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.
Unit
Design Decisions
Questions
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
Example Bees script
How do I make it?
Examples: Scriptwriting formatting conventions
More Resources: Scriptwriting Resources
Steps
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.
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
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?
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)
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!
On Google Sites, under Pages, create a new page called Scriptwriting.
Insert a Text Box and write:
1-2 sentences about your story
2 things you learned about Scriptwriting
Insert a Drive button and choose your Script doc, then resize it so a whole page shows.
When done, push the Publish button, review the settings, and publish.
Then click the chain-link button, Copy the link for your page, and turn in the link.
Grading
4/A = Do all the steps, rich description of story and what you learned.
3/B = Do all the steps, interesting description of story and what you learned.
2/C = Do all the steps, basic description of story and what you learned.
Career Connections
All writing practice helps in many fields; some people make money writing scripts!