FADE IN: EXT. STREET - METROPOLIS – NIGHT. CLOSE ON a crumpled piece of rubbish lying in the gutter. It is flattened by the wheel of a pushcart. CAMERA PULLS BACK: we SEE a street in a city neighbourhood still fighting its way out of The Depression. KIDS play stickball, PEOPLE stand about, out-of-work MEN recline on tenement stoops. Over this SUPERIMPOSE: METROPOLIS 1938 CAMERA TRACKS UP past a boarded-up store window with a "For Rent" sign on it, PAST trash cans being investigated by foraging dogs, PAST the stoop of brownstone where some care has been taken to keep things clean, a YOUNG COUPLE bend over a crib, shaking a rattle and cooing at a new-born BABY wrapped in a pink blanket, UP PAST the roof of the brownstone, higher and higher, PAST the distant skyscrapers.
The above movie script begins by setting the scene, setting out the location, and time of day, what can be seen and what happens. It then goes into greater detail, a baby in a pram with a pink blanket, the year, it details what can be seen in the foreground, the middle section and beyond, a skyscraper in the distance. This immediately assists the actors to visualise their surroundings, to place themselves in the picture to see the scene through the viewers eyes. To help them to feel their surroundings, to place themselves at the location.
JONATHAN under the truck, shoots a quick look at his wife, then - as her scream stops in a gasp - he looks behind him as CAMERA PANS: The BABY is holding up the truck, two wheels off the ground.
JONATHAN (looks - alarmed) Martha, there is something downright strange about that boy. Where he come from, what he just did back there. Now surely you don't mean to...
MARTHA (firmly) No one must ever know.
JONATHAN But Folks'll ask questions...
MARTHA We'll say he's child to my cousin in North Dakota, and just now orphaned. Jonathan, he's a baby... (cuddles baby) Poor thing.
JONATHAN Well... (sigh) Maybe we could give it a try for the time being'. I'd better hitch
4 - EXT. SMALLVILLE HIGH FOOTBALL FIELD – DAY - CAMERA LOOKS DOWN on a typical Midwestern small town high school football field in the 1950's. A coach's whistle signals the end of the team's practice session.
In the script above one scene we see Jonathan and Martha (Superman’s parents), realising that the baby they found in their barn has super strength. Each actor is prompted by their name being stated, usually in block capitals to make it stand out from the other text. The description of the mood or tone of the character is also stated, again to prompt the actor. Jonathan-looks alarmed, Martha, speaks firmly. The language and text used is Restricted Code, in that the wording/dialog is less formal, and quite casual in nature. The target audience for this type of film would be aimed at families, so needs to be appropriate an entertaining for a broad age rage. I would say that this is reflected in the language used within the script, it is non offensive, all age appropriate and not too complexed in nature. Within this script no specific terms are used to mark the end, but the next scene is introduced, again by setting out the surroundings, who’s there, what time of day it is etc. This is a clear and concise way of marking a change in environment, change of mood, characters.
This script is broken into three main parts, the set-up, where the script writers introduce us to superman as he arrives on earth, how he works hard to grow up on earth without being detected, the middle point of the script is where we learn more of superman’s powers, where he and the planet are attacked by evil, and finally the resolution or end section where he fights back and wins against all odds.
As with most films the whole superman story is self-contained with the whole story being told over about a 2 hour period, unlike a TV show which is likely to be told in half an hour to an hour, potentially in instalments. This script is a shooting script in that it includes directions for the cameraman and how each scene is being shot. It also includes dialog script for the characters, the order in which things should take place, what the scene looks like and the location.
2.Radio Drama/News Report
Anchor: Breaking news just in. There’s been a major train accident near Downtown. We have our reporter, Kevin, at the scene. Kevin?
Reporter (Kevin): Yes, I’m here at the train station where the accident occurred. A train derailed causing major disruption. Emergency services are on the scene. I have Mr. Brown, a witness, with me. Mr. Brown, what did you see?
Interviewee (Mr. Brown): It happened suddenly. The train went off the tracks. People were shocked. The emergency teams arrived quickly and started helping.
Reporter (Kevin): Thank you, Mr. Brown. We’re glad you’re safe. The situation is still developing. We’ll bring more news as we have it. Back to you.
Anchor: Thanks, Kevin, and thank you, Mr. Brown. Our thoughts are with those affected. We will keep you updated.
A news script usually follows the same format regardless of what is being reported. There is normally an opening lead which starts the news report, maybe just a short catchy phrase or a few lines, a headline almost to grab the audience’s attention. This is then followed by some further context, sometimes referred to as the bridge which gives more information but is still somewhat of a summary, highlighting the main points. Then leading into the main body of the story which should tell the audience who the subject is, what has happened, where it happened and potentially why. News scripts are usually written in the present tense in that they are informing viewers of new or emerging matters, there are occasions however when news reports will offer historical information to support new news! Depending on the time of the news report the nature of the subject may be tailored to be age appropriate, or may come with a pre-warning, we often hear reporters saying things like, there are some scenes or images in this report that viewers may find distressing. Or that there is flashing images, for light sensitive viewers. The language used within most formal news reports would use elaborated code, in that the wording is likely to be longer and more detailed, more fact based, and not use slang or shortened versions of words. The example above begins with the anchor reporter, the main reporter often the one based in the studio giving the opening lead, before passing to the reporter who is based at the scene, giving a live update of what is happening. The reporter then is seen to interview an eyewitness, this gives a first hand account and adds to the validity and mood of the story.
