STORY DEVELOPMENT & SCRIPTWRITING

Part – A

  

1.      Camera movement 

·        A shift in view, frame, or perspective caused by the movement of a camera.

·        The lighting director and cinematographer carefully planned the camera movement for a scene 

2.      Camera angle 

·        The camera angle marks the specific location at which the movie camera is placed to take a shot.

·        Low angle, high angle, eye angle, dutch angle are the types of camera angles 

3.      Continuity 

·        Continuity in filmmaking is the practice of ensuring that details in a shot are consistent from shot to shot within a film scene.

·        It avoids confusion and engaged audience in the film 

4.      Shot sizes 

·        Generally speaking, we can break this down into three main shot sizes: Long, Medium, and Close.

·        Long shots (also commonly called Wide shots) show the subject from a distance, emphasizing place and location, while Close shots reveal details of the subject and highlight emotions of a character. 

5.      Soviet montage 

·        It is an approach to understand and create cinema that relies heavily upon editing.

·        It is the principal contribution of Soviet film theorists to global cinema, and brought formalism to bear (accept) on filmmaking. 

6.      Shooting script 

·        The final completely detailed version of a motion-picture script in which scenes are grouped in the order most convenient for shooting.

·        The final version of a script used in the production of a film. 

7.      Author theory (Auteur) 

·        The director, who oversees all audio and visual elements of the motion picture, is more to be considered the “author” of the movie.

·        In other words the director is equivalent to an author of a novel.

·        An auteur is an artist, usually a film director, who applies a highly centralized and subjective control to many aspects of a collaborative creative work 

8.      Properties (Prop) 

·        A prop, formally known as property, is an object used on stage or screen by actors during a performance or screen production.

·        A prop is considered to be anything movable or portable on a stage or a set 

9.      Noddy shot 

·        Noddy headshots or noddies are a type of camera reaction shot used in recorded news or current affairs interviews.

·        They consist of nods and other similar "listening gestures" made by the interviewer. 

10. Two shot 

·        A two shot is a type of shot in which the frame encompasses two people.

·        The subjects do not have to be next to each other, and there are many common two shots which have one subject in the foreground and the other subject in the background 

11. Master scene 

·        An event when shot continuously from the beginning to the end in a single setting and a continuous take is a master scene.

·        It is often a long shot and can sometimes perform a double function as an establishing shot. 

12. Parallel action scene 

·        An effect created when two or more actions in two or more different locations are presented by cross-cutting between them.

·        This alternation between actions proposes to the viewer that they are taking place at the same time. 

13. Cross shot 

·        A shot from one side of the field towards the opposite corner of the goal.

·        A technique for filming interactions between two people in which the camera looks alternately at one or the other person, with the focus on the person farthest from the camera. 

14. Ambient sound 

·        Ambient sound means the background sounds which are present in a scene or location.

·        Common ambient sounds include wind, water, birds, crowds, office noises, traffic, etc. 

15. Logging 

·        Logging is a process in which video footage is watched and labeled according to its content.

·        It will be helpful to make notes about each shot captured on a shot log sheet, which makes editing much easier and ensures you don’t miss the best take from each angle.

16. Filmography 

·        A filmography is a list of films related by some criteria.

·        For example, an actor's career filmography is the list of films he or she has appeared in; a director's comedy filmography is the list of comedy films directed by a particular director.  

17. Establishing shot 

·        An establishing shot is a shot in filmmaking or television that sets up the context for the scene ahead, designed to inform the audience where the action will be taking place.

·        It shows the relationship between people and objects, and establishes the scene's geography 

18. Low angle shot 

·        In cinematography, a low-angle shot, is a shot from a camera angle positioned low on the vertical axis, anywhere below the eye line, looking up.

·        The effect of the low-angle shot is that it makes the subject look strong and powerful

19. Tracking shot 

·        A tracking shot is any shot where the camera follows backward, forward or moves alongside the subject being recorded.

·        In cinematography, the term refers to a shot in which the camera is mounted on a camera dolly that is then placed on rails – like a railroad track. 

20. Voice over 

·        Voice-over is a production technique where a voice that is not part of the narrative is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, or other presentations.

·        The voice-over is read from a script and may be spoken by someone who appears elsewhere in the production or by a specialist voice talent.  

21. Location scouting 

·        Location scouting is a vital process in the pre production stage of filmmaking.

·        It is the search for a suitable place outside the studio for shooting 

22. Canned laughter

·        A laugh track is a separate soundtrack for a recorded comedy show containing the sound of audience laughter.

·        It is an artificial laughter made to be inserted into the show.

·        In some productions, the laughter is a live audience response 

23. Whip pan 

·        A whip pan is a type of pan shot in which the camera pans so quickly that the picture blurs into indistinct (unclear) streaks.

·        It is commonly used as a transition between shots, and can indicate the passage of time or a distracted pace of action 

24. Casting 

·        In the performing arts industry such as theatre, film, or television, a casting is a pre-production process for selecting a certain type of actor, dancer, singer, etc.

·        It is organized by casting director by audition. 

25. POV 

·        A point of view shot is a shot that shows what a character is looking at.

·        It is usually established by being positioned between a shot of a character looking at something, and a shot showing the character's reaction.

26. Cut away shot 

·        A cutaway shot is the interruption of a continuously filmed action by inserting a view of something else.

·        It is usually followed by a cut back to the first shot. 

27. Montage 

·        Montage is a film editing technique in which a series of short shots are sequenced to condense space, time, and information.

·        The term has been used in various contexts. In French the word "montage" applied to cinema simply denotes editing. 

28. Opening credentials 

·        In a motion picture, television program or video game, the opening credits or opening titles are shown at the very beginning and list the most important members of the production.

·        They are now usually shown as text superimposed on a blank screen or static pictures, or sometimes on top of action. 

29. Scene heading

·        Scene headings give detail of where we are in the script.

·        It may be indoor or outdoor, day or night. 

30. Teleplay  (script) 

·        A teleplay is a screenplay or script used in the production of a scripted television program or series.

·        In general usage, the term is most commonly seen in reference to a standalone production, such as a television film, a television play. 

31. Art director 

·        Art director facilitate the production designer's creative vision for all the locations and sets that eventually give the film its unique visual identity. 

