1. What is a Script?

A script is a document that outlines every aural, visual,

behavioral, and lingual element required to tell a story.
film is a VISUAL medium so screen writing is nothing but art of
writing the story “visually”.

2. Script Elements
These are the unique margin, case, and position attributes that
give feature film script text the format and consistency expected
by all participants. Once you are accustomed to them you'll be
able to tell your story the way an industry reader is accustomed to
seeing it.

• Scene Heading
• Action
• Character Name
• Dialogue
• Parenthetical
• Extensions
• Transition
• Shot

3. Scene Heading
The Scene Heading, sometimes called Slugline, tells the
reader of the script where the scene takes place. Are we
indoors (INT.) or outdoors (EXT.)? Next name the location:
BEDROOM, LIVING ROOM, at the BASEBALL FIELD,
inside a CAR? And lastly it might include the time of day -
NIGHT, DAY, DUSK, DAWN... information to "set the
scene" in the reader's mind.
For example:
INT. BEDROOM - MORNING
EXT. LAS VEGAS STRIP - SUNSET
INT. OFFICE - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS ACTION
EXT. KEY WEST MARINA - DAWN - ESTABLISHING
EXT. PASADENA - ROSE PARADE - STOCK FOOTAGE

4. Action
The ACTION or Description sets the scene, describes the
setting, and allows you to introduce your characters and set the
stage for your story. Action is written in REAL TIME.

5. Character Name
Before a character can speak, the writer inserts a
CHARACTER NAME to let the reader know this character's
dialogue follows.
 6. Dialogue
DIALOGUE rules apply when anyone on screen speaks.
During a conversation between characters. When a character
talks out loud to himself... even be when a character is off-screen
and only a voice is heard.

7. Parenthetical
A Parenthetical remark can be an attitude, verbal direction
or action direction for the actor who is speaking the part.
Parentheticals should be short, to the point, descriptive,
and only used when absolutely necessary.

8. Extension
O.S. - Off-Screen
V.O. - Voice Over
An Extension is a technical note placed directly to the right of the
Character name that denotes HOW the character's voice will be
heard by the audience. An Off-Screen voice can be heard from a
character out of the camera range, or from another room
altogether.

9. The 3- Act Structure

Act I – Beginning
Act II – Confrontation
Act III – Resolution

10. The dramatic premise

All characters have a dramatic need – an aim or goal that sets

your story in motion. This is the dramatic premise or inciting
incident of your film. Without this, in the first 10 or 20 minutes, your
film has no purpose, no urgency, no drama. And without this, you
will not have an audience. The bigger the stakes, the more
mysterious your dramatic premise, the more the audience will
invest emotionally in your story.

11. Characters

A character is a person depicted in a narrative or drama.

Characters may be flat, minor characters; or round, and
major. The main character in a story is generally known as
the protagonist; the character who opposes him or her is the
antagonist.

Goal  driven  protagonist  

this  character  begins  with  a  goal.  We  know  instantly  what  they  want,  how  they  
intend  to  get  it  and  the  problems  they  face.  The  actions  they  take  to  achieve  their  
goal.  
Passive  protagonist  
This  character  beings  passively,  but  is  quickly  forced  to  become  active  by  events  
beyond  their  control.  Finding  the  rules  and  their  limits  in  the  “new  world”  
o Insiders  
happy   and   stable,   they   have   what   they   want   and   are   oblivious   to  
the   “explosion”   about   to   happen   to   them.   We   watch   them   try   to  
recover  and  make  the  best  of  their  new  circumstances.  
o Outsiders  
somehow   different   from   those   around   them,   don’t   fit   in   their  
current   world.   This   often   eases   their   transition   into   the   “new  
world”.  

Antagonist:   most   are   willful,   driven   characters.   His   goal   opposes   those   of   the  
hero   and   cause   direct   conflict.   This   character   should   be   an   equal   to   your  
protagonist  –  this  generates  maximum  tension  and  propels  and  narrative  –  and  
until  the  final  moments  you’re  not  sure  who  will  win.  

12. essential  qualities  of  a  character:  

 
The  character  has  a  strong  and  defined  dramatic  needs  
They  have  an  individual  point  of  view  
They  personify  and  attitude  
They  go  through  some  kind  of  change  or  transformation  
Your  main  character  must  be  an  active  force  

Credibility.  
The  audience  must  believe  that  your  hero  is  capable  of  a  particular  action  or  of  
reaching  his  goal.  Otherwise  you’ll  lose  them.  If  they  do  something  extraordinary  
or  inexplicable  that  you  haven’t  set  up  (foreshadow),  we  won’t  believe.    
 
