 5 (the Big Push) Goodspeed and Mason, one by one, find the remaining warheads and begin to disarm them. Here, Mason is captured by Hummel, Goodspeed rescues him, and now the two men fight together to save San Francisco. While Mason fights off the remaining mercenaries, Goodspeed sets about disarming the last VF warhead. Goodspeed knows that the FBI will not keep their word to release Mason. At this point, the air force has sent in a squadron of fighter jet to destroy the island, preventing any strike from the deranged General. The climax here is that Goodspeed disarms the final warhead and saves the day, but not before he must administer an injection into his own heart to protect himself from succumbing to the gas. There are major explosions, and San Francisco is saved. Stage 6 (Aftermath) Goodspeed tells the FBI, in a gesture to protect his new friend, that Mason was vaporized and there are no remains of the once captive operative. Later, we see that Mason is reunited with his daughter and Goodspeed has married his girlfriend.
Finally, create sharp, witty and humorous dialog. The dialog for an action screenplay should not only enhance the story, but reveal humor, depth of emotion and a certain vulnerability in your characters. The lines should be quotable, especially when characters are faced with their own mortality. In “The Rock,” Sean Connery’s character chastises Nicholas Cage’s character when he tells the older man“I will try." Connery’s character says, “Losers try, winners go home and f--- the prom queen.” Your characters should be well rounded and developed people. Therefore, they might not react to situations on point. Dialogue that is expositional is pedestrian at best. The most interesting dialogue gives insight to your character and his inner workings and psyche.
Once the script is written, get advice. Have someone review the script who has actually made an action film or written an action screenplay.
Once the script is written, get advice. Have someone review the script who has actually made an action film or written an action screenplay.