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The Narrative Script Format

Lecture Outline

Parts of a Script

Scene Heading: Notes where the action is to take place

EXT. Exterior; noted at beginning of scene heading.

INT. Interior; noted at beginning of scene heading.

Action: Describes what is seen on the screen.

Character: Name of character is always typed in capital letters, typically one word.

Dialog: The words the actor must memorize.

Parenthetical: Notes emotional delivery of the lines.

Transition: Notes the start or end of a major scene.

History Early silent films often had simple outlines of the action to be shot by the director. This was written by a “scenarist,” often someone with some writing experience. With the invention of the “Talkies” in 1927 (The Jazz Singer), movie audiences demanded sound pictures and the silent movie era ended a couple of years later. BY the 1930s a script format developed that we use today. Producers found that by following this format, they could estimate the running time of a script.

Using the script format, one page will equal approximately one minute of screen time. This is not precise; a single page may actually run shorter or longer than 60 seconds. However, when taken as a whole, the page count will average out pretty close to the finished running time.

Most feature films are two hours long. As a result most feature scripts are 120 pages.

Many people break into Hollywood by writing what is called a “spec script.” This is a script that a writer creates a script without pay in the hope or “speculation” that someone will option it. In Hollywood, producers or even stars will option scripts that they like in the hope that they can get the financing to get it produced. An option is a hold on the script which gives the producer the right to make the movie, without actually paying for the script. Many scripts are optioned every year, but only a few are actually made into films. Many writers live off the option fees of their scripts, even though they may never have had a film made.

Format

Because scripts have their history in the old style manual typewriters, newer screenwriting software copies the font size and type of these old machines. A number of professional software titles are available for screenwriters, but an excellent one is Celtx, which is free for both the Mac and PC.

The script format is strictly followed. It shows professionalism. Producers will not read a script that isn’t formatted correctly because they will assume the writer doesn’t have the necessary knowledge to create an effective story for the screen.

Screenplays differ from novels and short stories. A skilled screenwriter will limit the detail in the script to just the bar minimum needed to visualize the story. They leave out information about the internal thoughts and feeling of the characters. They also keep to a minimum screen direction as this is the director’s job. Also, unlike novels, screenplays may go under several “re-writes” as the producer, studio and director all ask for changes.

Pay

Most professional screenwriters are members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA), a union. The WGA sets minimum pay standards for film, television and new media (online) work. In the past, the members of this union have voted to strike to improve their pay.

A typical writer's deal usually comprises:

• Option: Money paid in exchange for the right (the "option") to produce—and therefore to purchase outright—a screenplay, treatment or other work within a certain period.

• Guarantee: Literally, the money the writer is guaranteed to receive, whether the script is produced or not. This amount is usually divided into payments for multiple drafts (commonly, a draft and a "set," a set being a rewrite and a polish). The guaranteed money are sometimes referred to as the "front-end."

• Bonus/Bonuses: Also known as the "back-end." Typically, a production bonus is paid once the script goes into production, or, if there has been more than one writer, after the final credit has been determined. A typical contract will specify a smaller production bonus for shared credit. There may also be bonuses contingent upon budget (e.g. "if the movie's budget is greater than x...") or grosses. The cousin of the bonus is the "penalty," which might be paid by the writer if, for example, the script has not been put into production by a set date. Penalties are rarely included in writer's deals, however.

An A-list screenwriter can be paid $1 million to write the first three drafts of a script, with a further $1 to $2 million sole credit bonus. Once the story has been agreed upon and the script locked, script doctors may be brought upon to revise the final draft at $100,000 to $200,000 a week. Recently, Columbia Pictures have been offering the best screenwriters two percent of the gross profits (after the production and marketing budget has been deducted). Typically the development of a script consumes 5 percent of a film's budget.

The highest price paid for a spec script was $5 million for Déjà Vu. M. Night Shamalan was paid a record $7.5 million for his screenplay for The Village. Peter Jackson was paid over $20 million to write direct and produce King Kong.

A writer for television may be regularly employed on a show. A writer that successfully pitches a new television show idea can become a “show runner.” This is the producer in charge of the management and creative authority of the series.

Salary Source: Wikipedia