How to write a script

[beatroot]

How to write a script: Individual major work

Disclaimer: I did not do HSC Drama at all during Year 11 or Year 12 so I might use terms different to ones taught to you in class. However, I am a film student who’s studied scriptwriting for one of my subjects and would love to pass my knowledge along to those wanting to write a script for their HSC Drama Individual major work.

1. How to structure your script.

There are a lot of factors that are within a script; action, location, character, parentheticals, fade ins/outs and more. But how do you structure it? If you check out this script structure document right here, you can see where location is placed. Dialogue is directly in the middle of the page. Character’s names are in capitals (unless their names are mentioned in the dialogue- then it must be written normally). Parentheticals are in brackets. Transitions are on the right side of the script.

2. Be concise. This is not a short story. This is a script. We are in the present.

Each page of your script equates to a minute. If a one minute scene takes over three pages, then there’s something wrong. Scripts are meant to be easy to read and has to be smooth.

Instead of saying:

When CHRIS reaches his brother’s bedroom, not one trace of him can be found. CHRIS decides to go to his sister’s room, hoping to find company. Though when he reaches his sister’s bedroom, she’s not even there? Where can she be? CHRIS shrugs at the missing sights of his siblings. He checks to see if his parents are in their bedroom. To his surprise, they’re not even there? What is going on?

Just say:

He enters his brother's bedroom. No one. He goes into his sister's room. She's not there. He checks his parents’ bedroom. Gone.

Just look at how concise that is. Every sentence needs to be snappy and needs to be straight to the point. You need to remember that asking rhetorical questions or saying stuff like “she knows that she’s been here before” or stuff that cannot be portrayed visually on the screen and is an instruction for an actor on how to feel internally, are completely irrelevant. This will just eat up your space. Be straight to the point. Also avoid repeating the same over and over again- unless you’re trying to emphasis something.

3. Avoid using shots in your script- this is not a shot list.

The shots that you intend to use for your film shouldn’t really be mentioned within your script as the script is meant to be narrative outlet, not a shot list for your cinematographer. ***unless your teacher has specified for you to include shots.

4. Dialogue. Make it natural.

A great way to make your dialogue as natural as possible is to simply draw inspiration from real life. Avoid your superficial dialogue from blockbuster Hollywood films. Observe how your friends talk. See how your parents interact. How your co-workers talk to you. Another tip I would suggest would be to mix your script’s characters with yourself. Add a piece of yourself within the dialogue.

5. Action > internal emotions.

Let the actor interpret how they wanna feel in the scene. Don’t dictate them at all. Action should not be longer than five lines within a paragraph.

6. Your first draft will always be trash. Submit and get feedback.

If there’s one thing my script writing tutor told my class that I always found helpful was that ‘you should never stick with your first draft’. Your first draft will contain the foundations of your script. You just then have to take responsibility to add more layers of meaning in your script. This can include adding metaphors, improving dialogue and juicing up your scenes. Grab feedback from your Drama teacher and see what they think. Though feedback shouldn’t just be limited to your teacher. See what your parents think. What your friends think. Maybe, if you’re brave enough, see what the person sitting next to you on the bus thinks.

7. Table reads are a thing, right?

Having your script read out loud maybe daunting at first but you soon learn that it is so helpful- especially with dialogue. You get to hear your dialogue being said by ACTUAL people. If people are struggling to grasp your dialogue then you might want to change it. When I had my script read for a table read, I noticed that saying ‘I am not’ is not as smooth and natural like ‘I’m not’. In terms of action, you’ll be able to hear if your descriptions/sentences are too long or not.

8. What programme can I use?

There are plenty of script writing programs out there! Some are free and some come with a fee. Final Draft is the mother of all script writing programs as it is the industry standard. Best to invest in this if you plan on pursuing film/theatre in the future. However, for the sake of your individual work, you may try the following programs;

Celtx (offline version is free whilst online version has a free trial and you must pay afterwards!). This scriptwriting programme is used at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) and the Australian Film Television Radio School (AFTRS), so it has a great reputation. Fade In, Amazon Storywriter and Adobe Story are other programmes that you can use as well. You’re always welcome to use Google Docs or Microsoft Word but it’s difficult to format your script properly in these programmes as they don’t have this built in and you have to format your script manually.

9. Everyone’s writing style is unique!

There really isn't a ‘right’ way to write a script. Do whatever you’re comfortable with! The screenwriter for ‘Alien’ used very concise sentences whilst one of the screenwriters for ‘The 100’ used very descriptive words to describe the scenes within the show.

10. Believe in yourself! (cliche but true)

At the end of the day, IT IS YOUR DAMN SCRIPT! Write your heart out! Make it as complex as your heart desires. See how far you can push the boundaries. Your script is your baby, treat it well. The more confident you are about your script, this will bounce off the page and other people will appreciate your script, your writing and your ideas.

Good luck everyone!

[Potatohater]

Just as someone who is currently writing a play script for uni, I have a few things to add.
- film scripts (this applies to those doing video drama) have a strict formatting that must be applied. The programs mentioned above can help you with this.
- play scripts have a much more flexible formatting and can be written in a word document if you like.
- that being said about the flexible layout, there are still conventions you must use, such as writing character names in caps, and using italics for stage directions.
- make sure you use the formatting correct to your scripting style. We want people to know what sort of script we are reading, and this is done through the recognition of format differences.
- remember, this is a collaborative work. You can include details as to set and lighting but only if it’s abdolutley nesecarry to your work and message. All other design decisions should be left to the designers. That applies to actor and director desicions too.
- in terms of dialogue, Bea has given good tips for natural dialogue, however, for the theatre you may want to step away from this depending on the theatre style adopted. Just make sure that when you play with words and make them unnatural there is a purpose, not just because it’s a cool technique.

I think that’s all I have to add at the moment, so get writing and see where it takes you!