To some extent this section of the report is unscripted which can be dangerous if the stream is live to the audience but adds to the drama too. The reporter then summarises what has happened and then passes back to the studio for a final conclusion. This type of news report has a more fluid script, unlike if the anchor was simply reading the latest news from a pre-prepared script, which they follow word for word and is a lot more ridged.
The target audience for such reports is likely to be adults, therefore the language used is usually adult appropriate. In order to keep listeners interested the reports should usually be unbiased and factual, where facts can’t be proved phrases such as , “it is being reported”, or “we understand”, this allows for some degree of error where a story is still developing.
SCENE 5020/1. BEALES'. INT. NIGHT. 21.43. STUDIO A [DIRECT PICK UP OF 5018.
THE LIVING ROOM OF THE BEALES’, 20TH FEBRUARY 2015.
JANE MOVES TO THE TABLE. IAN LOOKS AT HER, EYES RIVETED ON HIS WIFE OF A FEW HOURS]
IAN: So come on then, I’m waiting. Tell me what happened. [THE SILENCE IS CRUCIFYING] Tell me I’m wrong. Tell me I’m mad. Tell me I’m putting things together that just don’t go.
[JANE CAN’T LOOK AT IAN. HER MOUTH GAPES. SHE LOOKS SICK] I can’t breathe. [IAN HEADS INTO THE KITCHEN. STAY ON JANE, HEART POUNDING, AS SHE LISTENS TO IAN FILL A GLASS FROM THE TAP.
Much like a film a TV drama or TV Soap series needs to have a start, middle and an end. The start in a running series may begin with a recap of the last episode to rejog the viewers memory, the middle will be new material and the end will often finish with a cliff hanger, leaving the viewer wanting more, desperate to watch the next episode. This keeps viewers interested particularly in soap type TV programmes where producers are fighting for viewing figures and must tell several stories alongside each other using multiple characters, whilst running a certain story for weeks. Most episodes will run for about 30 minutes, showing both short- and long-term storylines, this keeps the audience interested and helps to give more of the numerous cast an active role. In a 30 min episode there is usually 3 or 4 acts with several commercial breaks in between. This allows stories to change from one to another, for the scene and characters to change, sometimes returning back and forth between the many storylines. The actual physical script is therefore quite complicated, but as with a film it will still start by stating the date, the episode, then be broken down into scene setting, time of day, where the scene is happening, actors script with the character’s name printed in bold capitals, character guidance to prompt them of the mood, facial expressions etc, there will also be guidance for the film crew, stating where close ups, or fading in/out shots are required to add to the feel of the scene.
Most soaps are aired around 7pm onwards so there must be some consideration about who might be watching and the topics that are chosen. Some soaps air over two time slots an earlier one with a second part later when more adult appropriate topics might be used. Often in these type of TV soaps, which are a dramatization of real life, restricted code would be used, which is less prescriptive and more true to how we speak in everyday life, this helps the characters to seem more relatable and helps the audience to form emotional connections and therefore remain interested and left wanting to know more, thus increasing viewing rates. The dialog used needs to be immersive and is often emotive again to make the character seems more realistic and to better connect to the viewers, and at the same time being entertaining which is the ultimate objective of this genre of script.
From my own experience of making a documentary I found that it was difficult to write the script until after the footage had been taken, then I pieced it altogether based of what my investigation had found. I did write an outline to keep me on track but it changed quite a lot before the final shoot. As with other types of script, a documentary needs a beginning, middle and end, like every story. My own documentary was initially quite chaotic but sticking to these three main areas helped to gel it altogether at the end.
For my documentary I knew the main message I wanted to get across in the end, so I actually worked backwards from there. But the start of a script documentary needs to start with the main message but in a condensed short form, this gives viewers an insight into what is to come and hopefully captures their attention. This is the point where setting the tone of the entire documentary begins and must be tailored to the target market. The genre of the documentary is usually non-fiction and tends to have an educational and entertainment element, so a flavour of this must be presented at the start of the script. The beginning of a documentary script is also the point at which the writer must attempt to set out the problem or issue being explored, in my documentary, was there any correlation between early onset dementia in sports people and head injury. Next comes the main body of the documentary script in which the story is told as it moves through and discusses the key evidence leading eventually to the final conclusion.
Often documentary scripts are broken down into a two column template, one outlining the video footage and the other covering the audio, this will be verbal presentations as well as background music, or music played to link different sections of the presentation. Within the documentary script there is also likely to be archived film clips, photographs, interviews, (with written transcripts) and voice overs as well as the producers own footage. These all combine to tell the story, to explore different views and opinions and to hopefully provide enough information that the viewer feels better informed and independently takes their own messages from the documentary content.
A game script is unlike many other scripts for several different reasons. There is, Like the script of a film or TV series a general story, and like the end of a film there is usually an ultimate aim of the game, how players win or lose, which is similar to the conclusion or ending of a movie. In a game script however, where the story goes and how it ends is constantly changing and to some degree determined by the player, so is very interactive. In the case of a film there is usually one main author, who will write the script independently of the film producers whereas in a video game there is usually a whole team working together closely both in terms of script, and the actual game production.
Unlike movies, documentaries or TV shows, game scripts are much less formal, often taking place in outer world scenarios or extremes of reality therefore there are no normal confines of real life, what is possible and even what is moral seems to have no bounds in video games, which is reflected in the script. A script that is often player led rather than writer led. There is always however a basic framework to such games be it a driving game, a football game or a combat type game.
There is the usual plot/storyline which underpins the game, different characters, even if these are first person characters, there are some general rules or boundaries, although often options seem limitless, Also within video games players are free to determine the direction of the game, to build alliances, mistakes can be deleted with endless opportunities to restart, and delete errors.
