What makes a script?

In this document I wanted to explore what makes a script. I feel that by learning this information it will help me create an overall better script when it comes to me writing my film.

The first aspect of script writing that became apparent to me is that there are many types of scripts. Each type serves their own function in the media they are used in. Here are some examples:

·         Manuscript, any written document often story based and unpublished

·         Play (theatre), the dialogue and stage directions for a theatrical production

·         Screenplay, the dialogue and language for a film or show

·         Script (comics), the dialogue for a comic book or comic strip

·         Scripted sequence, a predefined series of events in a video game triggered by player location or actions

As much as I would like to explore all these aspects of script writing, I am going to focus on the form of script writing that applies to the creation that I want to make, which is a film (screenplay).

According to ‘Writersstore.com’ the definition for a screenplay is “…  a 90-120 page document written in Courier 12pt font on 8 1/2" x 11" bright white three-hole punched paper.” Since my film will only be 5 minutes long I will only need to write 5 – 6 pages long, as 1 page tends to equate to 1 minute of screen time. Screenplays can either be an original piece, or based on a true story or previously written piece, like a novel, stage play or newspaper article. Since my plot is a comedy about a man whose car breaks down in the woods and him trying to survive the night, mine would be consider to be an original piece. 

Something that I need to consider when I begin writing my script is that film is a visual medium. So I need to remember that many of the emotions conveyed in my film will be visual and not require dialogue. This is especially true as there is only one character throughout the whole film. So instead of writing elongated paragraphs depicting the shot or scenes I need to remember the images will be more important than the script. For example, instead of writing many sentences about what should be achieved in a shot or shots I should just write “close-up on characters sad face”.

Below I have included a picture of a script and I have noted the key elements that need to be included. A script writing tool that is not included in this example, that I will be using, is ‘Mores and Continueds’. These are used between pages to indicate that the same character is still speaking.