The Script…

1. The Script… Comm2339electronicmedia.wordpress.com

2. First and Foremost • Your title Page. • This is the first thing that the reader will see and will ultimately determine whether or not they want to go on and flip the page to even consider giving it a read. • Key to the title page – Keep it simple. • Major mistakes for beginners include flashy font. Different fonts and an eagerness to impress.

3. Screen play Title Don’ts! • Do not date your script. • This is unnecessary since most scripts take years to produce. • No Fancy fonts – stick to Calibri or Times New Roman. It’s easy on the eyes and doesn’t distract the reader. And more importantly if you have fancy font it may give the indication that you are trying to hard to get noticed and that perhaps your script really isn’t that great.

4. Title Page Don’ts Continued… • Don’t put a quote from the film or a teaser about the film in the first page. • Unnecessary waste of ink and waste of a producer’s or a director’s time. • Don’t add color or images.

5. General Don’ts of a script • Don’t use color pages to break up scenes or sequences. • Doesn’t get you anywhere – just screams amateur and your script goes in a container called the trash. • Once you complete your script and submit it – leave it be. Don’t pester the company or the studio you submitted to. If you do you can be blacklisted. • Exception to the rule: You can make ONE call to make sure they got it. That’s it!

6. Title Page Do’s • Do use Times New Roman or Calibri • Use an exciting title (but not misleading). • Title should be in ALL CAPS, centered, about a third of the way down the page. The title can be plain, or it can be underlined or in quotation marks – But not both. • So either: “THE MASK OF ZORRO” • OR • THE MASK OF ZORRO

7. “TITLE PAGE DO’S” • Make sure you use correct grammar and do not misspell anything. • If the reader sees that you can’t spell at the first glance of your script then it’s probable that they won’t even move onto the next page.

8. Title Page Do’s • You need to have your name centered and double-spaced below the title. • Your name does not go in caps. • You can write: by or An Original Screenplay By only if the story is wholly original. • This would go beneath the title and above your name: • So for example:

9. Title Page needs • Your contact information (agent, manager, your own phone number address and email address). • Don’t put his all in caps. • Place it on the lower right hand corner. If the Script is based on a book or a true story or a short story or a play that you have permission to adapt note this below your name. Example:

10. Title Page Exercise • Get on Microsoft Word • Follow along.

11. Ok Title Page is done…now what? • Unlike your treatment which has a list of your major characters and a synopsis the next page after your title page simply leads into your script. • Don’t put anything like a quote or a teaser to try to get the reader lured in – a well written script doesn’t need that.

12. Entering the first page of your script… • Things to know: • Use Courier Type size 12 • For some reason readers want your script to look like you just typed it from a type writer.

13. More on font • Don’t use bold face, italics or bigger or smaller fonts for emphasis. • Real writers don’t get fancy. • Let the story do the emphasis.

14. Margins • You have to set your margins for your title page and the rest of your script like so: • Use a plain white page. 8 ½ by 11 inch. • To set your title page – Leave one inch on the top, bottom and right-hand sides of the page. • The left margin is larger – 1.5 inches of space. This is to allow for binding, which is done with brass rings. • So for example….

15. White Space • A properly formatted script has a lot of white space. • This makes a script easier to read. • It’s all about making things easier on the eye. If a producer or director looks into a script and they have trouble reading it – they won’t waste anymore of their time and they will be unforgiving about it and toss it in the trash.

16. Example of a properly formatted title page

17. Page numbers • These appear in the upper right hand corner. • DO NOT put a page number on your title page.

18. Our story begins with PAGE 1 • Page One: • Begins with the words: FADE IN or FADE UP or OPEN ON. FADE IN:

19. Treatments still missing • Remember this is the assignment in which you were to select ONE episode of a Television show and format a treatment for it. • The examples of how to do so are online. • Remember to follow the Sinbad Synopsis I provided to you for formatting.

