Script Writing

Difference between
script and script
writing
 What is a script?
-the written text of a stage play,
screenplay, or broadcast.

-it can be an original story, straight from

your brain.

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 Script writing
- Also known as screenwriting.

- the process of writing stories in the

screenplay medium. 

- is writing down the movement, actions,

expression and dialogue of the characters in
screenplay, in screenplay format. 

- translate pictures and sounds into words.

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 TIPS:

Read some scripts (different

genres)

Read some scriptwriting books

Watch some great films

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Basic
steps to
write a
script
 1. Create a Logline &
Develop Your Characters

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 Create a Logline
• Logline: one or two sentences that will encapsulate your story in an intriguing
manner.
• A sentence description of a film that shows the most interesting elements of the
storyline to hook the reader.
Ex.
1. Elf: A Christmas Elf goes to New York City.
2. Finding Nemo: When his son is swept out to sea, an anxious clownfish
embarks on a perilous journey across a treacherous ocean to bring him back.
3. Toy Story: A cowboy doll is profoundly threatened and jealous when a new
spaceman action figure supplants him as top toy in a boy’s room.

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 Develop Your Characters
• Write their backstories. Refine their personalities.

• Character development is the process of creating and telling a story about a

fictional character.

Ex. if your protagonist is a lost soul, then his backstory could be one of his
family abandoning him in unusual circumstances during his childhood.

• Always make sure that your characters have goals that they need to achieve.

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 • The point is that characters having purpose is what makes them
interesting. Flat characters destroy scripts.

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 Types of Characters
1. Protagonists (primary)
The character at the center of the plot whose choices drive the story
and whose fate determines the story’s outcome.

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 3 types of protagonists
1.The Classic Hero- Classic heroes are brave, are selfless, and try to do
the right thing.
Ex. Think Harry Potter, Jane Eyre, Atticus Finch, or Katniss Everdeen.
2. The Anti-Hero- Anti-heroes are not noble, rarely do the right thing,
and might, in ordinary circumstances, be considered the villain.
Ex. Think Severus Snape, Huckleberry Finn, or Han Solo.
3. The Ordinary Hero- These characters have an even mix of admirable
and less noble qualities, just like most of us.
Ex. . Think Neville Longbottom, Holden Caulfield, and Jane Austen's
Emma Woodhouse.

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 2. Antagonist (Secondary)
• Also known as Villain - the chief source of external conflict.
• Has a strong connection to the hero.
• The goal of the villain, to make the audience hate him/her.

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 2. Write an Outline

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 OUTLINE
• a roadmap or blueprint for your story. It helps you see the big picture
and plan the sequence of scenes, characters and ideas .

•  a way for writers to organize the events of their story before they
actually write it.

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 What is the most important thing in an outline?
• The most important thing about outlining is to get your thoughts
down on paper so you don't forget them!

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 Outline
• A story outline is a pre-writing tool used to organize
your story. It's a way to visually see the arc of your
story and the major points you need to hit, so you can
create a comprehensive plan for writing your book.

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 6 easy steps To outline your story

1.First, map out the key

scenes.
-Start by laying out the
major scenes or events
you know so far.

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 2. Add high-level details
• Next, add a sentence
or a short paragraph
for each scene. 

• This will help you

consider where
characters are
introduced and how
this scene connects
with the next one.

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 Write your plot
- breaking the story down
into all the small pieces and
inciting incidents that make
up the plot – which some
people call a 'beat sheet’. 

Five parts of plot:

• Exposition
• Rising Action
• Climax
• Falling Action
• Resolution
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 3. Get the sequence right

• Look for scenes that

feel out of place. 

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 4. Add imagery or video

• Experiment by adding
images or movie clips
that relate to your
scenes.

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 5. Ask for feedback
• With any creative
technique or project,
it’s important to be
open to constructive
criticism. 
• Make sure you stay
open to suggestions
and improvements and
try not to take criticism
personally.

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 6. Start a rough draft

• Now you have a solid

outline for your story
and you've gathered
constructive feedback,
you can start sketching
out the details in a
draft. 

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 3. Write a Treatment

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 • Now you get to start flexing your prose muscles and develop your
style.

• Expound and write the whole story scene by scene in a conventional

manuscript style. Experiment with dialog, or at least make note of
what you want your characters to say.

• It is where you really start building the world that your story takes
place in.

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 4. Write Your Script

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 Write Your Script
• You’ve developed your characters, structured your plot, and have an
inspired treatment. Understand the formatting.

