SCRIPT WRITING (THEORY)

SCRIPT WRITING

Duration of Examination: 3hrs

Maximum Marks: 100

Credits: 4

Objective:

The aim of this course is to give broad knowledge in covering the most essential elements of the craft of script writing as well as providing invaluable practical information on the film and Television industries. Students will have an advanced exploration of the basic theory and formal aspects of story structure, character development, the use of conflict, scene writing and dialogue. Also they will know each step of the screenwriting process through reading of scripts, viewings of films and apply those steps to the development of their own script to be completed by the end of the semester.

Unit 1:

Introduction of idea generation and visualization- Framing and composition, Principles of script writing, Creative writing, Script formats, Idea generation, Source for idea

Unit 2:

Writing for Television and Radio- News stories, Chat show, Talk show, treatment, running order

Unit 3:

Writing for Advertising- Understanding Product and Brand equity, Basic research, Demographic appeals, Idea generation, Commercials Ad, PSA, Corporate film, Storyboard

Unit 4:

Writing for Documentary- Docudrama, Educational Television, Mockumentary, Ethnographic Films, Basic Research, Characteristics of Documentary, Documentary Structure, Realism, Documentary synopsis

Unit 5:

Writing for Feature Film & Short film, Generating Idea, Themes/ Concept, Planning of Story, III Acts, Plot Development, Characters, Conflict, First Draft, Screenplay, Dialogue, Script Breakdown, Final Draft, Shooting Script

Reference:

·         Linda J. Cowgill: Writing Short Films: Structure and Content for Screenwriters, Kindle Edition, 2005.

·         David Trottier: The Screenwriter's Bible: A Complete Guide to Writing, Formatting, and Selling Your Script, 2005.

·         Ellen Sandler: The TV Writer's Workbook: A Creative Approach To Television Scripts, 2007.

·         Michael Hauge: Writing Screenplays That Sell: The Complete, Step-By-Step Guide for Writing and Selling, 1991.

Glossary for Introduction to Screenwriting

Filmmaking

Development

Film finance · Film budgeting · Green-light

Pre-production

Film treatment · Scriptment · Screenplay · Breaking down the script · Script breakdown · Step outline · Storyboard · Production board · Production strip · Day Out of Days · Production schedule · One liner schedule · Shooting schedule

Production

Cinematography · Principal photography · Videography · Shooting script · Film inventory report · Daily call sheet · Production report · Daily production report · Daily progress report · Daily editor log · Sound report · Cost report

Post-production

Film editing · Re-recording · Sync sound · Soundtrack · Music · Special effect (sound · visual) · Negative cost

Distribution

Distribution · Film release (wide · limited · delayed) · Roadshow

Related

Filmography · Guerrilla filmmaking

See also

Film · Film crew · Hook · Pitch · Screenwriting · Spec script

Screenwriting is the art and craft of writing scripts for mass media such as feature films, television productions or video games. It is frequently a freelance profession.

Screenwriters are responsible for researching the story, developing the narrative, writing the screenplay, and delivering it, in the required format, to Development Executives. Screenwriters therefore have great influence over the creative direction and emotional impact of the screenplay and, arguably, of the finished film. They either pitch original ideas to Producers in the hope that they will be optioned or sold, or screenwriters are commissioned by a producer to create a screenplay from a concept, true story, existing screen work or literary work, such as a novel, poem, play, comic book or short story.

Genre /ˈʒɒnrə/ or /ˈdʒɒnrə/; from French, genre "kind" or "sort is the term for any category of literature or other forms of art or culture, e.g. music, and in general, any type of discourse, whether written or spoken, audio or visual, based on some set of stylistic criteria. Genres are formed by conventions that change over time as new genres are invented and the use of old ones is discontinued. Often, works fit into multiple genres by way of borrowing and recombining these conventions.

Narrative is a constructive format (as a work of speech, writing, song, film, television, video games, photography or theatre) that describes a sequence of non-fictional or fictional events. The word derives from the Latin verb narrare, "to recount", and is related to the adjective gnarus, "knowing" or "skilled".^[1]

The word "story" may be used as a synonym of "narrative", but can also be used to refer to the sequence of events described in a narrative. A narrative can also be told by a character within a larger narrative. An important part of narration is the narrative mode, the set of methods used to communicate the narrative through a process of narration.

Along with exposition, argumentation and description, narration, broadly defined, is one of four rhetorical modes of discourse. More narrowly defined, it is the fiction-writing mode whereby the narrator communicates directly to the reader.

Stories are an important aspect of culture. Many works of art and most works of literature tell stories; indeed, most of the humanities involve stories. Owen Flanagan of Duke University, a leading consciousness researcher, writes that “Evidence strongly suggests that humans in all cultures come to cast their own identity in some sort of narrative form. We are inveterate storytellers.”

Stories are of ancient origin, existing in ancient Egyptian, ancient Greek, Chinese and Indian culture. Stories are also a ever-present component of human communication, used as parables and examples to illustrate points. Storytelling was probably one of the earliest forms of entertainment. Narrative may also refer to psychological processes in self-identity, memory and meaning-making.

Narrative: A story or account of events, experiences, or the like, whether true or fictitious.

A book, literary work, etc., containing such a story.

The art, technique, or process of narrating: SomersetMaugham was a master of narrative.

Non narrative:

• Non-narratives are not organized by time.
• Rather they are organized by ideas.
• These stories tell what happened first, next, and last.
• Stories do not show a character.
• Leads the reader through the sequence of events.

Drama: A play for theater, radio, or television. Such works as a genre or style of literature.

Drama is a unique tool to explore and express human feeling.

Drama is an essential form of behaviour in all cultures, it is a fundamental human activity.

Drama has the potential, as a diverse medium, to enhance cognitive, affective and motor development.

A high degree of thinking, feeling and moving is involved and subsequently aids in the development of skills for all other learning.

Drama is a discrete skill in itself (acting, theatre, refined skill). Drama is also a tool which is flexible, and versatile. Drama can be experienced by all.