Character  Biography  
The  Character  Biography  is  an  exercise  that  reveals  your  character's  
interior  life,  the  emotional  forces  working  on  your  character  from  birth  
 
• Is  your  character  male  or  female?    
• If  male,  how  old  is  he  when  the  story  begins?    
• Where  does  he  live,  what  city  or  country?    
• Where  was  he  born?    
• Was  he  an  only  child,  or  did  he  have  brothers  and  sisters?    
• What  kind  of  childhood  did  he  have?  Happy?  Sad?    
• Physically  or  medically  challenging?    
• What  was  his  relationship  to  his  parents?    
• Did  he  get  into  a  lot  of  trouble  as  a  kid?    
• Was  he  mischievous?    
Character  Traits  
• Character  traits  are  all  the  aspects  of  a  person’s  behavior  and  
attitudes  that  make  up  that  person’s  personality.    
• Everyone  has  character  traits,  both  good  and  bad.    
• Character  traits  are  often  shown  with  descriptive  adjectives,  like  
patient,  unfaithful,  or  jealous.    
Good Character Traits

• Religious
• Honest
• Loyal
• Devoted
• Loving
• Kind
• Sincere
• Devoted
• Ambitious
• Satisfied
• Happy
• Faithful
• Patient
• Determined
• Persistent
• Adventurous
• Homebody
• Considerate
• Cooperative
• Cheerful
• Optimistic
• Pessimistic
• Funny

Bad Character Traits

• Dishonest
• Disloyal
• Unkind
• Mean
• Rude
• Disrespectful
• Impatient
• Greedy
• Angry
• Pessimistic
• Repugnant
• Cruel
• Unmerciful
• Wicked
• Obnoxious
• Malicious
• Grumpy
• Quarrelsome
• Caustic
• Selfish
• Unforgiving

Character Traits of a Leader

• Domineering
• Boorish
• Persuasive
• Ambitious
• Bossy
• Disparaging
• Picky
• Sly
• Cold-hearted
• Rude
• Self-centered
• Conceited

Character traits for children

• Playful
• Zany
• Active
• Wild
• Silly
• Affectionate
• Funny
• Rough
• Talkative
• Rowdy
• Smart
• Fidgety
• Shy
• Lively
• Submissive
• Stubborn
 
 
 
Story  
all   of   the   elements   contained   within   the   narrative,   in   chronological  
order.   In   other   words,   everything   that   happens   to   all   of   the  
characters  places  in  a  straight  line  through  time.  

• Plot  
how  the  writer  chooses  to  order  the  story  elements;  intercutting  
main   plots   and   sub-­‐plots,   and   incorporating   flashbacks,   flash  
forwards   etc,   if   necessary.   Only   begin   plotting   when   you   have  
all   of   your   main   story   events   and   you’re   ready   to   sequence  
them.  
• Theme  
theme  is  the  expression  of  the  universal  value  of  your  story;  the  
reason   why   it   will   connect   with   an   audience.   There   may   be  
several   themes.   Or   you   may   not   know   the   theme   until   you’ve  
 finished,   but:   “if   your   script   is   about   what   it’s   about,   you’re   in  
deep  shit”.  
o Plotting  
“a   film   should   not   have   a   beginning,   a   middle   and   an   end.  
But   not   necessarily   in   that   order.”  
the  art  of  plotting  revolves  around  trying  to  find  the  most  
effective  dramatic  structure  for  your  story.  Which  may  or  
may  not  be  linear.  But  your  main  character  is  always  the  
vehicle  that  carries  the  reader  through  the  narrative  
o Main  plot  
the  main  plot  follows  the  protagonist’s  action  line  
through  the  story.  It  carries  the  major  thrust  –  to  get  the  
hero  from  the  inciting  incident  to  his  goal  in  around  100  
pages.  
o Sub-­‐plot  
sub-­‐plots  involve  other  characters  and  other  events  that  
connect   directly   or   indirectly   to   the   protagonaist’s   main  
plot.  They  may  run  parallel  to  the  main  plot,  or  contrary  
to  it.  They  are  useful  carries  of  theme  and  often  provide  
the  deeper,  emotional  levels  of  your  story.  
 
