Reading Literature On Screenwriting

All Information has been adapted from the BBC writers room website.

I have read 2 screenplays; they mainly tell you the same information as everything has to be lined up when producing a script, bold capital letters must be used when stating characters either by first name or last but 1 of them may remain and used throughout, also it must be underlined with a colon at the end. The dialogue what the character says is placed under the name and with a single line space. Parenthetical instructions appear in capitals and are enclosed with brackets that are rounded e.g. (PAUSE).

 Scene headings are to be put in bold stating whether it is ext or int and if it is day or night. The scene action must be in capitals and enclosed with brackets that are square and with double spacing used between each paragraph.  Sometimes you can include the time of day but it isn’t essential. The scene actions should only state what it happening on the screen and should certainly not drift into unnecessary novelistic text associated to characters. Scenes can continue across the page so you don’t have to skip to another line and type another heading and scene.

Drama scripts are typed with wide left margins for the camera and sound cues to be inserted when the script is sent into the studio to be recorded. In a script as well you must avoid technical information. It is traditional to indicate a transition at the end of each scene.

If you start a new scene it must start on a new page even if it is really short and that scene headings are always to be followed with a scene action. If there is a scene where it is always moving then it must state ext/ int or the other way around depending on where the scene starts of. If there is a scene with a small amount of dialogue then it is best to split the scene actions in two paragraphs as it makes it easier for readers to read because lots of text on a page is off putting.

If (O.O.V) is stated next to a character then it means that the character is not actually present in the scene but can be heard from other rooms. If (V.O) is stated next to a character’s name then it means that voiceover is used when a character isn’t in a scene, but they can be heard through a mechanical device like a telephone, this can also be used when a character narrates a story. If (INTO PHONE) is stated under the characters name then this is the character we see on the phone but if you want to show both people on the phone then use (INTO PHONE) and state that both characters are on the phone. However if you want to show one person on the phone but only hear the other person then use voice over (V.O). But you don’t need to do that for every single speech, but it is essential to show when the people hang up (HANGS UP).

If cutting back and forth to scenes then the scene heading should look like this as it states the inter cut, and what time of day it is for example. (LOCATION #1 / LOCATION #2 - NIGHT 1 (INTERCUT).  

If flashbacks were included in the film then you should state (FLASHBACK) and once ending it state (ENDFLASHBACK). Also include the number of each page and staple the pages together so they don’t get separated.

The last thing you have to do with a script is to sign it off properly.

Finally i have learnt that there are many things you must do when are writing a screenplay and that there are also lots of rules to follow but if you never no how to write a screenplay or are stuck there are many websites that help on the internet. I have also learnt how to write a screenplay properly as i have read through the screenplay formats.

Task 3 researching into television and Film

All information has been addapted from wikipedia.
I have been looking at some drama television shows that have a lot of sad parts in, this will help me so I can start researching about all the different type of drama television programmes and films, but mainly films.  The television programmes I have chosen to look at are:

·         Ashes to ashes

·         Hustle

The reason I have chosen these are because I used to watch ashes to ashes and hustle sometimes however bonekickers I have never watched so I will have to do some more research into that to get the idea into my head of what goes on in the programme. Because my short film is a drama genre based film I will have to look in to the different types of sad parts there are in the programmes.  Not only will I be looking into television programmes bit I will be looking into drama films as well.

The drama films I have chosen to look at are:

·         Saving Private Ryan

·         Red Riding hood

I chose these drama films to look into because I have watched Saving Private Ryan when I was at school for my GCSE’s so I still have a clear imagination of what goes on and red riding hood is a classic childhood film that I watched when I was younger, but honey 2 I have never watched I will have to research into that to get a clear understanding of what happens in that.

 

Television Programmes

Ashes to Ashes Plot

Ashes to ashes is a fictional police procedural drama television programme. The programme began airing on BBC 1 in February 2008 and then a second series began in April 2009 and finally the third series starting broadcasting in April-May 21^st 2010 which was also broadcasted on BBC HD as well as BBC radio 1 altogether there were 24 episodes of the programme. The programme tells a fictional story of Alex Drake who’s played by Keeley Hawes a police woman who was in service with the Metropolitan police in London, is shot in 2008 but curiously regains consciousness in 1981.

 

Hustle Plot

      Hustle is a British TV drama series which is made by kudos film and television, made for      BBC One. The Television programme was created by Tony Jordan from the makers of spooks. The first series was broadcasted in 2004. The series follows a group of con artists, who specialise in making someone believe in something that isn’t true, that requires a large responsibility.

Films

Saving Private Ryan Plot

Saving Private Ryan is an American 1998 war film that was set during the invasion of Normandy (WW2). The film was directed by Stephen Spielberg. It also had a screenplay made by Robert Rodat. The film is famous for the passion of it’s opening in 27 minutes which shows the Omaha beachhead assault June 6^th 1944. Throughout the film it follows Tom Hanks playing as U.S Army Captain, John H Miller and seven other men as they search desperately for a paratrooper Private First Class James Francis Ryan played by matt Damon he is the last surviving brother of 4 other servicemen.