Drama assists in the development of :

the use of imagination

powers of creative self expression

decision making and problem solving skills

and understanding of self and the world

self confidence, asense of worth and respect and consideration for others.

Drama is the enactment of real and imagined events through role-play, play making and performances, enabling individuals and groups to explore, shape and represent ideas, feelings and their consequences in symbolic or dramatic form.'

Compositing

In short a compositor is responsible for fusing together elements such as live action footage, 3d animation, stock footage and other sources into a single picture. Sometimes the goal is photo-realism for a motion picture and other times the goal is to exaggerate the world for a TV spot.

A good comparison might be the job of a weldor. Wikipedia has a curious description that I found particularly useful:

“Welders typically have to have good dexterity and attention to detail, as well as some technical knowledge about the materials being joined and best practices in the field.”

Treatment

What is a Treatment?

You have an idea for a movie. A good idea. Maybe the best anyone's ever had. You've seen what's showing at the mall and, Lord knows, you can do better. You'll raise the money and produce your own film! Overwhelmed by your own ambition, you decide to just write it and ship it off to Spielberg. Yeah. He'll love it.

The storyline has been brewing for a long time now in your mind. The couple of friends bright enough to comprehend the significance of your idea have agreed that you've got a real winner. But they're gone now. They're home watching a game on TV, or cuddling it up with their special cozy while you, driven, misunderstood and lonely, sit and stare at your cold computer, willing something to happen after those magical first two words: FADE IN.

But nothing does.

Not to worry. You need to write a "treatment". It's your first step and Step #1 is so simple you're going to feel embarrassed that you ever let it intimidate you:

STEP #1: HOW TO WRITE A TREATMENT: TALK YOUR STORY OUT ON PAPER. That's all there is to it. Easy? Sure it is. You just start talking it out the way you'd talk it out with your best friend, letting it flow onto the word processing screen, or onto paper, or whatever. Don't worry about how it sounds or about the words you're choosing and, for heaven sakes, don't worry that it doesn't look like a script. That comes later. Right now, it more resembles a letter home. Once you get the entire story on paper, the beginning, the middle and the end, go back and edit. Spruce it up, tighten it, make it glow. Make sure it sounds a lot like what you'd say if you were telling someone about a wonderful movie you just saw. You wouldn't burden them with tedious he said-she said details. They'd fall asleep. And so will your reader. Just hit the glorious highlights, but in a logical sequence of events.

IMPORTANT TIP: You wouldn't start assembling ingredients to cook a dish unless you knew what dish you're preparing; you wouldn't start out on a trip without knowing your destination. Don't start writing your screenplay until you know how your story ends!

QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS: (1) What's so special about a treatment? (2) How is it supposed to look? (3) Do I submit it along with a screenplay when I'm ready to market my work? (4) Can I protect my treatment from theft?

ANSWERS, ANSWERS, ANSWERS: (1) What's special about your treatment is that it's the only chance you'll get to be truly creative in the writing of a screenplay. It's the meat of your script. It's where you'll work out story points and conflicts, it's where you'll find the holes in your story and fix them. It's your guide in writing your script, because a screenplay is nothing more than a set of notes to a production crew and those notes come from the interpretation of this original treatment. It's the place where your mind will cartwheel and nose-dive. It's where you are truly the Creator.

(2) It's supposed to look like the sample in my book. That is: it's no shorter than 5 pages and no longer than 10, though 8 is the ideal. Always written in present tense, with characters names CAPPED as they are introduced for the first time. Readers yell, "Gimme lots of white", meaning they do NOT want to face a sheet of paper with blocks of print on it. It looks overwhelming. When there's a significant time lapse, or change of location in the story, I always leave from 4 to 6 spaces and begin again from there. It simply looks easier to read. Readers almost always go through their stacks of material to get to their 'easy reads' first.

(3) Do you send a treatment along with your script when you're ready to begin marketing your work? Theatrical: Never, unless a producer specifically asks for it. Television: Sometimes it's all you'll send.

(4) Can you protect your treatment from theft? Not really, though you have to make every effort to keep it from being plagarized by registering it with the Writers Guild of America. The best protection you can give yourself is checking out the integrity of those with whom you deal, and that's not always easy when you're in Calcutta and the folks receiving your work are in California. One of the most vital services an agent or attorney can provide is simply forwarding your work with their cover letter. You're creating a paper trail, in case you ever need it.

TREATMENT CHECK LIST: . Always write in present tense . Large spaces between change of locales or time lapses . Make it look as interesting as possible . Stay concise and to the point . Use an absolute minimum of dialogue . Write in a normal, conversational manner. Make it sing! If you don't enjoy writing it, no one will enjoy reading it. . Not shorter than 5 pages, nor longer than 10, with 8 being the ideal. . Pages are numbered either in the bottom center of the page or in the upper right hand corner, one-half inch from the top, one half inch from the right edge of the paper. . Fastened with a staple in the upper left corner . Always include a cover sheet with the title centered over your name. Include your address, phone number, your e-mail address, and the registeration number issued to you by the Writers Guild of America.

TIP: When most people write a treatment they wring the life out of their story. A treatment must be so juicy, so flavorful, so full of energy, that the reader just HAS to ask to see the entire script. Make their mouth water for MORE!

INSIDER STUFF: A treatment doesn't tell someone THE story ... it tells them ABOUT the story.

TARGET AUDIENCE:

In marketing, entertainment and advertising, a target audience, is a specific group of people within the target market at which the message is aimed. For example, if a company sells new diet programs for men with heart disease problems (target market) the communication may be aimed at the spouse (target audience) who takes care of the nutrition plan of her husband and child.

A target audience can be formed of people of a certain age group, gender, marital status, etc., e.g., teenagers, females, single people, etc. A combination of factors, e.g. men aged 20–30 is a common target audience. Other groups, although not the main focus, may also be interested. Discovering the appropriate target market(s) and determining the target audience is one of the most important activities in marketing management. The biggest mistake people make in targeting is trying to reach everybody and ending up appealing to no-one.