Conflict  
conflict is an inherent incompatibility between the objectives of two or
more characters or forces. Conflict creates tension and interest in a
story by adding doubt as to the outcome. A narrative is not limited to a
single conflict. While conflicts may not always resolve in narrative, the
resolution of a conflict creates closure, which may or may not occur at a
story's end.
Conflict may be internal or external—that is, it may occur within a
character's mind or between a character and exterior forces. Conflict is
most visible between two or more characters, usually a protagonist and
an antagonist/enemy/villain, but can occur in many different forms. A
character may as easily find himself or herself in conflict with a natural
force, such as an animal or a weather event, like a hurricane. The
literary purpose of conflict is to create tension in the story, making
readers more interested by leaving them uncertain which of the
characters or forces will prevail.
There may be multiple points of conflict in a single story, as characters
may have more than one desire or may struggle against more than one
opposing force. When a conflict is resolved and the reader discovers
which force or character succeeds, it creates a sense of
closure.Conflicts may resolve at any point in a story, particularly where
more than one conflict exists, but stories do not always resolve every
conflict. If a story ends without resolving the main or major conflict(s), it
is said to have an "open" ending. Open endings, which can serve to ask
the reader to consider the conflict more personally, may not satisfy
them, but obvious conflict resolution may also leave readers
disappointed in the story.
The basic types of conflict in fiction have been commonly codified as
"man against man", "man against nature", and "man against self."
 
• Exposition  
as   you   will   have   found   during   your   character   biography  
exercise,   events   in   the   recent   past   affect   what   is   happening  
now.   If   that   is   the   case,   the   reader   must   be   provided   with   the  
context  –  the  background  to  the  events  and  characters  in  your  
plot.   This   is   known   as   backstory,   or   exposition.   How   you  
choose   to   relate   these   “backstories”   takes   thought   and   may  
shift  your  narrative  timeline/plot  (characters  don’t  usually  tell  
their   own   story   –   writers   often   use   devices   such   as   flash  
forward,   flashback,   voice   over   or   through   other  
characters/conversations.)   you   don’t   have   time   to   tell  
everything,   but   tell   what   is   relevant.   Usually   exposition   is   all  
given   Act   1   –   but   holding   back   a   crucial   element   can   create  
anticipation,  mystery,  and  intrigue.  
 
 
 
 
TABLE  READ  
• The read-through, table-read, or table work is a stage of film,
television and theatre production when an organized reading
around a table of the screenplay or script by the actors with
speaking parts is conducted.[1][2]
• In addition to the cast members with speaking parts, the read-
through is usually attended by the principal financiers or studio
executives, producers, heads of department, writers, and
directors. It is extremely rare for anyone not involved in the
production to be permitted to attend. It is usually the first time
everyone involved in the production will have gathered together
and it is traditional to go around the table (usually a ring of tables,
 in fact) and allow everyone to introduce themselves by both name
and job. The director may then open proceedings by making a
short speech outlining his or her aspirations for the project.
• An additional professional actor not otherwise involved in the
production may be hired to read the non-dialogue parts of the
script such as scene headings and action. These parts of the
script are usually edited down severely for the purposes of the
read-through to keep the pace of the reading up.
• In film[edit]
• The read-through is an important milestone in the production of
most films. It is a clear signal that all of the key elements,
including cast, finance and heads of department, are in place and
that pre-production is almost complete. It is often the first time
that the script has had a life beyond the written word, and it is
also an opportunity for everyone involved in production to get at
least a partial insight into the way the actors may approach their
roles. In addition, a read-through is often a surprisingly powerful
tool for identifying problem areas in the script. Wooden dialogue,
unbelievable situations or boring sections of the film which have
not been addressed during the script development process are
often writ large in the read-through, and may now come under
intense scrutiny.[3]
• It is traditional to treat the read-through as a cold reading.
Because the actors have had no rehearsal time, and may not
even have discussed the project much with the director, they are
not expected to give a performance but simply to read the words
on the page. Some actors including major Hollywood stars will
indeed read their entire role in a flat monotone, whereas others
(often actors from the theatre, or character actors with relatively
minor parts) will 'go for it' and are often the most entertaining part
of the process.[citation needed]
• The read-through can be very nerve-wracking for the producers,
director, writer and executives. Despite the fact it is supposed to
be a cold reading, everyone is on the alert for possible casting or
script problems—a lack of chemistry between the principals, a
key player who lacks charisma, a script which has logic problems
or is obviously extremely boring. Even in their very short
introduction, it may become clear that the director is unsure of
himself or herself, or finds it difficult to communicate ideas. On the
other hand, it can be extremely exciting to finally see a project
which may have been in development for many years finally
begin to take on a life of its own.
• In his book Adventures in the Screen Trade, screenwriter William
Goldman describes the read-through as the most important part
of film production, because if the script is right and the cast is
 right there's not much else that can go wrong.
• In an unusual example, the Space Ghost Coast to Coast episode
"Table Read" consists entirely of recorded footage of a read-
through for an early version of the episode "Fire Ant".