Chapter 7 From Page to Screen 269standards similar to feature fi lm formats because they are shot in a similar
manner. However, situation comedies (such as Friends or Seinfeld) and daytime
serials (or soap operas) oft en follow formats with a variety of diff erences.
For example, dialogue is more widely spaced, action is in capitals and is
less prevalent, and the script is separated into scenes and acts. Th is setup is
designed for effi ciency in the production conditions, pace, and style of shows
shot with multiple cameras or recorded in front of an audience.
As you have seen in your writing so far, the standard screenplay format
furnishes dialogue for a movie and descriptions of the actions and visual
information on the screen. In addition to scene headings, action, and dialogue,
which you have already reviewed and used, here are other writing tools at
the disposal of a screenwriter:- In addition to the parenthetical directions that were discussed in
Chapter 3, there can be indications by the writer that a beat or pause
is necessary to properly play the scene. Th ese can also be indicated
by ellipses in the dialogue:... - Camera indications can be a part of a script, although it is consistently
advised to use them sparingly: essentially, only if they are necessary
to the understanding of the narrative or the scene. For example, if
information is being revealed in a way that only the camera can do,
a push in or pull back to reveal details or wider perspectives can be
necessary to a writer. In addition, some writers may indicate a point
of view shot for a character that provides vital perspective for the
reader. However, the task of creating a shot-by-shot visualization of
the movie is the job of the director through the creation of a shot
list or storyboards. - Transitions are indicated in a script when necessary for clarity or
the proper visualization of the story, such as with a series of images
that are used to advance the plot but are not played as full scene.
Th e most typical indications are Cut To—; Dissolve—; Fade to Black
(or other fade indications). Again, the important issue to consider
is if the indication is necessary for the proper conception of how the
script will become a motion picture.
As you have seen repeatedly, the most instructive way to learn about
movies is by watching them closely. Th e same is true of screenplays. Seek out
scripts to motion pictures that you value and investigate the ways in which
their authors brought their stories to the page. You will witness practices
that occur regularly and teach you about common routines, and you will
undoubtedly see examples of highly personal choices or touches that particular
writers bring to their material.
Alternative Blueprints
As you read in Chapter 1, one of the most appropriate tools available to
fi lmmakers is the storyboard, which has a long history of use in moving image
media. During the silent era, European fi lmmakers such as Fritz Lang andVIEWFINDER
“The script is a blueprint
and from there you
make a new piece of
architecture, but you’re
going to get new ideas for
new rooms as you [make
the movie].”–Jim Jarmusch–
Director and writer of such
fi lms as Down by Law (1986),
Night on Earth (1991), and
Ghost Dog: Th e Way of the
Samurai (1999)Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).