Robert Rodat gathered the idea of saving Private Ryan through watching a memorial event which was dedicated to 8 siblings who was killed in the American civil war. Robert Rodat then imagined a similar sibling narrative that was set in World War II. There was a script that was created and submitted to the producer Mark Gordon who then handed it to Tom Hanks. It finally ended up with Stephen Spielberg who directed the film. The film idea is based on a real-life story of the Niland Brothers.

At the start of the film we see an elderly person with their family visiting the Normandy American Cemetery and memorial at France. It then cuts to the morning of June 6 1944 the beginning of Normandy invasion, as the American Soldiers prepare to land on the Omaha beach, they struggle due to German troops, machine gun nests and also artillery fire. The scene then cuts to the United States where General George Marshall is told that 3 of the 4 brothers in the Ryan family have died in a space of a couple of days apart and their mother will be told and the captain is told that James Francis Ryan is claimed as missing in action. The Captain orders that Ryan is to be found and sent home because of the sole survivor policy. 6men and 1 who speaks fluent French and German are sent to search for Ryan.

Ryan is found among 3 paratroopers ambushing a German half-track. Ryan is then told about his bothers deaths and their mission to bring Ryan home safely and also that 2 people have lost their lives in the search to find him.

Captain Miller dies after being shot and Ryan was with him as he dies and says his last words to James which were “James...Earn this. Earn It”.

At the ending of the film it goes back to the scene of the elderly veteran who is made known as Ryan at Captain Millers grave, the camera pans down showing the gravestones and then to a peaceful American flag.

Red riding Hood Plot

Red riding hood is an American/ Canadian fantasy film that is directed by Catherine Hardwicke and Amanda Seyfried staring as the title role, David Leslie Johnson made a screenplay for the film. It is very freely based on “The little red riding hood” which are collected by Charles Perrault who is known as "Le Petit Chaperon Rouge" (little red riding hood) and many years later by the Brothers Grimm Rotkäppchen known as little redcap.

Valerie played by Amanda Seyfried lives in a village of Daggerhorn that is on the edge of a ghostly black forest. Valerie developed an attraction for haunting and sneaking out to see a boy who she admired when she was told not to do so. The boy she loved is known as peter played by Shiloh Fernandez. Her parents disapproved of peter and wanted her to marry another guy who was the son of a wealthy blacksmith. The small village was plagued by a werewolf who only comes out at night and only feeds on livestock. Things change around the small village once they find out that Valerie’s sister Lucie who is played by Alexandria Mailot is found dead killed by a werewolf. Valerie recieves a wedding gift early from her grandmother played by Julie Christie to help her emotions.

 

The gift was a red hooded cape. They take the wolf’s head back to Daggerhorn to celebrate their feelings but Valerie’s father Solomon played by Gary Oldman, who is a priest experienced in werewolves as he had to kill his own wife to protect their children. Normally once the werewolf kills someone it goes back to its human form but this didn’t happen so the villagers ignore this.  Valerie learns her mother was in love with Michael shanks that’s known as Adrian years before meeting her husband and she unexpectedly gave birth to Lucie as a result. Cesaire is unaware of this. Valerie confronts peter for rejecting her after she was forced by her mother to do that.

The werewolf appears again killing many of the villagers and injuring one of the guards. The wolf confronts Valerie and her friend Shauna Kain known as Roxanne they are both horrified but they learn that Valerie can understand what the wolf is saying and can talk to it as well.

Solomon kills the injured guard as anyone bitten by the werewolf will be cursed to become one. Harry tells Valarie he had seen her with Peter and they agreed to call of the engagement.

Peter disappears and Valarie suspects him, attacks him and rushes to her grandmother’s house but is unexpectedly greeted by her father using her grandmother’s voice. Cesaire tells that he is the werewolf but all his relations can speak to him because of this he realized that Lucie was not his daughter as she couldn’t understand him. He offers Valarie to become a werewolf, she refuses and he tries to force her into it. Peter is knocked out and Valarie kills her father, then peter sees he has been bitten and he would be cursed to become the werewolf, as an alternative of killing him, Valarie and he dumped Cesaire’s body in the lake as peter rows away, because he leaves Valarie behind he promises to return to see her. Valarie moves from Daggerhorn into her grandmother’s cottage waiting for the day peter returns. The film ends with Valarie smiling mischievously.

How has this influenced my idea for a short film?

This has influenced my idea for a short film because there are a lot drama films about relationships whether it is family or siblings as seen above. There are also a lot of deaths as well. The reason I came up with my idea for a short film was because as most people already know that drama films have deaths and family relationships.

