SCRIPTWRITING 1.2

Task 1- First Draft Memory Script

For this task I had to find inspiration from a childhood memory and write it into a short story.

This was to lay a  foundation that my script could work off and use as a narrative plot. 

Victoria Falls

Skye and Tanya finally arrived at the world renowned Victoria Falls. Once Tanya took her last step out of the rusted vehicle, to her surprise there were little tourists to be seen. She turned towards Skye, both of them stared at each other in confusion, questioning (where were the visitors?).

Skye and Tanya felt incredibly parched after their seven hour journey and downed the rest of their luke warm water.  After they emptied every last drop, they headed towards the reception. As both of them walked towards the small yet immaculately clean entrance a guide approached them asking "Do you need any help?". Tanya smiled, and replied with "Yes, I'd like to purchase two adult tickets for the photography tour, please". 

Once Tanya and Skye received the tickets they followed the guided mudded route towards the tour. 

Skye and Tanya's eyes lit up as far in the distance they could see the sun's reflection against the glistening water, falling from the falls. Even from that distance, the falls powerful gush echoed through ears. As they walked on, Skye suddenly became anxious as either side of the faint and dried tracks they followed were swarmed with a protective family of baboons. Step by step both Tanya and Skye cautiously skimmed past the hostile baboons, both glancing at each other in relief. 

The tracks were held captive to the enormous vegetation, Skye and Tanya trod carefully over the plants beneath them both trying to avoid the their itchy and honey like touch. Tanya walked ahead, in confidence. As Tanya went further she had disappeared out of Skye's sight;the branches and uneven steep tracks made it hard for Skye to catch up. Skye cried in a panic to Tanya "WAIT!". Tanya was too far ahead to hear. Tanya, after striding ahead finally arrived at the falls. Tanya felt overwhelmed by its beauty, she could see the water gushing as it hit the deep depths of the bottom while admired the sunset resting above the edge of the falls. 

Skye caught up, out of breath. After realising Tanya wasn't as far as she seemed. Skye became speechless the moment she arrived, her heart raced at the sound of the force of water smacking the bottom of the falls. Skye’s eyes tracked the birds flying through the fluffy clouds. Her face subtlety splashed with water from the falls. Skye turned to Tanya, neither of them needed to say anything, as their eyes said enough. They both smiled, knowing this moment would last forever. 

Task 2 - Basic script writing knowledge

Questions and Answers

What perspective is the script written in?

The script is written in third person. 

Is the script written in present, future or past tense?

The script is written in present tense, following the action scene by scene. 

On average, how much of the script is spent on action and slug line (description)? (Answer as a percentage)
I believe that 60 percent of the script is action and 40 percent is on slug line/description. This is because the action describes visually what the audience see and is always written in present tense. For example, the action represents the tone, weather, props, costume etc. The action is a huge part of a script as it creates visuals for the film. The slugline, is also part of visuals but only to show when a new scene has begun. For example, it shows the set up the beginning on the scene, stating whether the scene is set in the day or night, as well as stating the location.

List different things that were described or could be described in the “action” part of the script.
The action in the script describes an explosion that happens around the two characters in the scene.
The action also describes when Tony Stark (main character) describes him tied up to a chair and gang members surround him.

The action in all scripts can describe:
Running/ walking (motion)
Driving (vehicles)
Props
Costume
Weather
Tone
etc.

Task 3 - Script formatting knowledge

The eight topics- Screenplay format
For this task I had to list each of the visual and audio features used in every script.
This task helped me have a clear understanding of how to analyse a script in detail and breakdown  the features piece by piece.

Headers/Slugline

•  EXT
• INT
• Transition (EXT/INT or INT/EXT)
• Location
• Time of day
• Dashes

Action Line

• Description of scene 
• Only for visuals 
• All Caps (name)
• Present tense

Character

• Below action line 
• Notifies/States who’s talking 
• Dialogue 

Dialogue 

• Below name 
• Characters talking 

Character parenthetical (C.D)

• Shows the actions while there’s dialogue e.g on the phone.
• Voice over (V.O)
• Off screen (O.S)

Dialogue parenthetical

• Below character and dialogue 
• Illustrates tone/emotion/ language 
• In brackets

Transitions 

• Transition made between scene 
•  Cut to 
• Emphasises cut 
• Smash cut (harsh cut)
• Fade to black 

OVER BLACK

•  Title card 
• Audio 
• Black screen 

Task 4 -  Annotated script and component explanation

Iron Man - Two pages from script.

For this task I had to highlight section/features of the Iron Man Script.

Red Boxes- slugline
A slugline in a script sets up the first visual of the scene. For example, it will state whether the scene is EXT (exterior) or INT (interior). A slugline also states the location of the scene.

Green Boxes- action
The action is a huge part of a script and describes the visuals that bring the script to life. For example, action is always in present tense and can describe the tone, violence,weather, props and costume in a scene.

Blue boxes- character
The character's name is always in capitals to clearly state who is speaking and when.

Pink boxes- dialogue
The dialogue is a also a huge part of a script as it brings the characters to life. The dialogue illustrates what the character is saying and is when the writer can truly reflect the characters personality in the script.

Black boxes- parentheticals
Parentheticals are stated in brackets, they rest below the dialogue and character. Parentheticals state how the dialogue is being acted. For example, if the character changes language or if the character is speaking on the phone the parentheticals will clearly state this. e.g (on the phone) and ( speaks Spanish). 

Task 5 - Redrafting childhood memory #2

Victoria Falls - Script

For this task, I had to use turn my childhood memory story into a script layout. This helped me practise my script writing skills and create/devise visual scenes from my narrative story. For my script I fictionalised some scenes to help build more action and tension.

Task 6 - Redrafting childhood memory #3

Action - Video

This video helped me have a better understanding of how to create an entertaining script and capture visuals successfully through writing. After watching the video, I added a more detail and intriguing description of action to my script. For example, I used more adjectives and adverbs when describing my characters and their actions as well as the setting around them. I found the video very useful as it helped improve the quality of my script and scriptwriting skills for the future.   

Task 7 - Redrafting childhood memory #4

Dialogue - Video

This video helped me understand how to create interesting, creative and personal dialogue to my characters. This is because it explains how creating misunderstanding between characters helps form realistic dialogue and show clearly the character's different characteristics/personality. I edited my dialogue after watching this video and added tension between Tanya and Skye through dialogue. This was influenced by the technique used in the video as the tension was driven through Skye and Tanya's misunderstanding (Skye falls and Tanya misunderstand that it was an accident and not on purpose). I found this video very helpful as it gave me a better understanding of how to use dialogue precisely and with thought. 

Task 8 - Rewrite a scene from your favourite film

Ladybird - Car Scene

This is my re creation of the car scene from the film LadyBird. I used the same tension filling the atmosphere in this scene, alike in the original film. I also used a similar line when LadyBird and Marion argue about LadyBird's chosen name. However, I included a lot more parentheticals than in the original script. My script re creation is a lot shorter than the original as I created a different scenario around their argument.

Task 9 - Original Script

For this task, I had to write a script based on three teenagers who stole from their school canteen and show their plan from escaping the teachers/teacher. In the style of a french film called La Haine. For the task I chose to use inspiration from a character in La Haine called Vinz. I chose for my character Lawrence to have similar characteristics as Vinz in La Haine. For example, Vinz was quite a dominant and aggressive character, I used these traits in my character Lawrence too. I also used La Haine's style through the shot types. For example, La Haine used many mid shot's I wanted to capture the same intimacy the audience share with the characters in my script too. By using mid shots for each my character as well.