SCRIPT WRITING BASICS

There are three bodies of a script: Headings, narrative and dialogue. Each of these has three points to remember.

Headings:

1. Master scene headings which include:

a) Camera location - EXT. (exterior or outside) or INT. (interior or inside)

b) Scene location (LOCAL RACE TRACK)

c) Time (DAY or NIGHT)

2. Secondary scene heading

3. “Special headings” for things such as montages, dream sequences, flashbacks, flash forwards, etc.

Narrative Description:

1. Action

2. Character and settings (visual)

3. Sounds

Dialogue:

1. The name of the person speaking appears at the top, in CAPS.

2. The actors direction (AKA parenthetical or wryly). Try to avoid these as much as possible. Both the director and actor will appreciate it.

3. The speech.

Putting all this together you should come up with something that looks like this:

Types of Drama

There are many forms of Drama. Here is a non-exhaustive list with a simple explanation of each:

Improvisation / Let's Pretend

A scene is set, either by the teacher or the children, and then with little or no time to prepare a script the students perform before the class.

Role Plays

Students are given a particular role in a scripted play. After rehearsal the play is performed for the class, school or parents.

Mime

Children use only facial expressions and body language to pass on a message tcript to the rest of the class.

Masked Drama

The main props are masks. Children then feel less inhibited to perform and overact while participating in this form of drama.

Children are given specific parts to play with a formal script. Using only their voices they must create the full picture for the rest of the class. Interpreting content and expressing it using only the voice.

Puppet Plays

Children use puppets to say and do thngs that they may feel too inhibited to say or do themselves.

Performance Poetry

While reciting a poem the children are encourage to act out the story from the poem.

Radio Drama

Similar to script reading with the addition of other sound affects, The painting of the mental picture is important

How to Have Tons of Ideas

If the best way to get quality ideas is by creating them from a vast pool of ideas, then our job is to have as many ideas as possible. Here are six tips that can help you develop an “idea abundance” mindset:

1. Expect to Have Ideas

The first step is to get rid of common beliefs such as “I’m not a creative person”. Drop any preconceived notions that ideas are reserved just for a privileged few. That’s often enough to have ideas start coming to you.

2. Welcome Dumb Ideas, or Any Ideas for That Matter

Your focus should never be on having great ideas. Always strive for quantity. Most people don’t ever try having ideas because they’re socially afraid to have their ideas labeled as “stupid” or “dumb”. Get over it: your ideas that are regarded as dumb today may be the foundation for a groundbreaking idea tomorrow. And when you eventually have such an idea, nobody will remember your less successful ones. (And on the matter of being afraid to show your ideas, keep in mind that teasing is a disguised form of shaming, of others trying to throw you off balance.)

3. Expose Yourself to New Experiences

Your senses capture the basic information that your mind uses to generate associations. The more you expose yourself to different situations, people and places, the more fuel you will give to your mind to make connections. Learn to welcome variety in your life: travel, try out new foods, read magazines you usually don’t. Just don’t be afraid of doing things differently.

4. Capture Ideas Immediately

Get in the habit of capturing all your ideas. Use a paper notebook, PDA or voice recorder. It doesn’t matter how you capture them, just make sure that you carry your idea capturing tool everywhere you go. If you don’t capture your ideas the minute they come up, it’s guaranteed you’ll forget most of them – even worse, you won’t even be aware that you had ideas in the first place. Also, each time your mind notices you’re paying attention to its ideas, it rewards you with more ideas.

5. Be Thankful for Ideas

Every time you have an idea – any idea – be thankful for it. By developing this habit, you create an additional positive reinforcement that works as a “pat on the back” of your mind, encouraging it to produce even more ideas.

6. Realize that Ideas Come in Bursts

It’s perfectly normal to go through several days and not having one single idea. But then, suddenly, ideas will come to you one after another, just like a surging river. Sometimes, the ideas will come so quickly you’ll barely have time to write them all down. Don’t worry about the natural slow times, but make sure that you take full advantage of those idea bursts when they come.

Genre /ˈʒɒnrə/ or /ˈdʒɒnrə/; from French, genre "kind" or "sort is the term for any category of literature or other forms of art or culture, e.g. music, and in general, any type of discourse, whether written or spoken, audio or visual, based on some set of stylistic criteria. Genres are formed by conventions that change over time as new genres are invented and the use of old ones is discontinued. Often, works fit into multiple genres by way of borrowing and recombining these conventions.

Narrative is a constructive format (as a work of speech, writing, song, film, television, video games, photography or theatre) that describes a sequence of non-fictional or fictional events. The word derives from the Latin verb narrare, "to recount", and is related to the adjective gnarus, "knowing" or "skilled".^[1]

The word "story" may be used as a synonym of "narrative", but can also be used to refer to the sequence of events described in a narrative. A narrative can also be told by a character within a larger narrative. An important part of narration is the narrative mode, the set of methods used to communicate the narrative through a process of narration.

Along with exposition, argumentation and description, narration, broadly defined, is one of four rhetorical modes of discourse. More narrowly defined, it is the fiction-writing mode whereby the narrator communicates directly to the reader.

Stories are an important aspect of culture. Many works of art and most works of literature tell stories; indeed, most of the humanities involve stories. Owen Flanagan of Duke University, a leading consciousness researcher, writes that “Evidence strongly suggests that humans in all cultures come to cast their own identity in some sort of narrative form. We are inveterate storytellers.”

Stories are of ancient origin, existing in ancient Egyptian, ancient Greek, Chinese and Indian culture. Stories are also a ever-present component of human communication, used as parables and examples to illustrate points. Storytelling was probably one of the earliest forms of entertainment. Narrative may also refer to psychological processes in self-identity, memory and meaning-making.

Narrative: A story or account of events, experiences, or the like, whether true or fictitious.

A book, literary work, etc., containing such a story.

The art, technique, or process of narrating: SomersetMaugham was a master of narrative.

Non narrative:

• Non-narratives are not organized by time.
• Rather they are organized by ideas.
• These stories tell what happened first, next, and last.
• Stories do not show a character.
• Leads the reader through the sequence of events.

