It may seem strange at first that the father of modern physics can have his thinking process associated with writing screenplays. But Albert Einstein was not only brilliant in terms of what he thought such as the Theory of Relativity, but in how he thought which can be applied to many different applications that includes writing screenplays.

The creative thinking process that Albert Einstein employed was shared to a French mathematician in 1945, who had studied Einstein and was trying to better understand how his process worked. In paraphrasing Einstein’s response, his related that the thinking process was not focused on words or languages. Instead, it was centered on images of psychical entities that could be combined, reproduced, and elaborated on as the process continued.

Called the combinatory play, it takes images of the elements that are being imagined and puts them together in a logical way before the application of works or language is used. Called “The Einstein Technique”, he began this process at the age of sixteen when thinking about beams of light. As mental exercises, Einstein could see in his mind the properties along with the anomalies and inconsistencies of the beams of light all without the use of words or language.

The same process can be applied to writing screenplays. By using the creative thinking technique, you can visualize your script to bring out the settings, concepts, and characters before you write.

How the Story Works

What makes a screenplay come alive is how readers can visualize the story elements in their minds. You must do the same when writing your screenplay, so start by visualizing all the essential elements of the story before you begin.

Just like a movie, you can start by visualizing the trailer to your screenplay. A trailer consists of the basic elements of your story in short form. Once you have visualized the trailer, you can then write it down as an outline. Now, take each element of the outline one at a time and expand it visually in your mind. You can focus on any part of the story that you want but visualize it first.

Try Different Situations

In other words, do not write about the first thing that you imagine. Instead, you follow what Albert Einstein did and test out each situation by imagining it differently. Part of Einstein’s genius was that he would take days, weeks, or months to test out different theories before coming to any conclusion.

The same is true when writing a story. Visualize your characters come to a decision in a certain situation, then making another decision and see where it takes you. Keep going until you decide which decision works best for your characters while still remaining in the confines of the story in total.

For example when I wrote my epic fantasy novel ” The Battle of Hulders” which will be a feature film called “Elf and Huldra” I studied various war techniques and battle strategies for more than six months, then I imagined different battle with different scenarios and finally  chose the winner one that makes more sense.

Extend the testing to the real world once you have completed your screenplay. Let others read it and see if they can spot any issues. Then, you can hone the final screenplay into its best possible shape. By employing Einstein’s creative process, you can apply it to writing screenplays or other endeavors that require creative thinking.