Script Research

To create my script, I will look at other scripts to see what they look like, then I will use a similar structure to create mine.

Script For The Opening Scene from F.r.i.e.n.d.s

SCENE 1: CENTRAL PERK. (ALL PRESENT EXCEPT RACHEL AND ROSS)MONICA: There's nothing to tell! He's just some guy I work with!

JOEY: C'mon, you're going out with the guy! There's gotta be something wrong with him!

CHANDLER: So does he have a hump? A hump and a hairpiece?

PHOEBE: Wait, does he eat chalk?

(THE OTHERS STARE, BEMUSED)

PHOEBE: Just, 'cause, I don't want her to go through what I went through with Carl- oh!

MONICA: Okay, everybody relax. This is not even a date. It's just two people going out to dinner and- not having sex.

CHANDLER: Sounds like a date to me.

(CUT TO SAME SET)

CHANDLER: Alright, so I'm back in high school, I'm standing in the middle of the cafeteria, and I realise I am totally naked.

ALL: Oh, yeah. Had that dream.

CHANDLER: Then I look down, and I realise there's a phone... there.

JOEY: Instead of...?

CHANDLER: That's right.

JOEY: Never had that dream.

PHOEBE: No.

CHANDLER: All of a sudden, the phone starts to ring. And it turns out it's my mother, which is very weird, because- she never calls me!

(CUT TO SAME SET. ROSS HAS NOW ENTERED)

ROSS: (MORTIFIED) Hi.

JOEY: This guy says hello, I wanna kill myself.

MONICA: Are you okay, sweetie?

ROSS: I just feel like someone reached down my throat, grabbed my small intestine, pulled it out of my mouth and tied it around my neck...

CHANDLER: Cookie?

MONICA: (EXPLAINING TO THE OTHERS) Carol moved her stuff out today. (TO ROSS) Let me get you some coffee.

PHOEBE: Ooh! Oh! (STARTS TO PLUCK AT THE AIR JUST IN FRONT OF ROSS)

ROSS: No, no don't! Stop cleansing my aura! No, just leave my aura alone, okay? I'll be fine, alright? Really, everyone. I hope she'll be very happy.

MONICA: No you don't.

ROSS: No I don't, to hell with her, she left me!
This Script Includes:

• A scene number
• Location
• Characters present
• Characters name, and what they say
• Punctutions, so you know how that the character will speak
• Stage directions
• Character directions.

Eastenders Script

Appendix 1: Key for Transcripts:

Key

. = short pause

 

.. = long pause

 

/ = onset of overlap

 

[unclear] = speech is unclear

 

underlined = stress

Appendix 2: Transcripts:

 

Storyline 1:

Conversation 1:

 

 

Janine:            You never mentioned anything about seeing Doctor Leeroy

Barry:             I bumped into him yesterday . he said he wanted to see me about the tests
Janine:            Well maybe you got the results through . you should make an appointment and find out what’s going /on/
Barry:             /No/ he told me the results .. it’s er .. it’s serious Janine  I’ve got an enlarged heart
Janine:            What
Barry:             That’s what he said . so I was scared it was the same thing as dad so I looked up the causes on the net last night um . hypotrophic cardio /some/
Janine:            /Hang/on hang on . are you sure because if you can’t exactly remember the name and the doctor never even told you him/self/
Barry:             /Yea/ well he’s not gonna tell me is he . that’s that’s why he wants me to go and see the specialist so that he can explain it
Janine:            Explain what Barry
Barry:             I could go of a heart attack at any time
Janine:            [looks shocked and sighs] Oh . oh my poor Barry [hugs him] . oh baby . well why didn’t you tell any of this to me last night
Barry:             I didn’t know how to [Janine sighs sympathetically] we’re uh .. we’re gonna have to call off the wedding [Janine looks disappointed]

 

Conversation 2:

 

 

Janine:            Barry .. this is terrible .. but we love each other and that is the one thing that we’ve got to hold on to

Barry:             What have I done to deserve you
Janine:            So just say it . please . we we can get married tomorrow . whatever
Barry:             I don’t know
Janine:            But we’ve gotta go through with it . as your wife I can take care of you properly
Barry:             I can’t think straight
Janine:            Then I’ll do the thinking for you
Barry:             No . that’s not fair on you . it’s . er .. this is something I’ve gotta work out for myself I’m sorry
Janine:            Barry

 

This Script Includes:
 

• Appendix
• A Key
• Storylines
• Different conversations
• Character directions
• Characters names, and what they say.
• Punctutions, so you know how that characters will say thier lines.