Drama: A play for theater, radio, or television. Such works as a genre or style of literature.

Drama is a unique tool to explore and express human feeling.

Drama is an essential form of behaviour in all cultures, it is a fundamental human activity.

Drama has the potential, as a diverse medium, to enhance cognitive, affective and motor development.

A high degree of thinking, feeling and moving is involved and subsequently aids in the development of skills for all other learning.

Drama is a discrete skill in itself (acting, theatre, refined skill). Drama is also a tool which is flexible, and versatile. Drama can be experienced by all.

Drama assists in the development of :

the use of imagination

powers of creative self expression

decision making and problem solving skills

and understanding of self and the world

self confidence, asense of worth and respect and consideration for others.

Drama is the enactment of real and imagined events through role-play, play making and performances, enabling individuals and groups to explore, shape and represent ideas, feelings and their consequences in symbolic or dramatic form.'

Compositing

In short a compositor is responsible for fusing together elements such as live action footage, 3d animation, stock footage and other sources into a single picture. Sometimes the goal is photo-realism for a motion picture and other times the goal is to exaggerate the world for a TV spot.

A good comparison might be the job of a weldor. Wikipedia has a curious description that I found particularly useful:

“Welders typically have to have good dexterity and attention to detail, as well as some technical knowledge about the materials being joined and best practices in the field.”

Treatment

What is a Treatment?

You have an idea for a movie. A good idea. Maybe the best anyone's ever had. You've seen what's showing at the mall and, Lord knows, you can do better. You'll raise the money and produce your own film! Overwhelmed by your own ambition, you decide to just write it and ship it off to Spielberg. Yeah. He'll love it.

The storyline has been brewing for a long time now in your mind. The couple of friends bright enough to comprehend the significance of your idea have agreed that you've got a real winner. But they're gone now. They're home watching a game on TV, or cuddling it up with their special cozy while you, driven, misunderstood and lonely, sit and stare at your cold computer, willing something to happen after those magical first two words: FADE IN.

But nothing does.

Not to worry. You need to write a "treatment". It's your first step and Step #1 is so simple you're going to feel embarrassed that you ever let it intimidate you:

STEP #1: HOW TO WRITE A TREATMENT: TALK YOUR STORY OUT ON PAPER. That's all there is to it. Easy? Sure it is. You just start talking it out the way you'd talk it out with your best friend, letting it flow onto the word processing screen, or onto paper, or whatever. Don't worry about how it sounds or about the words you're choosing and, for heaven sakes, don't worry that it doesn't look like a script. That comes later. Right now, it more resembles a letter home. Once you get the entire story on paper, the beginning, the middle and the end, go back and edit. Spruce it up, tighten it, make it glow. Make sure it sounds a lot like what you'd say if you were telling someone about a wonderful movie you just saw. You wouldn't burden them with tedious he said-she said details. They'd fall asleep. And so will your reader. Just hit the glorious highlights, but in a logical sequence of events.

IMPORTANT TIP: You wouldn't start assembling ingredients to cook a dish unless you knew what dish you're preparing; you wouldn't start out on a trip without knowing your destination. Don't start writing your screenplay until you know how your story ends!

QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS: (1) What's so special about a treatment? (2) How is it supposed to look? (3) Do I submit it along with a screenplay when I'm ready to market my work? (4) Can I protect my treatment from theft?

ANSWERS, ANSWERS, ANSWERS: (1) What's special about your treatment is that it's the only chance you'll get to be truly creative in the writing of a screenplay. It's the meat of your script. It's where you'll work out story points and conflicts, it's where you'll find the holes in your story and fix them. It's your guide in writing your script, because a screenplay is nothing more than a set of notes to a production crew and those notes come from the interpretation of this original treatment. It's the place where your mind will cartwheel and nose-dive. It's where you are truly the Creator.

(2) It's supposed to look like the sample in my book. That is: it's no shorter than 5 pages and no longer than 10, though 8 is the ideal. Always written in present tense, with characters names CAPPED as they are introduced for the first time. Readers yell, "Gimme lots of white", meaning they do NOT want to face a sheet of paper with blocks of print on it. It looks overwhelming. When there's a significant time lapse, or change of location in the story, I always leave from 4 to 6 spaces and begin again from there. It simply looks easier to read. Readers almost always go through their stacks of material to get to their 'easy reads' first.

(3) Do you send a treatment along with your script when you're ready to begin marketing your work? Theatrical: Never, unless a producer specifically asks for it. Television: Sometimes it's all you'll send.

(4) Can you protect your treatment from theft? Not really, though you have to make every effort to keep it from being plagarized by registering it with the Writers Guild of America. The best protection you can give yourself is checking out the integrity of those with whom you deal, and that's not always easy when you're in Calcutta and the folks receiving your work are in California. One of the most vital services an agent or attorney can provide is simply forwarding your work with their cover letter. You're creating a paper trail, in case you ever need it.

TREATMENT CHECK LIST: . Always write in present tense . Large spaces between change of locales or time lapses . Make it look as interesting as possible . Stay concise and to the point . Use an absolute minimum of dialogue . Write in a normal, conversational manner. Make it sing! If you don't enjoy writing it, no one will enjoy reading it. . Not shorter than 5 pages, nor longer than 10, with 8 being the ideal. . Pages are numbered either in the bottom center of the page or in the upper right hand corner, one-half inch from the top, one half inch from the right edge of the paper. . Fastened with a staple in the upper left corner . Always include a cover sheet with the title centered over your name. Include your address, phone number, your e-mail address, and the registeration number issued to you by the Writers Guild of America.

TIP: When most people write a treatment they wring the life out of their story. A treatment must be so juicy, so flavorful, so full of energy, that the reader just HAS to ask to see the entire script. Make their mouth water for MORE!

INSIDER STUFF: A treatment doesn't tell someone THE story ... it tells them ABOUT the story.