Task 3-Research-Survey

This survey will consist of 7 questions. Please read my idea and then answer the questions below.

My idea is: Father dies because of car crash, mother survives and moves away leaving triplets behind, triplets end up in care and separated to be with foster parents. They meet after 3 years at a holiday camp and then they make plans to find their mother, in the end they end-up back in foster homes but together.

1)      Gender: Female/Male

2)      What are your opinions on drama films?

3)      What drama films have you watched?

4)      What do you like best about drama films?

5)      What is the worst part of drama films for you?

6)      If you don’t watch drama films what type of genre films do you like?

7)      Are there any improvements that I can make to my short film idea?

Schedule of my six steps

My final chosen idea, is idea 2.. these are the 6 steps i intend to complete by certain dates.

Step One: Gather 3 ideas and develop one.
Step Two: Publish a research plan on how i will utilise primary and secondary research.
Step Three: Collect research and publish it then state how it has influenced my idea for a short film.
Step Four: Read existing screenplays, blog about them saying what I have learned? and has this inspired my own writing?( To find screenplays use unit lowdown task two sheet.)
Step Five: Read literature on screenwriting, review it and say what the publications have taught me about writing.
Step six: Re-visit my original research.

Step one&two- Achieved.
Step three will be completed by 23rdOctober-Achieved.
Step four will be completed by 28th October.
Step five will be completed by 30th October.
Step six will be completed by 31st October.

ScreenWriting Research

For my research I will be producing primary and secondary research.
For the primary research I will create surveys for the public of all ages to answer,  it will ask people what their views are on drama films and what I could do to improve my idea.
Finally for secondary research there are a range of forms out there but the ones i I will use are reading existing screenplays on drama films, looking at the different writing techniques,i will need to research into that as im unexperienced. I will also need to read plots from drama films that have a similar storyline to mine, look at blogs or on websites  (internet) to see other peoples view on drama films too.

ScreenWriting Ideas

Horror- Haunting, Paranormal Activity.

Sci-Fi- 2012, AI.

Sad (Dramas)-My sisters Keeper, You've got a little bit of heaven.

Idea 1-We came up with this idea as a group.
Setting: House
Incident: Ghost's protects her sister (twist)-Initially ghost is bad.
Genre: Horror, drama.
Setting: Family home becomes haunted.
Plot: 2 sisters- 1 is killed (poisoned).
Step mother? ---> The other sister’s journey.
Father!! --> Because sisters possessed.
The ghost is friendly and protects the family, but the sister turns evil and turns against her sister by attempting to murder her, but the friendly ghost saves the sister and it ends up that the sister is poisoned by their father.

Idea 2

Plot: Father dies because of car crash, mother survives and moves away leaving triplets behind, triplets end up in care and separated to be with foster parents. They meet after 3 years at a holiday camp and then they make plans to find their mother, in the end they end-up back in foster homes but together.

Idea 3

Genre: Action

Setting: pub

Incident: Bar fight

Plot: 2 men Jim and Tom start fighting because Jim has a girlfriend and Tom slept with Jim’s girlfriend.

Characters: Jim and Tom

Beginning: Quite atmosphere and Tom is having a quite pint by himself whilst Jim bursts into the pub and asks Tom if he can have a quite chat.

Middle: They start fighting because of what Tom did.

End: Tom ends up in hospital and Jim is pleased he has made Jim aware of what he did and wants him to stay away from his girlfriend.

Idea 2: For my short film I have decided to base my idea as a drama film.

My idea is there are 3 triplets girls aged 10 who live with there parents in a high class house. There parents go out for the evening in a car but when the girls realise they don’t come home they phone their family member and stay with them to find that later on that night they are told that their mum and dad was involved in a car crash due to a drunk driver. The next day the 3 girls visit the hospital with their aunt and are told that their dad has passed away because of serious injury’s however their mum has survived with bad bruising. After the crash their mum has not been coping so she moves abroad to live with her parents, leaving the 3 girls behind making them go into care as their auntie doesn’t have the time to look after them. It ends up with the 3 girls going into care and then getting split up with different foster families so they don’t see each other.

After 3 years the girls are 13 and being on there own for the last 3 years has been a struggle. The girls are sent to a camp not knowing all 3 of them are there but after 3 year they have changed a lot however they meet when doing an activity and all go to a private room. They make a plan to find their mother again once they have finished camp as they know she moved abroad. Once camp has finished they take route to find there mother after flying to where there Nan and gramp live (their mum’s parents) they manage to find the house. They explain to their mum how they have managed to make contact and how they found where she was. Their mother explains to them how she is not coping and that she has been having nightmares about the crash ever since, because of this their mum explains she cannot look after them with money costs and she will have to go back home to live with their foster parents but they will live together as sisters again. They end up losing contact with their mum because of all what’s happened.