In my first post of our series “Screenplay Articles”, I shared 3 tips on how to create a hero. Today’s post is about how to create a unique world for your story. Excited? Let’s get started!

To make your learning journey easier, I’m gonna, once again, choose Chã das Caldeiras – the small community of 1,200 villagers living within the crater of the volcanic Pico do Fogo on the island of Fogo, Cabo Verde – as the subject for our practice. How could you create 3 distinct worlds for your story out of Chã das Caldeiras? Take a look at my 3 tips and see if they help.

Tip 1 – Create a paradise out of Chã das Caldeiras

Paradise, as I imagine it, is a place where people use the right technology to sustainably exploit their natural resources.  Questions such as, “What tools and processes do the villagers of Chã das Caldeiras use to exploit their fertile lands, protect their endemic plants and birds?” can help you to create a paradise for your story. When you get your paradise done, let a volcanic eruption destroy it so your hero is forced to act as a leader.

Tip 2 – Create a hell out of Chã das Caldeiras

To create a hell out Chã das Caldeiras, transform it into a place where men are reduced to the beast, a place where your hero feels like a fish out of the water. Let your hero grow in isolation until his desires force him to go after his goal. Keep in mind, though, that in the hell, your hero must reinvent himself so he can get what he wants.

Tip 3 – Create a purgatory out of Chã das Caldeiras

In my view, purgatory is a hell with the appearance of paradise. It is a place where your hero must discover and confront corruption in order to set himself free from his own beliefs. If your hero is someone who carries some kind of burden of his past in his soul, purgatory is a perfect place to send him. It is a second chance you give to him.

Want more tips on screenplay writing? Keep an eye on our series “Screenplay Articles”.