TARGET AUDIENCE:

In marketing, entertainment and advertising, a target audience, is a specific group of people within the target market at which the message is aimed. For example, if a company sells new diet programs for men with heart disease problems (target market) the communication may be aimed at the spouse (target audience) who takes care of the nutrition plan of her husband and child.

A target audience can be formed of people of a certain age group, gender, marital status, etc., e.g., teenagers, females, single people, etc. A combination of factors, e.g. men aged 20–30 is a common target audience. Other groups, although not the main focus, may also be interested. Discovering the appropriate target market(s) and determining the target audience is one of the most important activities in marketing management. The biggest mistake people make in targeting is trying to reach everybody and ending up appealing to no-one.

Also Visit

http://www.sydfield.com/


http://clancytales.blogspot.in/2010/07/13-best-resources-for-writers.html


http://www.screenplay.com/marketing/hauge/hauge-demo.html

http://www.movieoutline.com/articles/storytelling-principles-for-screenwriting.html

All about script writing basic
http://www.ehow.com/how_6742053_write-perfect-script.html

Rule of thirds

http://vimeo.com/videoschool/lesson/8/framing-and-composition


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1japIhKU9I

Glossary

A Page

A revised page that extends beyond the original page, going onto a second page. (i.e. Page 1, 1A, 2, 3, 3A)

Abbreviations

shortcuts used in scripts such V.O., O.C.

Above-the-line

In film, those costs that occur before filming, this includes salaries of the talend and creative team (director, producer, screenwriter), plus any rights required for adapted scripts. Sometimes, above-the-line can also refer to the people included in the above-the-line payment category.

Act

A large division of a full-length play, separated from the other act or acts by an intermission.

Act/Scene Heading

Centered, all CAPS heading at the start of an act or scene. Act numbers are written in Roman numerals, scene numbers in ordinals.

Acting Edition

A published play script, typically for use in productions in the amateur market or as reading copies. Often has a list of prop list or set design sketches.

Action

The moving pictures we see on screen. Also, the direction given by a director indicating that filming begins.

ad lib

Dialogue in which the characters or actors make up what they say in real time on the movie set or on stage. From the Latin ad libitum, "in accordance with desire."

Against

A term describing the ultimate potential payday for a writer in a film deal. $400,000 against $800,000 means that the writer is paid $400,000 when the script is finished (through rewrite and polish); when and if the movie goes into production, the writer gets an additional $400,000.

Agent Submission

A method of play submission, in which a theater requires that a script be submitted by a recognized literary agent.

Alan Smithee

A fictional name taken by a writer or director who doesn't want their real name credited on a film.

Angle

A particular camera placement.

Approved writer

A writer whom a television network trusts to deliver a good script once hired.

Arbitration

Binding adjudication by members of a Writers Guild of America committee regarding proper onscreen writer credit of a movie; arbitration is available only to WGA members or potential WGA members.

Artistic Director

A theater company's chief artistic officer and usually the last stop before a play is selected for production.

Associate Artistic Director

An artistic officer of a theater company, frequently a director and often second to the Artistic Director, integrally involved with its artistic decisions.

At Rise Description

A stage direction at the beginning of an act or a scene that describes what is on stage literally "at rise" of the curtain, or more commonly in contemporary theater, as the lights come up.

Attached

Agreement by name actors and/or a director to be a part of the making of a movie.

Audio/Visual Script

A dual column screenplay with video description on the left and audio and dialogue on the right, used in advertising, corporate videos, documentaries and training films.

b.g.

Abbreviation for "background" (i.e. In the b.g., kids are fighting).

Back Door Pilot

A two-hour TV movie that is a setup for a TV series if ratings warrant further production.

Back End

Payment on a movie project when profits are realized.

Back Story

Experiences of a main character taking place prior to the main action, which contribute to character motivations and reactions.

Bankable

A person who can get a project financed solely by having their name is attached.

Beat

A parenthetically noted pause interrupting dialogue, denoted by (beat), for the purpose of indicating a significant shift in the direction of a scene, much in the way that a hinge connects a series of doors.

Beat Sheet

An abbreviated description of the main events in a screenplay or story.

Bill

The play or plays that together constitute what the audience is seeing at any one sitting. Short for "playbill."

Binding

What literally holds the script together. As a writer submitting your manuscript, you might use either brads with cardstock covers or one of a number of other pre-made folders (all available from The Writers Store).

Black Box

A flexible theater space named for its appearance.

Blackout

A common stage direction at the end of a scene or an act.

Book

The story and the non-musical portion (dialogue, stage directions) of a theatrical musical.

Brads

Brass fasteners used to bind a screenplay printed on three-hole paper, with Acco #5 solid brass brads generally accepted as having the highest quality.

Bump

A troublesome element in a script that negatively deflects the reader's attention away from the story.

Button

A TV writing term referring to a witty line that "tops off" a scene.

Cable

A cable television network such as HBO, or cable television in general.

Cast

The characters who are physically present in the play or film. These are the roles for which actors will be needed. When we talk about a role in a stageplay as being double-cast with another, it means that the same actor is expected to play both roles. This happens in film as well (e.g. Eddie Murphy), but only rarely.

Cast Page

A page that typically follows the Title Page of a play, listing the characters, with very brief descriptions of each.

Center (Stage)

The center of the performance space, used for placement of the actors and the set.

CGI

Computer Generated Image; a term denoting that computers will be used to generate the full imagery.

Character

Any personified entity appearing in a film or a play.

Character arc

The emotional progress of the characters during the story.

Character name

When any character speaks, his or her name appears on the line preceding the dialogue. In screenplays, the name is tabbed to a location that is roughly in the center of the line. In playwriting, typically the name is centered, but with the advent of screenwriting software that automatically positions the character name correctly, it has become acceptable to use a similar format for character names in stageplays.

Cheat a script

Fudging the margins and spacing of a screenplay on a page (usually with a software program) in an attempt to fool the reader into thinking the script is shorter than it really is.

Close Up

A very close camera angle on a character or object.

Commission

A play for which a theater company gives a playwright money to write, typically with the understanding that the theater will have the right of first refusal to premiere it.