20. Scene Headers • Also known as your slug lines. These identify where and when a scene takes place. • It begins with INT. (which means interior) • It begins with EXT. (which means exterior). • Then on the same line, you put the location and add a dash and put the time of day. • So for example: INT. AIRPLANE – DAY

21. SCENE HEADERS • Remember that scene headers are CAPITALIZED. • Must remain consistent. If you go back to a scene you need to label it the same as before.

22. Example of consistency INT. AIRPLANE – DAY LISA is aboard a crowded airplane as she’sheading home from Los Angeles. As she stares out the window she remembers what it’s like to be on the beach. EXT. SANTA MONICA PIER – MORNING LISA is standing at the edge of the pier. There are families and children around her playing, laughing and talking. The sweet Pacific breeze blows gently, she smiles - anything seems possible. INT. AIRPLANE – DAY Back on the crowded airplane a baby is screeching for attention. LISA sighs and looks back out the window – it’s going to be a long flight.

23. Narrative • The scene header is followed by what is known as “The Narrative.” • This basically just describes the scene and can sometimes introduce a character. • Is used to describe the location, mood and action. • Margin settings: 1.5 inches to left and only 1 inch right margin. • Space settings: Narrative is single-spaced.

24. Writing the narrative • Narrative is kept short and sweet – to about two to three sentences at most. • Much like in the 2-column TV PSAs and Commercials that you did in which you put some description of what was going on in the video sequences. • Within the narrative character names are CAPITALIZED the first time introduced. • SOUNDS are also capitalized.

25. Formatting Exercise • Select a script of your choice. • Select 5 pages of that script. • Using the format we practiced on Tuesday format the script using either CelTx, Final Draft or Microsoft Word. • This is to get you used to the format.. • Remember to use proper capitalization in the character names and slug. • When you have completed it save it and hand it in or email it to me at axela7@gmail.com

26. Treatments and Scripts • These are due today. • Print them out and turn them in. • If you need to work on them while I lecture you may do so. But they are due by the end of class.

27. Dialogue • Keep it natural • If there is a slang or a certain dialect that you are aiming for make sure you include that in your character descriptions. • This can be done by simply stating where they are from. • Dialogue would be the exception in the way a word is spelled.

28. Dialogue – Slang/Accents • Make sure they are accurate. • Don’t make assumptions based on what’s you’ve only seen and heard on television. • For example you don’t want to mix up a Mississippi accent with a Georgia accent or a South Carolina accent. • On accents/slang: Make sure that you are on target. • For example: Those who live in the bay area in California don’t annunciate certain words the same way someone from Los Angeles would.

29. Dialogue – Accents/slang • Used frequently in time-pieces: Films that are set during a certain era or place. • Depending on the film these can be dead on or they can be slightly off – it all depends on the script writer’s interpretation of history. • Example: Life is beautiful • Example: Inglorious Bastards • These are two examples about the same historical event – The Holocaust – and how it may have happened in two completely different tales. • In Quentin Tarantino’s case – it’s more of a “It should have happened this way…”

30. Dialogue • Key in defining the type of movie you are trying to make. • The type of audience you want to draw. • Adults • Kids • Subpopulations or other groups. • Example: The Big Labowski • Example: Dude Where’s My Car

31. Examples of Accents: • House of Cards: Southern Carolina • LillyHammer: New York • Jane Eyre, The Kings Speech: England • Batman series: Alfred, Batman/Bruce, and of course you have different villains from different parts. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYmrg3owTRE

32. Accents continued • In a lot of films most of the accents are subdued. • Script is kept neutral. • This is done to appeal to a larger audience. • The same goes with most television shows. • Don’t throw an accent in just to throw it in. It has to be natural and consistent with the characters you build.

33. Homework • If you have not completed the script exercise please do so and turn it on Thursday. • Also, we are going to start developing your final. • On Thursday we will begin with 3 of your own character bios. • For your final you will need to turn in 3 original character biographies. • A treatment for an original TV or Film of your own. • The first 5 pages of your script. (This doesinclude the title page.)