• Remember to show, not tell: you’re writing for the eyes and the ears. 

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 5. Write Your Script
Again

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Fundamental
building blocks of
scriptwriting
  Typical script format
• Courier font, 12-point size, single-spaced. Courier is a “fixed-
pitch” or monospaced font.

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 Fundamental building blocks of scriptwriting
• Scene heading: This heading signifies the beginning of every scene and is placed at the very top of
each in ALL CAPS. It will either say: “EXT.” or “INT.” These abbreviations are simply short for
“exterior” and “interior” to describe the location of the action in your scene. This is followed by the
name of the location itself, as well as the approximate time of day in which the scene takes place. For
example, “INT. KITCHEN – NIGHT” or “EXT. GARDEN – DAY”

• Action Descriptions: Action lines are describing the action of your characters in any scene. It may be
tempting to write long descriptions, but keep these sentences as neat as you can. Remember: you’re
not writing a novel or poetry; you’re describing the literal action as it appears on-screen.

• Characters. When introducing characters for the first time within an action description, capitalize
their name and include 10 or so words that describe their main attributes. When they speak, their
character name is centered on the page with their dialogue immediately following.

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 • Parenthetical: A parenthetical is one of the ways scriptwriters can add performance or action details
related to lines of dialogue.

• Dialogue. To make your dialogue as authentic as possible, focus on understanding your characters as
if they were real people.

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 The standard screenplay format
1. 12-point Courier font size.
2. 1.5 inch margin on the left of the page.
3. 1 inch margin on the right of the page.
4. 1 inch on the of the top and bottom of the page.
5. Each page should have approximately 55 lines.
6. The dialogue block starts 2.5 inches from the left side of the page.

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STORY BOARD DESIGN
 STORY BOARD
• is a graphic organizer that plans a narrative or, for
instance, a writing objective.
• he linear direction of the cells is perfect for
storytelling, explaining a process, and showing the
passage of time.

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 10 types of camera shots you should know about
1.Extreme wide shot
2.Very wide shot
3.Wide shot
4.Mid-shot
5.Two shot
6.Medium close-up
7.Close-up
8.Extreme close-up
9.Over-the-shoulder shot
10.POV shot

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 Extreme wide shot

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 • This camera shot is typically an “establishing shot” that determines
your scene’s location. These types of camera angles remind us where
we physically are, so have this in your back pocket for location
switches.

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 Very wide shot

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 • In a very wide shot, location is still very prevalent, but the subject will
also be somewhat visible. This is great to contextualize your characters
in their surroundings.

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 Wide shot

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 • Wide shots are also known as long shots or full body shots. These
frames put a more equal emphasis on your subject and their
surrounding environment. Your character should take up as much of the
frame as possible, while still fitting comfortably within the scenery.

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 Mid-shot

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 • The mid-shot takes a step closer to your subject. This composition
shows body language, gestures, and personality — it’s all about them.
With this almost full-body shot, we want to see less of the setting and
more details of the actual person.

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 Two shot

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 • Similarly framed to a mid-shot, two shots include two subjects instead
of one. Both are given equal stage weight in the frame (as you can see
in the example above). Their body language, along with the distance
between them, helps convey their relationship.

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 Medium close-up

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 • In between a mid-shot and a close-up, a medium close-up gives greater
detail, but we still see some body language. Typically, medium close-
ups depict the subject from the shoulders up.

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 Close-up

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 • Close-up shots focus on a part of the subject (usually their face) or
object. This brings your character’s facial expressions front-and-center,
and your audience can easily read their emotional responses.

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 Extreme close-up

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 • The extreme close-up camera shot is exactly what it sounds like — the
camera shows as much detail as possible. An extreme close-up also
brings a degree of intensity to your scene. You can use it to achieve
comedic relief, tension, and heightened emotions. This shot style can be
incredibly versatile.

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 Over-the-shoulder shot

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 • These camera shots frame a subject by peeking over-the-shoulder of the
person they’re interacting with. These are strongest in scenes when two
people are engaged in conversation — or a passionate fight (see above).

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 POV shot

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 • And finally, the POV shot depicts a character’s first-person perspective.
Most traditionally, your footage is captured as if the camera is the
subject’s eyes.

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 • Remember, these are only a few of the many types of shots in film. As
your skills and your projects evolve, you’ll quickly discover which shot
types are your favorite as a filmmaker.

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