Complication

The second act of a three-act dramatic structure, in which "the plot thickens," peaking at its end.

Conflict

The heart of drama; someone wants something and people and things keep getting in the way of them achieving the goal. At times, the obstacles can be common to both the hero and villain, and the ultimate goal a laudable one for both parties.

Continuing Dialogue

Dialogue spoken by the same character that continues uninterrupted onto the next page, marked with a (cont'd) in a stage play.

Continuous Action

Included in the scene heading when moving from one scene to the next, as the action continues.

Copyright

Proof of ownership of an artistic property that comes with registering your script through the United States Register of Copyrights.

Copyright Notice

Placing © Your Name on the Title Page of a script.

Courier 12 pitch

The main font in use in the U.S. by both publishers and the Hollywood film industry.

Coverage

The notes prepared by script readers at literary agency, film production company, theater company or script competition. Coverage is typically divided into three sections: plot synopsis, evaluation / discussion of the quality of the writing, and a recommendation that either passes on the script or kicks it on to the next level. Typically, coverage is for internal use and almost never shared with the writer.

Designer

Theater professional whose job it is to envision any of the following elements in a play: costumes, sets, lights, sound or properties.

Development

The process of preparing a script for production.

Development Hell

The dreaded creative death malaise that occurs when the development process lasts too long.

Dialogue

The speeches between characters in a film or a play.

Direct Solicitation

When a theater contacts a playwright or his agent about submitting a script. Theaters that use this method typically do not want the playwright to initiate the contact.

Direction, Stage Direction

(See Stage Directions in Revised above.)

Director

In a stageplay, the individual responsible for staging (i.e. placing in the space or "blocking") the actors, sculpting and coordinating their performances, and making sure they fit with the design elements into a coherent vision of the play. In a musical, there will typically be a separate musical director responsible for the musical elements of the show. In a Dramatists Guild contract, the playwright has approval over the choice of director (and the cast and designers). In film, the director carries out the duties of a stage director and then some (e.g. choosing the shot list), with considerably more say-so over the final product.

Downstage

The part of the stage closest to the audience, so named because when stages were raked (slanted), an actor walking toward the audience was literally walking down. Called "Down" for short.

Draft

A version of a play. Each draft of rewrites/revisions should be numbered differently.

Dramatists Guild of America

The professional organization of playwrights, composers and lyricists, based in New York.

Dual Dialog

When two characters speak simultaneously

Emphasized Dialogue

Dialogue that the playwright wants stressed, usually identified with italics.

Establishing Shot

A cinematic shot that establishes a certain location or area.

Evening-Length Play

A play that constitutes a full evening of theater on its own (a.k.a. Full-Length Play).

Event

What precipitates a play. For example, Big Daddy's birthday is the event in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

Exposition

The first act of a dramatic structure, in which the main conflict and characters are "exposed" or revealed. Also, any information about the characters, conflict or world of the play.

EXT.

Outdoors.

Extension

A technical note placed directly to the right of the Character name that denotes HOW the character's voice is heard. For example, O.S. is an extension that stands for Off-Screen.

f.g.

Abbreviation for "foreground" (i.e. In the f.g., kids are fighting).

Feature Film

A movie made primarily for distribution in theaters.

Film Festival

A festival of short and/or feature-length films shown over the course of between a few days to a few weeks. Festivals are places for films and filmmakers – particularly in the case of independent films – to gain exposure and critical buzz and, in many cases, distribution. Perhaps the two best-known festivals in the world are Sundance and Cannes.

FLASHBACK

A scene from the past that interrupts the action to explain motivation or reaction of a character to the immediate scene.

Font

The look of the printed text on the page. For screenplays, Courier 12 point is the standard (a fixed font which in practical terms means that an l or an m, although the m being wider, occupy the same width of space). For stageplays, while Courier 12 point is often used, Times Roman and other proportional spaced, clearly readable fonts are also acceptable. (Proportional spaced fonts make adjustments for skinnier letters; text usually takes less space.) – this has been edited.

Formula

More commonly used in the world of film than for describing the stage, it usually refers to a "sure-fire" method of structuring a script (i.e. it must include certain elements and arrive at a certain ending). For example, there have been a slew of movies where a group of misfits are thrown together and ultimately become the David that slays Goliath on the athletic field (e.g. The Bad News Bears).

FREEZE FRAME

The image on the screen stops, freezes and becomes a still shot.

Full-Length Play

Also known as an Evening Length Play, a play that constitutes a full evening of theater.

Genre

The category a story or script falls into - such as: thriller, romantic comedy, action, screwball comedy

Green Light

A project OKed for production.

Header

An element of a Production Script occupying the same line as the page number, which is on the right and .5" from the top. Printed on every script page, header information includes the date of a revision and the color of the page.

Heat

Positive gossip about a project on the Hollywood grapevine.

High concept

A brief statement of a movie's basic idea that is felt to have tremendous public appeal.

Hip pocket

A casual relationship with an established agent in lieu of a signed, formal agreement of representation.

Hook

A term borrowed from songwriting that describes that thing that catches the public's attention and keeps them interested in the flow of a story.

In the Round

A type of theater space in which the audience is, usually in a circular configuration, on all sides of the playing area.

Indie

A production company independent of major film studio financing.

INT.

Indoors.

Intercut

A script instruction denoting that the action moves back and forth between two or more scenes.

Intermission

A break between acts or scenes of the play to allow for set changes, and for the audience to go to the bathroom, stretch and buy concessions.

Interrupt

When one character cuts off another character's dialogue, sometimes marked with an ... but better marked with an em dash (--).

Left

On stage, the actors' left, assuming they are facing the audience. Short for Stage Left.

Lights Fade

A common stage direction to end a scene or an act.

Line Reading

When a director or playwright gives an actor a specific way to perform a line of dialogue.

Literary Manager

The artistic officer of a theater in charge of at least the first stages of reviewing scripts for possible production. She may have dramaturg responsibilities as well.

Literary Office

Usually headed by the literary manager and often staffed with interns and in-house or freelance readers. Typically the place to direct script submissions and inquiries.

