A picture is worth a thousand words!
1: luber line
3: CDI(course deviation indicator) needle
If you have an approach plate, you will notice that the standard ILS intercept procedure is often flown that way:
1-First head straight to the the IAF (initial approach fix) in order to overfly it at a high altitude, then turn to a a heading roughly outbound of the runway (i.e. Runway heading+ 180).
The CDI needle (4) is already set to the ILS runway heading and of course all the Nav setup is already done (say a secondary VOR/ILS as a backup, an RMI, DME etc...)
2-Fly on this heading for two minutes, so you make sure that you are going "under" the glide slope. During this phase, you will configure your plane for the approach, and slow down the plane to reach the approach speed you will maintain all the time (speed and flaps). If needed, you'll also start your descent to a safe intercept altitude, such as when at the end of your procedure turn (ie flying inbound towards the runway) you will be well below the glide slope. It is best to reach the correct altitude BEFORE starting the turn, as it is very difficult to turn and descend at the same time.
3- After that you will begin the procedure turn itself, that allows you to intercept the loc first, then the glide slope, with an angle of 45°.
Let's say you turn LEFT 45°, so you will substract 45° to your current heading, turn towards this new heading, then start the timer when you plane is level.
After 1 minute, turn RIGHT to the actual heading + 180 at a
standard rate turn (so you will make the 180 turn in 1 minute) and you will hopefully end up in a intercept heading of the runway heading+45°.
4- Use the "intercept trick" i gave you (as soon as the CDI needle(3) reaches the luber line(1), start a smooth turn to intercept). As said before, if the CDI needle moves fast to the center, increase the rate of turn. However, if your timing is right in your procedure turn, you are far enough to intercept smoothly the loc, and be aligned before intercepting the glide slope.
5- Stay at your current altitude until the glide indicator needle is above the center dot. When the needle is 1 dot away from the center, set the gear down and adjust the power so you keep the same approach speed while starting your descent. Depending on your approach speed, a vertical speed of 300 to 500 ft/min should be fine. You are already aligned with the localizer, in the approach configuration, the rest is up to you.
6- Sooner you will overfly again the IAF, where usually you start again a timer, such as when you reach the minimums and the time you are supposed to have visual contact and land, you can take the decision to go around. if the runway or t least some lights are not in sight
The IAF is either an beacon such as a VOR, rarely a marker (generally the middle marker), a fix or a GPS waypoint. The IAF is usually aligned with and located at a given distance of the runway.
Of course the whole process is very theorical, and so I added a drawing so you can try to visualize the whole procedure.
Let me know if this help, and publish a video!
Jacques