Screenplay - The Textual Basis Of Films And Series

When the famous director Billy Wylder ("Some like it hot") was asked what makes a good film for him, he is said to have replied: Three things - a good script, a good script and a good script. And indeed: scripts are the creative basis of every series and every film. They contain all the necessary instructions for the camera work.

Definition of screenplay

Screenplays - otherwise known as scripts - outline the plot and dialogue of a film before it is produced. The script thus anticipates the later film scene by scene. It is not an elaborate literary text, but a concise text written by a screenwriter. After writing the text, the author submits it to a production company , which in turn decides whether the film will be made or not. Scripts are based either on an original idea of the screenwriter or on a literary model (adaptation of a novel).

Differentiation: storyboard vs. screenplay

The terms screenplay and storyboard are closely linked, although they are not synonymous. While the script is text-based, the storyboard is the concrete visualisation of a screenplay, including the shots, camera angles and perspectives. Creating a storyboard is particularly useful for film projects where the focus is less on dialogue and more on imagery. Storyboards are also used for video animations without actors rather than scripts.

How is a film script created?

Scripts are often commissioned work. The basic idea is first set out in an exposé. This is followed by the elaboration of the treatment: the plot, the build-up of tension, the characters and their backgrounds are analysed and presented in detail. The treatment also maps out the narrative chronology of the film to be shot. Once the synopsis and the treatment have been finalised, the actual work of writing the screenplay begins. The script is often revised in several versions and contains both dialogue and instructions for the director.

The formal structure of a screenplay

A screenplay is organised into individual scenes . Accompanying notes such as Inside, Outside, Day or Night can be found directly below the introductory heading at the beginning of each scene. The actual scene consists of a tabular list of the spoken text and the corresponding camera instructions, sounds and shots. Additional details such as O.S. (Off Screen) or V.O. (Voice-over) round off the script in formal terms.

What characterises a good script?

The more gripping the story on which the script is based, the more gripping the film will be. That's why a good screenplay needs a well-developed idea with a clear intention, a gripping storyline and a satisfying resolution. The script must also be clearly structured and correctly formatted in order to convince both the production company and the actors.

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