Locked Pages

A software term for finalized screenplay pages that are handed out to the department heads and talent in preparation for production.

Logline

A "25 words or less" description of a screenplay.

Lyrics

The words that are sung by characters in a musical.

M.O.S.

Without sound, so described because a German-born director wanting a scene with no sound told the crew to shoot "mit out sound."

Manuscript

A script before it has been published.

Manuscript Format

The ideal submission format in the United States and in a number of other countries, with character names centered and CAPS before their dialogue, and indented stage directions.

Master Scene Script

A script formatted without scene numbering (the usual format for a spec screenplay).

Match Cut

A transition in which something in the scene that follows in some way directly matches a character or object in the previous scene.

Miniseries

A long-form movie of three hours or more shown on successive nights or weeks on U.S. television networks.

Montage

A cinematic device used to show a series of scenes, all related and building to some conclusion.

Movie of the Week

Also known as an "MOW," a movie made primarily for broadcast on a television or cable network.

Multimedia

Writing and filmmaking encompassing more than one medium at a time which, script-wise, usually refers to CD-ROM games or Internet-based programming.

Multiple Casting

When an actor plays more than one character.

Musical

A play in which songs and music are an integral part of the dramatic structure.

Musical Numbers Page

A page in a musical script, usually following the Cast Page, that lists the musical numbers, divided by act, and the characters that sing in them.

Notes

Ideas about a screenplay shared with a screenwriter by someone responsible for moving the script forward into production, which the screenwriter is generally expected to use to revise the screenplay. A similar paradigm exists on stage, with notes coming most often from the dramaturg or director. A key difference between stage and film is that the playwright still owns his script and has final say on revisions. Writer can hire consultants to receive feedback (notes) to help improve the script, prior to submitting it to an agency, production company or theater.

Numbered Scenes

Numbers that appear to the right and left of the scene heading to aid the Assistant Director in breaking down the scenes for scheduling and production.

O.C.

Abbreviation for Off Camera, denoting that the speaker is resident within the scene but not seen by the camera.

O.S.

Abbreviation for Off Screen, denoting that the speaker is not resident within the scene.

Off

Short for offstage. Typically written as (off) next to a character name when a character speaking dialogue is offstage while she speaks.

One-Act Play

Technically, a play that has only one act, but in more common usage, a play that is not an evening unto itself but instead usually runs no more than an hour. A common arrangement is to produce three half-hour long one-acts on the same bill.

One-hour Episodic

A screenplay for a television show whose episodes fill a one-hour time slot, week to week.

Opening Credits

Onscreen text describing the most important people involved in the making of a movie.

Option

The securing of the rights to a screenplay for a given length of time.

Package

The assembly of the basic elements necessary to secure financing for a film.

PAN

A camera direction indicating a stationary camera that pivots back and forth or up and down.

Parenthetical

Also known as a "wryly" because of the propensity of amateur screenwriters to try to accent a character's speech -- as in BOB (wryly) -- an inflection to a speech noted by a writer. Of course, in stageplays, all stage directions (at least in Manuscript Format) are in parentheses, but "directing off the page," as it's often called, is equally frowned upon.

Pass

A rejection of a property by a potential producer or an agent.

Pitch

To verbally describe a property to a potential buyer in the hope it will be bought.

Play

Sometimes known as a stageplay, it's a production which is meant to be performed on stage in front of a live audience.

Playwright

A person who writes stage plays.

Playwriting

The craft or act of writing scripts for the stage (i.e. the live theater).

Points

Percentage participation in the profits of a film.

Polish

In theory, to rewrite a few scenes in a script to improve them. In practice, a screenwriter is often expected to do a complete rewrite of a script for the price of a polish.

POV

Point of View; a camera angle placed so as to seem the camera is the eyes of a character.

Producer

The person or entity financially responsible for a stage or film production.

Production Script

A script in which no more major changes or rewrites is anticipated to occur, which is used day by day for filming on a movie set.

Professional Recommendation

A method of submission in which a writer may submit a full script if it's accompanied by a theater professional (typically a literary manager or artistic director, though sometimes a director is acceptable as well).

Property

Any intellectual property in any form (including a play or screenplay) that might form the basis of a movie. In theater, usually called a "prop," an item (e.g. a gun, spoon, hairbrush, etc.) that can held by one of the characters.

Proscenium

A type of stage in which the actors play opposite the audience, from which they are separated. Most high school auditoriums are prosceniums.

Published Play Format

The format typically found in an Acting Edition, meant to save space, in which the character names are on the left and stage directions occur on the same lines as dialogue.

Query

A method of submission in which a writer approaches a theater with a brief letter, accompanied by a synopsis and sample pages.

Rake

A stage that is slanted so that as an actor moves away from the audience, he gets higher. Few contemporary theaters have raked stages. It's more likely that the house (i.e. where the audience sits) will be raked.

Reader (aka Script Reader)

A person who reads screenplays for a production company or stageplays for a theater company and writes a report about them, often being paid per report.

Reading

A "performance" of a play in which the actors are script-in-hand. It could either take place around a table (called a "table reading") or with some blocking or staging (a "staged reading").

Register of Copyrights

The US government office that registers intellectual property (e.g. scripts), necessary prior to filing a claim for copyright infringement in court.

Release

A legal document given to unrepresented writers for signing by agents, producers or production companies, absolving said entities of legal liability.

Resolution

The third act of a dramatic structure, in which the conflict comes to some kind of conclusion: the protagonist either gets it or doesn't.

Reversal

A place in the plot where a character achieves the opposite of his aim, resulting in a change from good fortune to bad fortune.

Revised Pages

Changes are made to the script after the initial circulation of the Production Script, which are different in color and incorporated into the script without displacing or rearranging the original, unrevised pages.

Right

On stage, the actors' right, assuming they are facing the audience. Short for Stage Right.

Romantic comedy

Also known as a "romcom," a comedic movie in which the main story resolves around a romance.

Scene

Action taking place in one location and in a distinct time that (hopefully) moves the story to the next element of the story.