·        Art Directors are responsible for the art department budget and schedule of work 

32. Sound bite   

·        It is a short audio clip 

·        It is taken from a speech or press conference and broadcast especially during a news report

33. Scene order 

·        A Sequence is a Scene, or a series of connected Scenes, that present a succession of related events or idea

·        It constitute and advance a distinct component of the story narrative, plot and/or character development. 

34. Dual column dialogue 

·        In screenwriting terminology, dual dialogs simply mean that two characters are speaking simultaneously.

·        The dual dialog is represented by a dual column format in the written script.

·        This format places the simultaneously spoken dialogs side by side. 

35. Sketches 

·        Storyboards are, more or less, comic book versions of movies.

·        They illustrate the camera angles, timing, look, and action of a film to work efficiently on set. 

36. Storyboard software 

·        Storyboarder, StudioBinder, Moviestorm are some of the software’s used for creating storyboard.

·        The software has a clean interface with all the necessary tools to quickly draw shapes and characters 

37. Synopsis

·        Synopsis ensures character actions and motivations are realistic and make sense.

·        It summarizes what happens and who changes from beginning to end of the story.

·        It includes style, genre, persons or characters of note, setting, and so on. 

38. Shot 

·        A shot is the moment that the camera starts rolling until the moment it stops.

·        Many frames join together and form a shot.

·        Mid shot, close-up, long shot, extreme long shot are some of the types of camera shot 

39. Scene 

·        The place where an incident in real life or fiction occurs or occurred.

·        In filmmaking a scene is generally thought of as the action in a single location and continuous time. 

40. Sequence 

·        In film, a sequence is a series of scenes that form a narrative unit.

·        For example the robbery sequence might consist of an entry sequence, a safe-cracking sequence, and so on. 

41. Cinema Varite 

·        Cinema verite, which translates to "truthful cinema," is a manner of capturing the story on screen.

·        It is a style of filmmaking characterized by realism, most often associated with documentaries. 

42. EDL 

·        An edit decision list or EDL is used in the post-production process of film editing.

·        The list contains an ordered list of reel where each video clip can be obtained in order to conform the final cut. 

43. Indian new wave cinema / Parallel cinema

·        Parallel cinema was a film movement in Indian cinema that originated in the state of west Bengal as an alternative to the mainstream commercial Indian cinema.

·        The movement was initially led by Bengali film makers Satyajit Ray, Mirnal Sen, Ritwik Ghatak and others. 

44. Action 

·        Action film is a film genre in which the protagonist is thrust into a series of events that typically include violence, extended fighting, physical feats, and frantic chases 

45. Period film 

·        A historical period drama is a work set in a past time period, usually used in the context of film and television.

·        It is also historical drama, period drama, costume drama, and period piece

46. Treatment 

·        A screenplay treatment is simply the plot of story written down in prose form. 

·        The intended audience for treatment can include producers, executives, directors, and actors.   

47. Head room 

·        Headroom refers specifically to the distance between the top of the subject's head and the top of the frame

·        Too much of head room results in dead space 

48. Looking room 

·        Looking room is the amount of space between the subject and the edge of the screen they are facing.

·        The frame should have more space in front of the subject than behind. 

49. Synopsis 

·        A synopsis conveys the narrative arc, an explanation of the problem or plot, the characters, and how the book, novel or film ends.

·        It summarizes what happens and who changes from beginning to end of the story.

·        It includes style, genre, persons or characters of note, setting, and so on. 

50. Plot 

·        A plot is the sequence of events that make up a story, whether it’s told, written, filmed, or sung.

·        The plot is the story, and more specifically, how the story develops, unfolds, and moves in time. 

51. Shooting script 

·        A shooting script is the version of a screenplay used during the production of a motion picture. 

·        A shooting script is used during the production process of movie to help communicate the filming process to all crew members and actors involved.  

52. Mise-en-scene 

·        Mise-en-scène is the stage design and arrangement of actors in scenes for a theatre or film production,

·        It refers to everything placed on the stage or in front of the camera, including people. 

53. Theme music 

·        Theme music is a musical composition that is often written specifically for radio programming, television shows, video games, or films and is usually played during the title sequence, opening credits, closing credits, and in some instances at some point during the program

·        It helps viewers to understand the plot.

·        Filmmakers create theme music for different characters, situations or places. 

54. Deep focus 

·        Deep focus is a photographic and cinematographic technique using a large depth of field.

·        In deep focus, the foreground, middle ground, and background are all in focus. 

55. Shot composition 

·        Composition refers to the way elements of a scene are arranged in a camera frame. 

·        Shot composition refers to the arrangement of visual elements to convey an intended message.

56. Scenic design 

·        Scenic design (also known as stage design, or set design) is the creation of theatrical, as well as film or television scenery.

·        Scenic designers design sets and scenery that aim to support the overall artistic goals of the production. 

57. Sub-plot 

·        In fiction, a subplot is a secondary strand (thread) of the plot that is a supporting side story for any story or the main plot. 

·        Subplots may connect to main plots, in either time and place or in thematic significance. 

·        Subplots often involve supporting characters, those besides the protagonist or antagonist. 

58. Storyboard 

·        A storyboard is a graphic representation of how a video will unfold, shot by shot.

·        It's made up of a number of squares with illustrations or pictures representing each shot, with notes about what's going on in the scene and what's being said in the script during that shot.

59. Narration 

·        Narration in movies has a very different function to voice over.

·        The simplest role of the narrator is exposition.

·        They summarize key plot points so the movie can rapidly progress to the next scene and keep the story moving forward. 

60. Protagonist 

·        The protagonist is the character who drives the plot, pursues the main goal of the story, and usually changes or grows over the course of the film.

·        A protagonist is the main character of a story.

·        The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles 

61. Antagonist 

·        In storytelling, the antagonist is the opposer or combatant working against the protagonist's or leading characters' goal and creating the main conflict.

·        The antagonist can be one character or a group of characters.

·        In traditional narratives, the antagonist is synonymous with “the bad guy.” 

62. Dialogue 

·        Dialog is any conversation in a book, film or play. 

·        Dialogue means lines spoken by a character either between fictional characters or real people. 

63. Fiction 

·        Fiction is any creative work consisting of people, events, or places that are imaginary, in other words, not based strictly on history or fact.