The Simpsons Movie Script Opening

20th Century Fox ident. From halfway through, Ralph Wiggum sings along with the tune.
RALPH
Da-da-da-da! Da-da-da-da! Da-da-da-daaa!
The logo fades to black-and-white and scrolls off-screen. The Moon comes into shot. A spacecraft flies over the surface and lands on the Moon, to the music from "2001: A Space Odyssey". Scratchy climbs down the side of the craft, making his way onto the Moon's surface. He takes big strides across to an American flag, next to which Itchy is standing.
SCRATCHY
We come in peace, for cats and mice everywhere.
Itchy removes the flagpole from the surface and stabs Scratchy in the chest several times; Scratchy screams each time. Itchy hits him over the head several times, breaking his space helmet and causing his head to expand and pop. Itchy points and laughs at him, then goes back to the ship and flies back to Earth.
A newspaper, The Washington Post, spins into view. It reads, "MOUSE HERO RETURNS" with the subtitle, "Did Everything To Save Cat". A second headline reads, "A WIDOW MOURNS".
A parade fills the street with blue mice not unlike Itchy, who rides in a car. "Itchy for President" and "Itchy/Hillary '08" banners can be seen.
ITCHY
Hey, how you doin'? Good to see ya. Thanks for coming out.
It seems Itchy does become President. One night he is eating cheese n the White House and hears Scratchy's voice.
SCRATCHY
(echoing) Itchy... Itchy...
Itchy looks up at the Moon with binoculars. Scratchy is still there, lying on the ground; he holds up a placard, reading "I'm Telling". After much deliberation, Itchy decides what to do - launch missiles at the moon. He opens up a secret government machine and sets it to "Accidental Launch".
Hundreds of rockets are fired towards the Moon. As they close in on him, Scratchy screams with his mouth wide open. All the rockets enter his mouth and swell him up. One final rocket flies in close, stops, then opens a compartment in the front. A boot comes out and kicks Scratchy, causing him to explode into pieces.
Homer's head appears in front of the screen.
HOMER
Boring!
LISA
Dad! We can't see the movie.
We see that the family are in a movie theatre, along with many other Springfield citizens.
HOMER
I can't believe we're paying to see something we get on TV for free. (gesturing) If you ask me everyone in this theatre is a giant sucker. (points at camera) Especially you!
Homer's image fades as the traditional Simpsons opening begins...
 
This Script Includes:

• What you will see
• Stage Directions
• Character Directions
• Characters names and what they say
• Directions of how the character will speak
• Punctuation, so you know how that characters will say their lines.

Shrek Movie Script Opening

                                     SHREK
                         Once upon a time there was a lovely
                         princess. But she had an enchantment
                         upon her of a fearful sort which could
                         only be broken by love's first kiss.
                         She was locked away in a castle guarded
                         by a terrible fire-breathing dragon.
                         Many brave knights had attempted to
                         free her from this dreadful prison,
                         but non prevailed. She waited in the
                         dragon's keep in the highest room of
                         the tallest tower for her true love
                         and true love's first kiss. (laughs)
                         Like that's ever gonna happen. What
                         a load of - (toilet flush)
               Allstar - by Smashmouth begins to play. Shrek goes about his
               day. While in a nearby town, the villagers get together to go
               after the ogre.
NIGHT - NEAR SHREK'S HOME
MAN1                          Think it's in there?

MAN2                          All right. Let's get it!

MAN1                          Whoa. Hold on. Do you know what that
                         thing can do to you?
MAN3                          Yeah, it'll grind your bones for it's
                         bread.
               Shrek sneaks up behind them and laughs.

SHREK                          Yes, well, actually, that would be a
                         giant. Now, ogres, oh they're much worse.
                         They'll make a suit from your freshly
                         peeled skin.
MEN                          No!

SHREK                          They'll shave your liver. Squeeze the
                         jelly from your eyes! Actually, it's
                         quite good on toast.
MAN1                          Back! Back, beast! Back! I warn ya!
                         (waves the torch at Shrek.)
               Shrek calmly licks his fingers and extinguishes the torch. The
               men shrink back away from him. Shrek roars very loudly and long
               and his breath extinguishes all the remaining torches until the
               men are in the dark.
SHREK                          This is the part where you run away.
                         (The men scramble to get away. He laughs.)
                         And stay out! (looks down and picks
                         up a piece of paper. Reads.) "Wanted.
                         Fairy tale creatures."(He sighs and
                         throws the paper over his shoulder.)
THE NEXT DAY
               There is a line of fairy tale creatures. The head of the guard
               sits at a table paying people for bringing the fairy tale creatures
               to him. There are cages all around. Some of the people in line
               are Peter Pan, who is carrying Tinkerbell in a cage, Gipetto
               who's carrying Pinocchio, and a farmer who is carrying the three
               little pigs.

This Script Includes:
 

• Characters names, and what they say
• Location
• Character directions
• Punctuation, so you kow how the characters speak.
• Stage directions
• Day changes.

