M1 - Script Conventions

 M1 - Script Conventions

In order to create a script that is suitable for developing a dramatised sequence out of, I need to make sure that it uses a number of industry-standard techniques and formatting layouts.

My Script

Here is an extract from my screenplay for my crime drama BOUNDLESS. This is the first page of the screenplay bar the title page, and demonstrates my use of many formatting techniques to conform to industry standards.

Firstly, the entire script is written in 12pt courier font and left-aligned, with no changes to that for any reason. This is not only to make the script more uniform and easier to read, but also means that one page of the script is roughly equivalent to one minute of screentime, which helps production crew ballpark the targeted runtime of a film / tv episode based on the length of the script. My script is 11 pages in total, meaning that the screentime would be ~11 minutes long.

Additionally, although it cannot be seen on this extract as it is the first page, the page number of the script is usually shown in the top right corner of the page, above and separate from any other elements. This helps the production team easily refer to different pages when communicating with each other.

There are two main types of script that serve slightly different functions; a shooting script, which includes lots of camera angles, shot types and editing instructions and is used when the script has gone into production, and a spec script, which includes less technical information and is used more to propose a script in hopes that it will be greenlit for production.

I have created a spec script, so there is not much technical information present in the script unless it is particularly important to the scene.

Formatting

Slug Lines (green)

Slug lines are an integral component of any script, as they contain crucial information about the location that a scene takes place in. Whenever the location changes, a slug line is used to show some basic but important information about it. A slug line includes three details; INT/EXT (whether the scene takes place inside, outside or both), the name of the location and the time of day. In my script extract, two slug lines are used. EXT. CITY STREET - MORNING and INT. CAFE - MORNING.

Slug lines are signified not only by their specific content, but they are also written in all capital letters. They are sometimes also written in bold, like I have done, to further separate them from the rest of the screenplay's content for ease of reading.

Action Blocks (red)

Action blocks often make up most of the words written in a screenplay, and show the reader exactly what would be happening on screen. As such, they perform a wide range of functions from introducing characters to mentioning any important special effects or sound effects to be used. Action blocks are always written in the present tense, using descriptive language to paint a picture of the scene to the reader.

Like slug lines, action blocks are left aligned but are not written in bold and only write words in capital letters if they are particularly important, especially character names. In my extract's second action block, the highlighted text is all written in captial letters to signify their importance and draw the reader's attention to them. Character names are always written in captial letters the first time they appear, but other things like music, sound effects, props or other key set pieces may also be capitalised to ensure that they are accounted for during production.

Character Dialogue (pink)

Whenever a character is speaking in the screenplay, the dialogue is separated from the rest of the script's content to easily distinguish it from other content. Dialogue is indented from both sides to keep it in the centre of the page. Above every piece of dialogue is the name of the character speaking it, which is capitalised to highlight it. This formatting is done to help crew members, especially the actors, stay aware of who is speaking and when.

The dialogue itself is written differently to the rest of the script, in that it is written in the same way that the speaking character would say it i.e. slang words, hesitants and stutters can be written into the dialogue if it is suitable for the character. The rest of the script is written clearly and formally, without using slang or abbreviations unless necessary.

Extensions and Parentheticals(blue)

An extension is an extra piece of information appended to character names on dialogue blocks. It appears in brackets and is also capitalised. Extensions serve to clarify how a character's voice is heard on screen, if it was not mentioned in a previous action block. The most commonly used extension is (CONT'D), shorthand for 'continued'. This means that the character's dialogue flows unbroken from their last piece of dialogue. In my script, I have also used the extension (O.S.)m shorthand for off-screen. This is used when the characters voice can be heard, but the character themselves cannot be seen in the shot.

Parentheticals, on the other hand, clarify the way the actor delivers a character's dialogue if the intention is not already clear from the action blocks. These appear below the character name but above any dialogue, also in brackets but not capitalised. I have not used any parentheticals in this extract, but I have elsewhere in the script. They are not usually used often, as it is mostly the actor's job to decide how to deliver a character's dialogue in a way they see fit for the character.

Transitions (yellow)

Transitions are mostly editing instructions for the post-production stage, and usually only explicitly mentioned when it is of particular importance to use a certain editing technique. To separate them from other screenplay components, they are indented to the far right side of the page and capitalised to highlight them from action blocks. I have used the transition 'Fade from black' for the opening of my screenplay as a deliberate creative decision, but it would not usually be mentioned as that decision would often be made by the editor at a later stage.

Other Components

Correct formatting is not the only component that should be present on a screenplay. There are also a number of other details that the screenplay should clarify or demonstrate (implicitly or explicitly) to better present how the product will be seen on screen. 

Type

The 'type' of a screenplay os whether it tells a fictional or non-fictional story. Most film or TV scripts  are fictional, whereas news or documentary scripts tend to be non-fictional. My script is for a TV drama, which are mostly fictional. As such, the type of my script is also fictional, meaning that the story told has not actually happened.

Genre

The wider genre of my script is Drama, but that is more of an umbrella statement for a collection of genres that share some key features. My script is for a Crime drama, meaning that it contains themes of mystery, problem solving and, well, crime. Crime dramas usually contain a protagonist that is either a police officer / detective, or a criminal being pursued by police or other criminals. My protagonist, Alex falls under the latter.

Angle of Article

The angle of article refers to the perspective that the story primarily follows i.e. who's point of view is the script is written from. In my script, the audience sees most of the events through the eyes of the protagonist, Alex, albeit with some deferrence to set up other characters like Scorpio and the Detectives. This allows the audience to better understand Alex as a character and see how he has been affected by his involvement in cyber crime.

Chronology of Events

The chronology of events refers to the order in which the story's events are presented. This can fall under two categories; linear / chronological or non-linear / non-chronological. In a linear story, each event in the story is presented in the same order that they occured, with one event leading onto the next. In a non-linear story, events may not always be shown in the same order that they happened, often through the use of flash-backs or flash-forwards. My story is presented chronologically, containing no flash-backs or flash-forwards.

Narrative Style (Multi/Single-stranded)

The narrative structure of every TV show or film can be classed as either multi-stranded or single-stranded. A multi-stranded narrative follows multiple storylines that are interwoven throughout the film / episode of the show, and are mostly used in long-running episodic dramas. A single-stranded narrative only follows one storyline, and is the usual approach for most films. My script is a single-stranded narrative, since it only follows the story of Alex and every event in the script concerns Alex in some way.

Three-act Structure

The three-act structure is a commonly used technique in narrative structure that splits the story into three acts, each of which serving a specific purpose to the development of the story as a whole.

In Act 1, the story is set up, introducing the main characters and the world that the story takes place in. It often ends with some kind of conflict that propels the story into Act 2, which is the main chunk of the story and usually escalates the conflict, with the main character attempting to resolve it.

The final and third act is the end of the story, where some kind of resolution to the conflict occurs. This does not always mean a happy ending, and can be equally as effective with a sad one.

The story told in my script roughly follows a condensed version of the three-act structure, as I only had a maximum of 15 minutes of screentime to work with. Act 1 occurs during the first two scenes, setting up the character of Alex and what kind of situation he's in. It ends with Alex getting the threatening message from Scorpio, sparking a conflict that begins Act 2. In Act 2, Alex battles with himself to decide his fate, but that decision is taken away when his flat is firebombed and he's forced to run.

Act 3 is the cliffhanger ending of the script's story, when the police investigate the fire damaged apartment for clues to Alex's whereabouts.