·        Mysteries, science fiction, romance, fantasy, crime thrillers are all fiction genres 

64. One-line treatment 

·        The one-liner is the story stated in one sentence.

·        It is the simplest combination of character and plot and typically consists of some event that starts the action, some sense of the main character, and some sense of the outcome of the story. 

65. Shot, Scene, Sequence 

·        A shot consists of a single take, which can be several seconds or several minutes long.

·        A scene is composed of several shots, while a sequence is composed of scenes.

·        Finally, narrative films are composed of sequences. 

66. Screenplay 

·        A screenplay, or script, is a written work by screenwriters for a film, television program, or video game.

·        These screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing.

·        In them, the movement, actions, expression and dialogues of the characters are also narrated 

67. Adaptation 

·        A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film.

·        Adapted films are more popular and successful than original screenplays because the audience already read the book, which ensures that it will not “flop” at the box-office 

68. Flashback 

·        A flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point in the story.

·        Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story's primary sequence of events to fill in crucial backstory 

69. Promo

·        A piece of publicity or advertising, especially in the form of a short film or video.

·        Film promotion generally includes press releases, advertising campaigns, merchandising, franchising, media and interviews with the key people involved with the making of the film, like actors and directors. 

70. Credit titles 

·        A list of those responsible for the production of a film or television programme.

·        Credits play at the beginning and end of nearly every film.

·        The opening credits inform the audience which studios or production companies were involved in making the film, and they run the names of the major stars in the cast. 

71. Character 

·        In fiction, a character is a person or other being in a narrative.

·        The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life person. 

72. Genre 

·        Film genres are categories that define a movie based on its narrative elements.

·        Each genre is unique in the types of stories they tell. 

·        Genres have changed and evolved over time, creating several subgenres that further define the filmmaking styles. 

73. Logline 

·        A logline is a one-sentence summary or description of a movie. 

·        Loglines distill the important elements of screenplay, main character, setup, central conflict, antagonist into a clear, concise teaser.

·        The logline hooks the listener into reading the entire script. 

74. Plot point 

·        A plot point is an event that changes the character's orientation to that objective.

·        At each plot point, the character is either closer to or farther from the goal. 

75. Script breakdown 

·        In film and television, a script breakdown is an analysis of a screenplay in which all of the production elements are reduced into lists.

·        A script breakdown that allows to identify all the script elements needed to prep, schedule, and budget a film production. 

76. Back story 

·        In screenwriting, backstory is the story that happens before the start of the story that is seen on screen. 

·        Backstory tells how a character becomes the person we meet at the beginning of the film or it can describe how the circumstances, situations, or relationships in the main story come about 

77. Character arc 

·        A character arc is the transformation or inner journey of a character over the course of a story.

·        The character begins as one sort of person and gradually transforms into a different sort of person in response to changing developments in the story.

78. Punch line 

·        A punch line concludes a joke; it is intended to make people laugh.

·        In a broader sense, "punch line" can also refer to the unexpected and funny conclusion of any performance, situation or story. 

79. Prologue 

·        A prologue is an opening to a story that establishes the context and gives background details.

·        A prologue prepares the reader for the story they're about to read with information that is necessary to have before the start of the novel itself.

·        Mostly used in fiction.

·        A preface gives the reader a look at how the book came to be. 

80. Slug line 

·        A slug line is a line within a screenplay written in all uppercase letters to draw attention to specific script information

·        Slug lines are their own line in a script and often break up the length of a scene while also establishing the scenes pacing. 

81. Master scene heading 

·        Master scene headings are the standard opening line of a scene in a screenplay.

·        They are used to communicate whether a scene occurs inside (INT.) or outside (EXT.) the location of the scene, and the time of day the scene takes place. 

82. Feature film 

·        A feature film is a narrative film (motion picture or "movie") with a running time between 75 and 210 minutes long

·        A feature film was one that cost more to make, buy, rent, and sometimes more to watch. 

83. Story development 

·        Story development is the process of converting idea or thought into screenplay.

·        All the information’s are written down on paper

Part – B & C 

 

1.      Importance of script 

·        A script is a written work by screenwriters for film.

·        The script helps us to give a rough idea of the length of the film.

·        It can be original work or adaptation from existing pieces of writing.

·        A script also serves as a planning device for the video.

·        It describes the stock footage that is used, which locations where certain scenes will be shot, what occurs in each shot, and what is included in each shot.

·        Having a script in hand, with every shot and every action planned out in advance, allows the video to be shot relatively quickly, saving on expense.

·        In them the movement, action, expression and dialogues of the characters are also narrated.

·        It includes as much detail as possible about most aspects in the scene.

·        Without the script it would be difficult to complete further tasks later on such as the storyboard and the shot list.

 

2.      Terminology in scriptwriting 

Script Writing Terminology for transitions: 

·        Cuts – Instant change from one scene to the next.

·        Dissolves – Two scenes overlap during a transition from one to the other.

·        Fade-in – It is a transition from black to video. It is used at the beginning of story

·        Fade-out – It is a transition from video to black. It is used at the end of story

 

Script Writing Terminology for Types of shots: 

·        Insert shot – A close-up of something in the scene

·        Cutaway – A related shot that is “away’ from the basic scene

·        Tracking shot – Used to describe both dolly and truck movements

·        Moving shot – Used to indicate the camera moving in some way during a scene

·          Long shot (LS) – A shot from the top of someone’s head to at least their feet

·        Full shot (FS) – See long shot

·        Medium shot (MS) – A shot from the waist up

·        Medium close-up (MCU) – A shot cropped between the shoulders and the belt line

·        Close-up (CU) – Used to catch facial expressions and following conversations

·        Extreme close-up (XCU) – Used for dramatic impact and to show the eyes

·        Boom shot – High angle shot, usually with the camera moving

·        Jib shot – High angle shot, usually with the camera moving

·        Crane shot – High angle shot, usually with the camera moving

·        Establishing shot – A wide shot (WS) or long shot (LS) that gives the audience a basic orientation and geography of the scene (who is where), then switch to cuts of closer shots

·        Reestablishing shot – Used as a reminder or updates the audience on scene changes

·        Master shot – Similar to an establishing shot. Once master shot action is filmed the scene is generally shot over again from different camera positions so that there are shots (especially close-ups) of each actor. Dialogue, and actor reactions and movements are repeated each time the camera is repositioned.