 
 
What I Will Include In My Script.
 
From looking at these scripts, I have seen what I need to include in my script, and I will use a mixture of these for my script they are:
 

• Scene Numbers, so I knw what scene to film.
• Locations, so I know where to film.
• Characters, and what they will say, so me and the characters know what they will say.
• Stage directions, so I can direct myself, and the actors.
• The titles.

 
 
 
 

Research On: Camera Shots/Angles/Movement/Composition/Cutting/Sound/Mise-en-scene

Definitions Which We Were Taught In Class:
I Will Make Sure To Use A Good Mix Of These In My Trailer, To Create Various Effects.

Camera Shots

• Establishing Shot: A shot which services to either introduce the audience to a location and context, or remind them of it.
• Master Shot: Film of an entire scene shot with all characters included in the frame.
• Wide Shot: The subject takes up the entire frame from top to bottom.
• Two-Shot: A shot that includes two people (Used to establish relationships).
• Ariel Shot: Taken from directly above, often by a helicopter.
• Point-Of-View Shot: When the camera takes place through a characters eyes.
• Over The Shoulder Shot: Looking from behind a person at the subject, cutting off the frame just behind the ear. The person facing the subject should occupy about 1/3 of the frame.

Master Shot

Establishing Shot





Wide Shot

Two Shot













Ariel Shot

Point-Of-View Shot





Over The Shoulder Shot

Camera Angles

• High Angle: The camera is set high up and looks down on the subject.
• Low Angle: The camera is set low (Knee Level) and looks up at the subject.
• Canted Angle: The camera is set at a tilted angle often to suggest a point-of-view.

Camera Movement

• Pan: A movement which scans a scene horizontally.
• Crane: Using a crane, the camera can move up, down, left, and right, swooping in on action or move diagonally.
• Zoom: When the camera moves close to the subject.
• Reverse Zoom: Moving away from the subject.
• Tilt: A movement which scans a scene vertically, otherwise similar to a pan.
• Dolly: The camera is placed on a moving vehicle and moves alongside the action, generally following a moving figure or object.
• Steadicam: A heavy contraption which is attached to a camera to an operator by a harness. The camera is stabilized so it moves independently.
• Handheld: Often used for documentary or fly on the wall films.   

Camera Composition

• Framing: The deliberate way subjects are organised so we focus on them.
• Focus Pulls: Whatever the photographer/camera operator wants the audience's focus to be drawn to.
• Deep Focus: When only a small part of the image is in focus.
• Rule Of Thirds: Imagine the frame is made up of 9 squares, the eye is always drawn off centre so avoid the centre square.
• Depth-Of-Field: The area of an image that is in focus (sharp).

Cutting

• Shot Reverse Shot: Where one character is shown looking (Often Off Screen) at another character and then the other character is shown looking "back" at the first character. Since the characters are shown facing the opposite directions the viewer unconsciously assumes that they are looking at each other. (180 Degree Rule).
• Jump Cut: A transition between 2 shots which appears to "jump" due to the way the shots are framed in relation to each other.
• Parallel Editing: An editing technique that allows 2 or more simultaneous sets of action to unfold within a single film sequence.
• Insert: Part of a film that is filmed from another angle.
• Eye-Line Match: The first shot shows a person looking towards an off-screen object. There is a cut to the second shot, which shows the object of the person's gaze and the space surrounding the object.
• Cross-Cutting: Editing between 2 scenes that are happening at the same time, manipulating space for the audience.
• Cutaway: The interruption of continuously filmed action by inserting a view of something else.

Transitions.

• Dissolve: To fade out one shot or scene, while simultaneously fading in the next, overlapping the two during the process.
• Wipe: A gradual shift from one image to another.
• Superimposition: When one image or video is placed on top of an existing image or video to "cover" something up.
• Ellipsis: What is left out of a narrative, but remains in the story.
• Post-Production: The editing stage, where material is manipulated using software and transformed into a finished media product.
• Fade In/Fade Out: When an image appears from a darkened screen or disappears into the dark.
• Long Take: An uninterrupted shot which can be used for effect.
• Slow Motion: A sequence where time is slowed down.

Sound

• Synchronous: Sounds that match with the image on screen.
• Asynchronous: sounds that are not matched with a visible source on screen.
• Dialogue: What characters say:
• Voice Over: A non-diegetic voice that gives information, characters view, ECT.
• Mode Of Address: How a text in any medium speaks to its audience.
• Diegetic Sound: Material that exists in the world of the text. (Ex, Dialogue).
• Non Diegetic Sound: Material added for the audience. (Ex, Atmospheric Music).
• Sound Perspective: The apparent distance of a sound. (Ex, Horse Hooves Coming Close Matched With Action On Screen).