Scene Heading

A short description of the location and time of day of a scene, also known as a "slugline." For example: EXT. MOUNTAIN CABIN - DAY would denote that the action takes place outside a mountain cabin during daylight hours.

Screening

The showing of a film for test audiences and/or people involved in the making of the movie.

Screenplay Contest

A submission opportunity for screenwriters in which a group of readers (judges) select one or more winners from the entered scripts. Typically, contests require entry fees that may be as high as $40-$50, but can often result in prizes as high as $20,000 or more for the winner(s), as well as important exposure to agents and production companies. Some “fellowship” opportunities effectively function as contests (e.g. Nicholl), choosing a handful of fellows (i.e. winners) from the pool of entrants.

Screenwriter

The most important and most abused person in Hollywood. The screenwriter writes the script that provides the foundation for the film, though it may go through any number of changes, both in the rewriting process before production, during production, and in the editing process afterward. While in the world of theater, there is usually only one playwright on any given play (or one collaborative team), in film there may be many screenwriters throughout the life of a project.

Screenwriting

The art of writing scripts for a visual medium.

Script

The blueprint or roadmap that outlines a movie story through visual descriptions, actions of characters and their dialogue. The term "script" also applies to stageplays as well.

Script cover

What protects the script on its travels between the writer and its many potential readers. The Writers Store carries a number of acceptable covers.

Script reader

(See above as Reader.)

Script Writing Software

Computer software designed specifically to format and aid in the writing of screenplays and teleplays.

Securely Bound Script

Typically, a stageplay contest's request that a script be more firmly bound than brads will do. Either it is literally bound, or it is securely held in a folder.

Set

The physical elements that are constructed or arranged to create a sense of place.

Setting

The time and place of a play or screenplay.

SFX

Abbreviation for Sound Effects.

Shooting Script

A script that has been prepared to be put into production.

Shot

What the camera sees. For example, TRACKING SHOT would mean that the camera is following a character or character as he walks in a scene. WIDE SHOT would mean that we see every character that appears in the scene, all at once.

Showrunner

A writer/producer ultimately responsible for the production of a TV series, week to week.

Simultaneous Dialogue

When two characters speak at the same time, written in two columns side by side.

Situation comedy

Also known as a "sitcom," a normally 30-minute (in the United States) comedic television show revolving around funny situations the main characters repeatedly fall into.

Slugline

Another name for the SCENE HEADING

SMASH CUT

A quick or sudden cut from one scene to another.

Soap Opera

Daytime dramas so named because they were originally sponsored by the makers of laundry detergent in the early days of television.

Spec Script

A script written without being commissioned on the speculative hope that it will be sold.

SPFX

Abbreviation for Special Effects.

Split Screen

A screen with different scenes taking place in two or more sections; the scenes are usually interactive, as in the depiction of two sides of a phone conversation.

Stage center

More commonly known as Center Stage, it is the center of the performance space, used for placement of the actors and the set.

Stage Directions

In a stageplay, the instructions in the text for the actors (e.g. entrances, exit, significant actions or business) and stage crew (e.g. lights fade). Also, in a musical, the person who directed the non-musical elements of the show may be credited with "Stage Direction" to distinguish him from the Music Director, who will be credited with "Music Direction."

Stage Left

On stage, the actors' left, assuming they are facing the audience. "Left" for short.

Stage Right

On stage, the actors' right, assuming they are facing the audience. "Right" for short.

Stock Shot

A sequence of film previously shot and available for purchase and use from a film library.

Submission

Name for a script once it is submitted to producers or agents.

Suggested Setting

A setting on stage in which a few set pieces or lighting or other technical elements take the place of elaborate set construction.

SUPER

Abbreviation for "superimpose" meaning the laying one image on top of another, usually words over a filmed scene (i.e. Berlin, 1945).

Synopsis

A two to three page, double-spaced description of a screenplay.

Tag

A short scene at the end of a movie that usually provides some upbeat addition to the climax.

Technical Demands

The extent to which a play requires specific lighting, sound, sets, etc. Plays with minimal technical demands are easier and less expensive to produce.

Ten-Minute Play

A complete play, with a beginning, middle and end, designed to play in ten minutes.

The Business

Show business in general; more specifically, Hollywood moviemaking and television business.

Thriller

A fast-paced, high stakes crime story in which the protagonist is generally in danger at every turn, with the most danger coming in the final confrontation with the antagonist.

Thrust

A stage configuration in which the playing area protrudes into the audience; the actors have audience on three sides of them.

Ticking Clock

A dramatic device in which some event looming in the near future requires that the conflict reach a speedy resolution (hence, the ticking clock).

TITLE

Text that appears onscreen denoting a key element of the movie, a change of location or date, or person involved in the making of the movie.

Title Page

A page of the script that contains the title and the author's contact information.

Touring Play

A play with minimal technical demands that is meant to be easily packed up and moved from one performance space to another.

Transition

A script notation denoting an editing transition within the telling of a story. For example, DISSOLVE TO: means the action seems to blur and refocus into another scene, and is generally used to denote a passage of time.

Treatment

A scene by scene description of a screenplay, minus all or most of the dialogue.

Tweak

A minor change made in a scene or portion of a screenplay or a stageplay.

Unsolicited Script

A method of script submission in which the writer sends the script, without prior contact, to the theater or production company. Some theaters allow this, most don't-and very few film production companies, for liability reasons, can read unsolicited materials.

Upstage

The part of the stage farthest from the audience, so named because when stages were raked (slanted), an actor walking away from the audience was literally walking up. Called "Up" for short.

V.O.

Abbreviation for Voice Over, denoting that the speaker is narrating the action onscreen.

WGA Signatory

An agent, producer or production company that has signed an agreement to abide by established agreements with the Writers Guild of America.

Workshop

A developmental "production" of a play, with a significant amount of rehearsal, but with less fully realized production values (e.g. set) than a full production.

Writers Guild of America

Also known as "the WGA." The main union for screenwriters in the United States, with chapters in Los Angeles (WGAw) and New York (WGAe).