·        Coverage – The additional shots of a scene used to compliment the master shot.  It includes close-ups and so on

·        Canted shot, Dutch angle – A shot tilted 25 to 45 degrees to one side causing horizontal lines to be at an angle, similar to an isometric view

·        Two-shot (2S) – Designate shots with two people

·        Three-shot (3S) – Designate shots with three people

·        Subjective shot – A first-person shot, the camera will see what the character sees, good for chase scenes

·        Over the shoulder shot (OS) – A shot that shows the back of the head and maybe some shoulder

 

Other Script Writing Terminology: 

·        Dolly – When the camera is moved towards or away from the subject

·        Truck – When the camera is moved laterally to the subject

·        Zoom – An optical version of a dolly, has the same basic effect

·        EXT – Denotes an exterior shot

·        INT – Denotes an interior shot

·        Voice Over (VO) – Narration heard over the scene

·        Point of View (POV) – A shot that is seen from the characters perspective

·        Special Effects (SFX) – Audio or visual effects that alter the reality of the scene, added in the post-production phase

 

3.      Importance of storyboard

 ·        It is a series of frames, with drawings of the sequence of events in a film.

·        The storyboard is a very important part of pre-production process

·        It clearly conveys how the story will flow.

·        It helps film directors, cinematographers visualize the scenes

·        It helps to estimate the cost of the overall production and saves time.

·        Storyboards include arrows or instructions that indicate movement.

·        It provides a visual layout of events as they are to be seen through the camera lens.

·        The production can plan the movie in advance.

·        In this step, things like type of camera shot, angle, and blocking of characters are decided

    4.      Storyboard example

  

 5.      Documentary

 

·        A documentary is a film that provides a factual report on a particular subject.

·        It is an accurate representation of real events, people, situations, emotions, and reactions or conditions. 

·        The main aim of a documentary is informing and educating the viewers.

·        It also maintains a historical record.

·        A documentary can also inspire or persuade the viewers to raise their voice against injustice or take actions to stop it.

·        A documentary could be about various subjects such as a major injustice in the society, a political event, a historical event, life circle of an animal, etc.

·        Documentary filmmakers do not create events or characters; they only attempt to recreate the reality.

·        Therefore, documentaries have no actors, sets, or made-up locations.

·        They are filmed in real locations with real actors. Compared to feature films, documentaries are made with a low budget 

 

6.      Script format 

Fully scripted format 

·        A script that contains complete dialogue and visual information

·        The artist can deliver the words which is in the script and not on his own

·        Dramatic show, comedy skit, soap operas, news are some of the example of fully scripted format 

Semi-scripted format 

·        It contains partial dialogue and video information

·        Example : In the live music programme, the opening and ending dialogues are only scripted

·        It is used for interviews, debate shows, etc. 

Show format 

·        It list only the order of particular show segment such as interview, advertisement, etc

·        It is frequently used in studio production 

Run down script 

·        List the major points of the product to be demonstrated

·        No specific video or audio information is given

·        The actor demonstrate the product and the director follows his action with camera

 7.      Importance of dialogue 

·        Dialogue is oral speech between fictional characters.

·        The characters on the screen speak from a script; to inform the audience.

·        Dialogue works in movies to create a realistic flavor, to represent the everyday exchanges people have.

·        The identification of the fictional location and characters.

·        The communication of narrative causality. The ulterior motive of much of film dialogue is to communicate "why?" and "how?" and "what next?" to the viewer.

·        Dialogue helps audiences understand the characters' personalities and motivations.

·        Guiding the viewer. Filmmakers accomplish this by using dialogue to control pacing or atmosphere.

·        Their main function is to frighten the viewer, to increase the scene's tension. In this case, dialogue is accomplishing the task often taken by evocative background music—it is working straight on the viewer's emotions.

·        The insertion of thematic messages. Putting thematic or moral messages in the mouths of their characters allows filmmakers to talk to the audience.

·        With the addition of verbal language, cinema was offered infinite possibilities in terms of puns, jokes, misunderstandings, witticisms, metaphors, curses, whispers, screams, songs, poetry, or storytelling.

·        It moves the story forward.

·        It makes the audience understand the story.

 

 8.      Feature film

 

·        A feature film is a film that is made for the purpose of entertaining the audience.

·        They are often commercial films.

·    Comedy, action, romance, mystery, thriller, horror, and adventure are some common subjects in feature films.

·    The main distinction between feature film and documentary is that feature films are based on fiction; they have imaginary events, characters and situations.

·    Even if the film is inspired by real events, the writers, and the producers have the creative freedom to incorporate fictional characters and situations.

·        These films will have a smooth flow with carefully structured action and dialogues.

·    The action and dialogues are never spontaneous; they are scripted and practiced in advance.

·        In addition, feature films require a huge budget compared to documentaries.

 

 9.      Short film 

We can define a short film as a film in which the duration never exceeds 30 minutes, and which can have a minimum duration of 5 minutes.

 

• No need of more money to make a short film.
• I t must have a beginning, a plot and an end.
• The characters that are part of a short film must be convincing and have a specific function within the work.
• Find a way to tell a story concisely.
• It is a format that has been relegated to second place with respect to feature films and documentaries.
• It is the main protagonist of film festivals.
• It is the practice for feature film makers. 

 

    10.      Types of script(writing)

 

Screenplays 

·        Screenplays are scripts written specifically to be produced for a visual medium, such as film or television.

·        Screenplays are fictional in nature and designed to tell a story.

·        Screenplays typically include a variety of information including setting, dialogue, camera instructions and may include editing instructions.

·        Screenplays are not produced as written. The director, production crew and even the actors may all directly or indirectly alter the script during production.

 

Playwriting 

·        Plays are productions that occur live, on a physical stage.

·        Like a screenplay, a play script includes dialogue and directions.

·        A play script will include stage and scene instructions, as well as provide character names and descriptions.

 

Audio Drama 

·        Scripts for audio dramas share a number of components with screenplays and the scripts for stage plays.

·        The dialogue is also different in that it includes more descriptive language about the surroundings to help establish setting

·        Instructions have the necessary audio components that need to accompany a given scene

·        It also gives direction to the voice actor about how a line should be delivered.