Soundtrack

• Score: The music arranged for a film/TV programme.
• Themes: The main or initial piece of music used. (Often Reoccurs Throughout A Film Or TV Show).
• Ambient Sound: Background noise. (Sets A Scene).
• Incidental Music: Can add to a scene perhaps to introduce a dramatic event, create a particular atmosphere between scenes, or to enhance story telling sequences.
• Stings: A short sequence of music used in films and TV as a form of punctuation.

Mise-En-Scene

• All the elements that the director/photographer choose to make up a media production. These Include:
• Set Design
• Costume
• Props
• Colour Design
• Location
• Studio
• Make-Up
• Lighting.

Trailer anaysis

To get ideas for my film trailer and to see what I need to include I will look at some different film trailers of the horror genre and I will see what they all have in common and what is different, so I know what I need to include.

Trailer 1 - Saw

 

 

 

From looking at this trailer, there is music playing right from the beginning and it builds more towards the end. The whole trailer is dark and there is not much light, this creates a dark and scary effect and helps you to feel more part of it. At the beggining the main character in the film Jigsaw starts to talk as he says 'I wanna play a game' and this is a continuous theme throughout the film, so the trailer is continuous with the film. When the dummy/Jigsaw has spoken you hear a voice over from one of the other characters from the film, and what you hear them say if from the film, so again it is continuous. Also with the voice over it is taking you through what the main plot of the film is so it gives you an idea of what the film if like. In the trailer you dont see any scary parts but little parts of what could be scary, so this shows you what will happen in the film without giving too much away. Also with what you see, it builds with the music and gets faster and more scary near the end.

In between shots you see title screens and on them they say things to do with the movie, and they are in a style and font to match the film. The actual title of the film is not revealed until near the end, and shortly after you see the time it is being released. At the end of the trailer there is a black screen with nothing on it, but you hear a scary laugh, this helps to create a scary effect. 

 

Trailer 2 - Scream

 

 

From looking at this trailer, it starts off with a part from the film where the phone rings, and ringing phones are a big part in the film, so it is keeping the theme, without actually giving away what the main theme is. The action slowly builds up in the part you see and very quickly the trailer gets more fast and scary and breaks into action. As soon as this happens there are loud sound effects and loads of action. You also hear a lot of screams. A voice over then starts and title screens appear, and the voice over reads what they say. There is not really any background muic in the trailer until the end. There are mostly just sound effects, until the end where music kicks in, and it is like a creepy, scary sound which gets louder and faster at the end. There is a title near the begginign of the clip which shows the film company, and no others until near the end. Near the end there are titles that show who the director is, so people know who made it. At the end of the trailer the title of the film is shown, and then after that a screen of credits are shown.

 

Trailer 3 - A Nightmare On Elm Street

 

 

 From looking at this trailer the first thing you see is the film company new line cinema and then you get to the actual trailer. When you first see what's going on music starts, and it's like music from a music box. Along with this music you hear a voice over introducing you to the story is telling the audience something that the characters don't know. The main characters are shown and the 'killer' is revealed. The trailer starts off slow and not much is revealed. As the trailer goes on it gets more action packed and you see blood and scary parts from the film, along with this action the music changes and gets more fast paced aswell. As the trailer continues so does the voice over, as it talks about the killer which is Freddy. Near the end of the trailer the voice over desribes who the film was directed by, by saying what other films he has directed. After this the main titles are revelaed for the second time because they are shown really quickly about half way through the trailer.

 

Trailer 4 - Final Destination.

 

From looking at this trailer, it jumps straight into the trailer, and there is no titles before it. It jumps straight into the storyline so you know what the film is going to be about. When the main storyline has been revealed the film comapany is revealed. The music then starts and it is like tension music, this helps to set a mood for the trailer. There are also titles inbetween with messages about the film on them. Then a voice over is heard, but at first you don't know who it's coming from. You then see that it is coming from one of the characters in the film, and they are talking about what has been going on. Near the end of the trailer the music starts to quiet down and there are sound effects from the film to help build the action and make the audience want to see the film. As the trailer gets near the end the action gets faster, and then there is a slow quiet moment, then the action gets faster again and the trailer ends. At the end the title appears and there is a little bit of tension music in the background. There is also music after that when the credits appear on a separate screen. After that at the very end you see one of the characters from the film speaking.

My Conclusion

From looking at these trailers I have decided that my trailer needs:

• To have dark colours in, and not look very happy and bright
• A film complany logo at the beginning
• The film logo to appear at the end
• A credits page after the logo/title
• Tension/creepy music which needs to start of slow and build up and get louder to help build and create tension and mood.
• A slow moment near the end so it can speed up and get faster.
• A voice over from one or more characters from the film
• Title screens inbetween shots with bits to do with the film on
• A release date
• Sound effects with the titles
• To say who the director is
• A short bit at the end where a character speaks.