Expanding Skillset: Video: Projects: Scriptwriting

The special formatting in TV and movie scripts allows actors, directors, and other crew to understand how to produce the movie - what sounds are needed, what costume is needed, what is needed for the locations, where the characters come in, what the actor's lines are. It's all in there. It's the road map and checklist for the story.

• How do I use scriptwriting conventions?

• How do I write a story so people understand how to make a video version of it?

What am I making?

• A short, 1-2 page original script, or a 1-2 page continuation of another script.

  • Example Scriptwriting page like you would make for this assignment with this script "SCHOOL MOVIE"

  • Example scripts: Daydreams & "Bees"

How do I make it?

• Examples: Scriptwriting formatting conventions

• More Resources: Scriptwriting Resources

• Story Ideas?

  • 2 sentence horror stories: Thought Catalog

  • Many formats, 2 sentence stories: from a textbook publisher

Steps

1. Choose:

   • An original story idea with 1 to 3 characters that I can write in 1-2 pages?

   • Continue another story in 1-2 pages such as the Bees script.

2. Write: In a Google Doc,

   • First, do a prewrite, type out the events in the story

   • Then, add the details - action and dialogue

   • Then, adjust the formatting so it matches Scriptwriting formatting conventions

3. Script Expectations:

   • Does the story make sense? Does the script advance the story? (not necessarily finish the story, cliffhanger okay)

   • Are the characters believable? Do they have personality?

   • Are the LOCATIONS and TIMES clearly noted? MUSIC and SOUND FX too?

   • Do you properly format the script according to Scriptwriting formatting conventions? (SOUND EFFECTS, scene changes INT/EXT, capitalizing CHARACTER names in dialog, centering those names, indenting dialog)

4. Publish: In the File > Share menu,

   • Click the blue phrase Change to anyone with the link at the bottom

   • otherwise, I won't be able to read your script!

5. On Google Sites, under Pages, create a new page called Scriptwriting.

6. Insert a Text Box and write:

   • 1-2 sentences about your story

   • 2 things you learned about Scriptwriting

7. Insert a Drive button and choose your Script doc, then resize it so a whole page shows.

8. When done, push the Publish button, review the settings, and publish.

9. Then click the chain-link button, Copy the link for your page, and turn in the link.

Career Connections

• All writing practice helps in many fields; some people make money writing scripts!

Resources

• Scriptwriting Resources