 

News Scripts 

·        While appearing natural on screen, most news anchors are provided with scripts to read via teleprompters.

·        News scripts provide informational content.

 

Other Scriptwriting 

·        Other types of scriptwriting include producing story/dialogue for video games, education films, online content such as podcasts or marketing materials and even commercials.

·        These scripts tend to follow the same general patterns as plays, audio dramas and screenplays.

 

 11.      Mise-en-scene 

·        It is a French word which means placing on stage. It is an expression used to describe the design aspects of film production.

·        Set design – The setting of a scene and properties visible in a scene. Set design is used to amplify character emotion which has physical social cultural significance in film

·        Lighting – It can influence the audiences understanding of characters, actions and mood. Light and shade emphasize texture, shape, time (day or night), season, etc.

·        Space – It affects the reading of film. It is the distance between characters, camera, lighting, properties, etc.

·        Composition – The organization of object, actors and space within the frame. Equal distribution of light, color and objects in a shot is important in composition.

·        Costume – It refers to the clothes, that characters wear. Using certain colors or designs, costumes are used to signify the character.

·        Make-up and hair style – It gives beautiful appearance to the character. It establishes the characters attitude.

·        Acting – The performance on the stage is called acting. Different characters perform on stage. Through acting, actors convey story, emotions, feeling, etc.

·        Aspect ratio – The relationship between the width and height of the image. It gives different way of looking at the world.

 

12.      Narrative / Three act structure of film

It is a model used in screen writing that divides story into three parts

 

First act

 

·        It is usually used for exposition to establish the main character, their relationship and the world they live in

·        Later in the first act an incident that meet the main character whose attempt to deal with this incident and lead to dramatic situation

·        It ensures life will never be the same again for the protagonist (Hero) and raises dramatic question that is will be answered at the climax of film

·        It occurs approximately 30 to 40 minutes into film

 

Second act

 

·        It is referred to raising action

·        Protagonist attempt to resolve the problem initiated in first act

·        Protagonist seem unable to resolve their problems, because he does not has the skill to deal with antagonist

·        Protagonist finds a different way to defeat antagonist

·        Different supporting characters help protagonist to solve the problem

 

Third act

 

·        It features the resolution of story

·        The climax is a scene in which the main tension of story is released and the dramatic question was answered

 13. Types of camera shots 

Shot in filmmaking is a series of frames that runs for an uninterrupted period of time. 

Extreme Long Shot

·        The extreme wide shot or extreme long shot is all about showing the world in which the story takes place.

·        In an extreme wide we will see large landscapes in the frame.

·        Whether it is the desert or outer space, the audience should get a feel for the time and the place they are about to spend the next two hours.

·        Though characters can be introduced in an extreme wide, they would be very tiny in context to the backdrop

·        An extreme wide shot is often an establishing shot.

 

Long Shot

·        A wide shot, often referred to as a long shot

·        The characters can be seen from head to toe

·    This shot is used to show how the character is small in relation to the vast surroundings.

·        When the term long shot is emphasized, it can mean that the camera is farther away from the subject, making them even smaller.

·        A wide shot can also be a master shot, which is used to introduce a new location like a dining room or restaurant.

·        It gives the audience a sense of geography so when the camera goes in tighter, they can understand who is where.

 

Medium Shot

·        The medium shot shows the character from the waist up.

·        Medium shots are often used in dialog scenes. 

·        It is also known as a cowboy shot.

·        This shot is about revealing information.

·        You can see more detail than you can in a wide shot.

 

 Close-Up Shot

·        A close-up frames the character’s face.

·        It gives more detail that tells us how a character feels.

·        A close-up highlights emotional clues in the eyes.

·        It is more intimate so the audience can feel what the character is feeling.

           

Medium Close-Up Shot

·        Halfway between the close-up and the medium shot is the medium close-up

·        It frames the subject from the shoulders up.

·        This shot might be used to show more body language, some emotion and facial expressions.

·        Medium close-up can reveal more information, but it is not as intimate as a close-up.

 

Extreme Close-Up Shot

·    An extreme close-up frames even tighter on a face (or subject), highlighting facial features more.

·        It usually frames a particular part of the face like the eyes or the mouth.

·        It is even more intimate than the close-up

·        It is used to show more intense emotion.

 

Two Shot

    ·        A shot in which two subjects appear in the frame.

    ·        It is to show conversation between two persons

Over-the-Shoulder Shot  

·        Subject is shot from behind the shoulder of another, framing the subject anywhere from a Medium to Close-Up.

·        The shoulder, neck, and/or back of the head of the subject facing away from the camera remains viewable

·        Making the shot useful for showing reactions during conversations.

·        It tends to place more of an emphasis on the connection between two speakers.

14. Types of camera angles

    In addition to subject size within a frame, shot types can also indicate where a camera is placed in relation to the subject. Here are some commonly used terms:

    Eye Level Angle  

        ·        Shot taken with the camera approximately at human eye level

        ·        In this the subject is at eye-level position.

        ·        An eye level shot can result in a neutral perspective (not superior or inferior).

        ·        This imitates how we see people in real life

        ·        Our eye line connecting with theirs, and it can break down boundaries. 

    High Angle  

        ·        Subject is photographed from above eye level.

        ·        The camera lens is facing down (from above the eye level) to capture the video

        ·        This can have the effect of making the subject seem vulnerable, weak, or frightened.

        ·        Commonly known as the ‘bird’s-eye view’

    ·   Shots like these may be used to signal that a subject is in danger or has lost dominance in their environment.

 Low Angle  

    ·        Subject is photographed from below the eye level.

    ·        The camera lens is facing up (from below the eye level) to capture the video

    ·        This can have the effect of making the subject look powerful, heroic, or dangerous.

    ·        Taking a photograph from a low angle, also know as a ‘worm’s-eye view’, makes subjects appear larger than normal.

Dutch Angle  

    ·        In this shot the horizon line is not level.

    ·        It is often used to show a disoriented or uneasy psychological state.

    ·        That is the subject is not entirely right.

    ·        Dutch angles can be artfully utilized to tell us that something is wrong.

    ·        Maybe the subject is in danger, or their state of mind isn’t properly grounded.

Bird eye angle

        ·        The Bird's Eye photos are angled at 40 degrees rather than being straight down.

