M1 - Script Conventions

A script is transcription of what happens and what is said in a media product, it describes all the action that happens on screen and the dialogue that happens between characters. Scripts are used in lots of different types of media from their most known use in films and TV series but they are also used in video games and radio shows. As my script is being used to generate funding for the production of my TV show it is a spec script rather than a shooting script, this means there are limited camera instructions but precise language and action.

There are four key parts in a screen play:

Scene headings, introduce a new scene/setting for the action and dialogue to take place on, they have have specific layout: INT/EXT - Location - Time of day. The location refers to the place that the scene will happen in, the time of day is usually either in the from of MORNING, DAY, EVENING or NIGHT.

Actions blocks, are the description of the action that happens within a movie, they describe the characters actions or any specific movement that happens within a scene and action blocks have to be written in present tense; typically they should be no longer than three or four lines, this means the author of thew script has to be concise with their wording of the action. Any important props that are essential for the action that takes place on screen should be in bold, as shown below:

Dialogue is the words that characters will speak on screen and is written in the way that the characters will speak it, for example writing gonna instead go going to as it is how the character will actually say it.

Characters are an important part of the script as they describe the actors you will need to hire and will also help the actors learn their lines as character cues are in bold above the dialogue they will have to speak. The first time we see characters on screen and therefore in the script their name is in bold and there is a short description of what they look like.

Layout and formatting:

The layout and formatting of a screen play is vital this is because in production one page of script approximately is equivalent to one minute of screen play. This is why in script writing the font is always 12point courier font.

Different Types of Scripts:

There are two different types of scripts, both with different attributes that are unique to them: A Spec Script and a Shooting Script.

A spec script is aimed at the reader and not a director so it tends to flow more in order to impress the reader, which tends to be film executives when pitching for your film to be made. The action in a spec script should be a descriptive as possible whilst also being as concise as possible in order to sell the product.

A shooting script is aimed at the director and is more of a production document that the director may use to aid the production of the media rather than the spec script. The shooting script contains more technical instructions that are used in production such as camera angles, camera movement, shot types, editing instructions and any soundtrack information. My script is a shooting script as the client briefing said to write 10-15 minutes of screenplay in order to get my TV series produced, therefore the aim of the script is to impress the client which means a shooting script is more appropriate.

Three Act Script:

Most scripts follow a three act structure hence the name "Three act script" this simply refers to the script having a beginning, middle and end, however some scripts don't follow this structure as some script stories may want to end on a cliff hanger therefore removing the final act, the end, of a three act script. My TV series follows a three act script as a whole with a beginning, middle and end; however the extract I have written my 10-15 minutes of screen play on does not follow a three act script structure. 

Angle of the Article:

The term article just refers to the script and the angle of the script in simple terms means how the audience will see it, for instance third person or first person. My script is written from third person so the audience is watching the characters as a bystander observing the events that unfold; in my script the angle of the article is third person as the audience is an observer to the action which takes place throughout my TV series.

Multi/Single Stranded:

A script can be multi-stranded or single-stranded. A multi-stranded script will have multiple narratives that cross over each other whereas a single stranded script only has one narrative. My TV series as an entire series is multi-stranded script as throughout the whole series the audience follows the different narratives of each character and the character development which occurs, however in the extract of my script it is single-stranded as all the characters are together and it is a single strand of narrative story telling.

Linear/Non-Linear

This refers to the time progression within a script, for instance if the script has flash backs or scenes that don't follow a chronological time line then in is counted as non-linear. My script is non-linear as there are scenes within it, such as the character talking heads which are non chronological compared to the order within the script.