        ·  Satellite imaging programs and photos have been described as offering a viewer the opportunity to "fly over" and observe the world from this specific angle.

        15. Types of camera movements

The way a camera moves can give meaning to what's happening on screen. 

1. Pan

        ·        Turning the camera lens horizontally from left to right or right to left.

        ·        Moving the camera from left to right is called pan right.

        ·        Moving the camera from right to left is called pan left.

        ·        It is used to follow the objects.

2. Tilt

        ·        Moving the camera lens up or down is called tilt.

        ·        Tilt up means that the camera is made to point up and tilt down means made to point down.

        ·        Tilt down is used to show the character weak and tilt up is to show the character strong.

3. Zoom

        ·        Here the camera is static, only the lens moves.

        ·        Zoom in means showing the object in big size, zoom out means showing it in small size.  

        ·        Zoom in used to show emotions of the character 

        ·        A zoom shot gives the viewer feeling that the  subject or object is coming toward or away to the viewer.

4. Dolly

        ·        Moving the camera toward or away from the subject is dolly.

        ·        Move the camera closer to the object is dolly in and away from object is dolly out.

        ·        A dolly shot gives the viewer feeling that they are moving toward or away from the subject.

 

 5.      Trucking

           ·        Moving the camera laterally.

·        The camera moves left to right (or right to left)

·        It maintains the same distance from the subject.

·        We would need to have the camera in the street, moving parallel with our subject.

 

6.      Pedestal

        ·        Moving the camera up or down, while keeping the lens at a constant angle.

        ·        Pedestal up means raise the camera, pedestal down means lowering the cameras.

        ·        The whole time keeping the camera’s lens at a 90° angle to the ground.

7.      Jimmy jib

 

        ·        It is a triangular crane system which uses an arm supporting a camera at one end and a counterweight at the other.

        ·        The crane can swing from the ground to the cranes maximum reach of 40ft and can swing  360 degrees.

16.      Software’s used for creating storyboard

 

1. Storyboarder

 

·        Storyboarder is open source and free software, suitable for smaller budget.

·        It’s easy to quickly draw shapes, characters, write dialogue, and enter timing information and shot type. 

2. Plot

 

·        It is a free and fast storyboard creator.

·        We can add and delete scenes without copying and pasting text, incorporate images from anywhere on the web to visualize scenes faster, and collaborate with coworkers from within the software.

 

3. Frameforge Storyboard Studio 

 

·        The software lets you import a script from any scriptwriting program.

·        The storyboards include movement arrows, framing notations, angle of view, focal length, and more, so everyone, from preparation to production, is on the same page.

·        It works on any mobile device, and the export functions make it possible to download the final product as a Powerpoint presentation.

 

4. Studiobinder

 

·        Studiobinder lets customize every aspect of visualization, such as adjust the order of scenes, upload images, change aspect ratios, color code, shots, and more.

·        It makes collaboration easy, with project management features to assign tasks and add comments.

 

5. Moviestorm

 

·        It is useful for creating 3D characters, directing a scene, framing shots, adding and deleting objects, recording the movie, and adding music and sounds.

·        This is a good option to visualize and even pitch the full video start-to-finish in accurate detail

 

6. Storyboard Fouontain (for Mac)

 

·        It is a simple, user-friendly interface for quickly drawing stick figures and incorporating text for scene details.

·        We can record audio and storyboard timing, so we can see preview of the video.

7. PowerProduction Software

 

·        It offers a library of artwork for characters, props, and locations, and allows you to design and share ideas easily.

·        StoryBoard Artist, offers a full-featured timeline, frame transitions, and 3D characters, and is more appropriate for animated video presentations.

 

8. Canva

 

·    Canva makes the storyboard easy, with a library of templates consisting of stock images, and grids and frames to organize scenes.

·        We can choose font type, color, and include headers and sub-headers.

 

9. Boords

 

·        Boords offers an all-in-one pre-production storyboarding software, with drag-and-drop tools and flexible frames.

·        It also offers a unique Animatic Tool, & can share it in online for feedback 

17.      Role of computer in creating storyboard 

·        Storyboarder, plot, studiobinderare  some of the softwares used to create storyboard, suitable for smaller budget.

·        It’s easy to quickly draw shapes, characters, write dialogue, and enter timing information and shot type.

·        Software works collaboratively with Photoshop, which means we can edit story board in Photoshop for more precision, and it will automatically update in Storyboarder.

·        We can add and delete scenes without copying and pasting text, incorporate images from anywhere on the web to visualize scenes faster, and collaborate with coworkers from within the software.

·        It doesn’t need animation, drawing, or highly technical computer skills.

·        The software lets you import a script from any scriptwriting program.

·        Plus, the storyboards include movement arrows, framing notations, angle of view, focal length, and more, so everyone on your video team, from preparation to production, is on the same page.

·        It works on any mobile device, and the export functions make it possible to download the final product as a Powerpoint presentation

·        If you want to preview your project from within the platform to show your team, there’s a nifty presentation mode.

·        Moviestorm’s is useful for creating 3D characters, directing a scene, framing shots, adding and deleting objects, recording the movie, and adding music and sounds

·        We can record audio and storyboard timing, so we can see preview of the video

·        It offers a library of artwork for characters, props, and locations, and allows you to design and share ideas easily.

·        StoryBoard Artist, offers a full-featured timeline, frame transitions, and 3D characters, and is more appropriate for animated video presentations.

 

18.       Parts (elements) of a script / elements of screenplay 

Scene heading – It is also known as a Slugline. A scene heading is a line of text at the beginning of each scene that lets the reader know the location and the time of day the scene is taking place. (Int. or Ext.) 

Action - It sets the scene, describes the setting, and allows introducing the characters and setting the stage for story. Action is written in real time. Avoid a compulsion to write camera angles and shots.  

Character name - In fiction, a character is a person or other being in a narrative. 

Character enacted in cinema, involves "the illusion of being a human person". The writer inserts a character name to let the reader know this character's dialogue. A character name can be an actual name (Raja) or description (Tall man) or an occupation (Doctor). 

Dialogue  - It is the spoken word of the character. Dialogue distinguishes the character. Audience can understand the story through dialogue. 

Parenthetical - A Parenthetical remark can be an attitude, verbal direction or action direction for the actor who is speaking the part. If a character is speaking followed by an action line and then the same character continues speaking, this notation can be used. 

Extensions - An Extension is a technical note placed directly to the right of the Character name that denotes how the character's voice will be heard by the audience. An off-screen voice can be heard from a character out of the camera range. Some writers use O.C. for off camera, V.O. for voice over 

Transitions - Transitions are used to indicate special information about how one scene transitions to another. Instead of using words transitions can be used to convey story Transitions are: CUT TO: DISSOLVE TO: QUICK CUT:  FADE TO: FADE OUT 

Shots - A shot tells the reader the focal point within a scene has changed. Here are some examples of shots: XLS, POV, Panning, etc. Shots are used to show the audience to see something, to achieve emotion or build to a climax. 

 

    19.      Role of computer in scriptwriting 

·        StudioBinder, final draft 10, movie magic screenwriter are some of the scriptwriting software used by filmmaker or writer

·        It's easy to use, industry-approved, and lets you focus on writing

·        It remembers scene elements like characters and locations.

·        We can break down scene elements (actors, wardrobe, props) to feed into production reports later.

·        It includes formatting for film, television, plays, books and even comic books.

·        It also comes with real-time collaboration, professionally authored templates, an index card view, revision tracking, breakdown reports and more.

·        It comes with a wide variety of template formats and we can convert them from one to the other.

·        If you’re working from an existing script, it offers a variety of import formats including PDF, Final Draft, and Microsoft Word documents

·        It integrates with other pre-production tools like call sheets, storyboards, shot lists, and a scheduling solution.

·   Its  feature is an action-to-dialogue calculator within their script statistic reporting tool.

·        Some software’s designed for novel writing, articles, flyers, brochures, and also screenwriting.

 

20.      Software’s used for scriptwriting

 

1. StudioBinder

 

·        It is a free, professional screenwriting software

·        It's intuitive, easy to use, industry-approved, and let focus on writing instead of formatting.

 

2. Final Draft 10

 

·        It’s been an industry standard for decades, and has been used by top writers and filmmakers.

·        We can break down scene elements (actors, wardrobe, props) to feed into production reports later.

 

3. Movie Magic Screenwriter

 

·        Its feature set is powerful, diverse and includes formatting for film, television, plays, books and even comic books.

·        It also comes with real-time collaboration, professionally authored templates, an index card view, revision tracking, breakdown reports and more.

 

4. Celtx Basic Scriptwriting Software

 

·        It’s a cloud-based screenwriting tool

·        It comes with a wide variety of template formats and you can convert them from one to the other.

·        It offers a variety of import formats including PDF, Final Draft, and Microsoft Word documents.

·  Celtx screenwriting integrates with other pre-production tools like call sheets, storyboards, shot lists, and a scheduling solution.

 

5. WriterDuet

 

·        It also includes an in-app chat box and a commenting feature.

·        It also has thorough revision tracking feature, which breaks down script changes by calendar date.

 

6. Fade In Software

 

·        It offers robust customization tools, so you can very hands on with the format of your screenplay (including margins, spacing and the like).

·        It also gives a script breakdown tool, index cards, templates, revision tracking, and reports including cast reports, dialogue reports per character, and more.

 

7. Scrivener

 

·        It's a full word processor designed for novel writing, articles, flyers, brochures, etc.

·        The Scrivener specialty is longer writing projects like screenplays

 

21.      Do’s and Don’ts of scriptwriting

 

·        DO stay within standard script length 108 - 114 pages ideally. A 122 page screenplay is long but still acceptable.

·      DO write a central character with a strong point of view who will take us on a journey, seeing the world and experiences through their eyes, emotions, actions and reactions.

·     DO write compelling, vivid, emotionally engaging, endearing, flawed characters when you first introduce them.

·      DO take pride in your work, making sure there are no grammatical errors and that the script is formatted properly.

·        DO write subtext where characters do not state exactly how they feel.

·        DO use image design, awkward moments and even silent moments to convey mood and emotions.

 

·        DON’T be afraid to use pictures and images to help tell the story

·        DON'T turn in a script that is 139 pages! scripts should never be this long.

·    DON'T write scripts with 20 characters. If you write a script with 20 characters, you drive away focus away from your central character, the protagonist.

·      DON'T write character monologues that take up a whole page.  If you are compelled to write a long monologue, break it up with visuals such as image motifs that correlate to what is being said and/or other character's reactions.

·    DON’T write endless camera angles with respect to dialogue. Let the director decide how to shoot a scene and let the actor decide how to read the line.

 

    22.      Five act structure of narrative 

Exposition

 

The setting is fixed in a particular place and time, the mood is set, and characters are introduced. Exposition can be conveyed through dialogues, flashbacks, characters' asides, background details, in-universe media, or the narrator telling a back-story.

 

Rising action

 

An exciting force or inciting event begins immediately after the exposition (introduction), building the rising action in one or several stages. Entire plot depends on rising action to set up the climax and resolution of the story.

 

Climax

 

The climax is the turning point, which changes the protagonist's fate. If things were going well for the protagonist, the plot will turn against them, often revealing the protagonist's hidden weaknesses. 

 

Falling action

 

The number of characters is limited as much as possible, and the number of scenes should be fewer. The falling action may contain a moment of final suspense.

 

Resolution 

It comprises events from the end of the falling action to the actual ending scene of the drama or narrative. Conflicts are resolved, creating normality for the characters and a sense of catharsis, or release of tension and anxiety, for the reader. 

 

    23.      Writing for PSA 

·        Pick a subject that is important, as well as one can visualize.  

·        Get the most current and up to date facts (Research) on the topic.

·        Statistics and references can add to PSA.  

·        Consider target audience's needs, preferences.

·        Use visual effects, an emotional response, humor, or surprise to catch target audience.

·        Create and keep the script to a few simple statements. A 30-second PSA will require about 5 to 7 concise statements. Highlight the major and minor points that you want to make. Be sure the information presented in the PSA is based on up-to-date, accurate research, findings and/or data. 

·        Storyboard the script which makes the shooting process easier. 

·        Film the footage and edit PSA using video editing software. 

·        Find target audience and get their reaction. 

 

    24.      Writing script for cinema (from idea to shooting script to production)

 

·        The concept of the story has been developed first.

·        Working on the story line and the characters involved in story.

·        Preparing rough drafting the first script

·        Rewriting the script again and again to make it perfect and interesting

·        Once the script is finished, prepare shooting script for production

·        Preparing production budget is the most important process in film production

·    The movie is then in pre-production. Here all key players in front and behind the camera are chosen. Shooting logistics are planned out. Who, What, Where, When and How.

·    Once the master plan is ready and all pertinent details are sorted out the movie moves into shooting.

·      A rough cut in editing reveals what areas need to reshoot. These are identified and shot

·      Once everybody is happy with the fine cut the film is picture locked so no further changes can be made.

·     Once the editing is over, then audio mix and colour grading, VFX, graphics and animation can be done.

·        After that the master is created for distribution and theatre screening.

 

25.      Script for TV commercial

26.      Story 

·         A story can be defined as an account of imaginary or real events.

·         A story consists of a plot, characters, chapters, etc.

·         Different modes of storytelling like novels, short stories, blogs, narratives all have a story to tell and they are very popular these days.

·         This clearly suggests that a story refers to two different things. In a story, the reader is left along with his imagination on many points so that he can explore the universe on his own. While you will get even minute details in a script and no room for imagination is left while writing this.

·         A story gives the reader a clear account of characters through some subplots.

·         Chapters in a story also suggest the same and through each chapter, the writer slowly builds up his story.

·         A story also carries characters. A story is a journey where new information about the characters is revealed to the reader and it develops the story more interesting.

·         It leaves the reader to use his own interpretation to embrace the story in a more dynamic form.

·         In a script, there are scenes. A script is a written text generally created for a film, play, TV serial, etc.

·         It provides a elaborated explanation of the incidents and characters.

·         A script also gives an opportunity to the actor to comprehend the nature of the character, personality, likes and dislikes.

·         Scriptwriters write their script in the present tense as well as in the dialogue form.

·         A script comprises multiple scenes and the climate is nicely mentioned in each scene. For instance, what the actor is going to perform. What are his/her dialogues and what are his movements?  

 

27.      Difference between story and script 

 

Story	Script
A story can be defined as an account of imaginary or real events.	A script has to be understood as the written text of a play, film, or broadcast.
In a story, the reader has to explore these.	In a script, the details of each character are offered in a profile
In a story, there are chapters.	In a script, there are scenes.
In a story, a lot is left to the imagination of the reader.	In a script, imagination does not have much scope.
A story is in prose form.	A script is in a dialogue form.
A story is not in the present	A script is in the present.

 

 

28.      Principles of story design 

Key point: The designing principle is what organizes the story whole. It is the internal logic of the story, what is original about the story, the seed of the story. 

Theme - Theme is the pulse of the story. It we choose correct theme we feel in a good way to complete the story.

 

Genre -Genre is a way to categorize stories. Love, action, sci-fi, comedy, war, are some of the examples of genre.

 

Goal - This is sometimes called the “Outer Journey.” What does the main character want in the life of this story? What does the protagonist want?

 

Inner Journey - What emotions and mistaken beliefs will the main character have to overcome to find happiness at the end? What are the consequences to their heart and soul if they don’t deal with their emotions and correct their mistaken beliefs? An audience needs a conflict-driven outer journey to stay with a story, but they need a compelling inner journey to love the story.

 

Courage – The courage to deal with conflict, lack of, developing, conquering with.

 

Characters - Stories are nothing without interesting characters. Choose one character to be the main character, the protagonist. Pick someone to oppose the protagonist, the antagonist. Make the antagonist up to the challenge.

 

Setting - Where and when the story takes place. The best settings are in interesting places during interesting times.

 

Conflict - Conflict is a well-known driver of stories. It is frequently injected in a story by making characters tense, irritable, and disagreeable. The conflict must be real and have significant consequences.

 

Tone or Audience Experience - What is appropriate for the story and what the audience will appreciate. 

Your Motivation in Writing the Story –What is the purpose of this story? What is buried in your memories that needs to come forth? What feelings are you trying to share with the audience? 

29.      Stage by stage development of story

One liner 

·        The one liner is the story stated in one sentence

·        It is the simplest combination of character and plot

·        It consist of some events that start the action, the main character and outcome of story

·        A one sentence program summary is logline 

Outline 

·        It is a detailed telling of story with intension of turning the story into screenplay.

·        It briefly details every scene of the screenplay story and often as indications for dialogue and character interaction.

·        This provides a breakdown of how story will play out.

·        Outlines can take different forms including purpose, level of detail, method of creation and writer preferences.

·        Script outline that is 3 to 5 pages long

·        It includes only the main and supporting idea of story 

Treatment 

·        Screenplay treatment is simply the plot of story written in prose form.

·        This 2 to 5 page document should read like short story and written in present tense

·        It should present the entire story including the ending and use some key scenes and dialogue from screenplay.

·        A treatment of any length describes all scenes in the movie but does not get into specific dialogue. 

The following should be present in the treatment 

·        Working title

·        Writer name and contact number

·        Shot logline

·        Introduction to key characters

·        Who, what, when, why and where

·        Act 1 – In 1 to 3 paragraph which set the scene, dramatize main conflicts

·        Act – 2 – In 2 to 6 paragraph dramatize how conflicts introduced.

·        Act – 3 – In 1 to 3 paragraph dramatize the final conflict and resolution

 

Synopsis 

·        It means summary of story

·        It is a write up that describes the plot and world of story

·        This can be used to sell the idea.

·        Synopsis should be long enough to pack in everything that is good about the story but short enough to be read in less than 5 minutes.

·        This usually translates 2 to 3 pages

·        Synopsis conveys the narrative arc, an explanation of plot, the characters and how story ends.

·        It ensures characters actions and motivations are realistic and make sense

·        This summarizes what happens and who changes from beginning to end of story. 

Story 

·        A story can be defined as an account of imaginary or real events

·        Story consists of a plot, characters, and chapter.

·        Different types of storytelling like novels, short stories, blogs all have story to tell

·        A story gives the reader a clear account of characters through sub plots.

·        It each chapter the writer builds up the story

·        A story is a journey where new information about the character is revealed and develops the story more interesting.  

30.      Define script

·        A scrip is written text generally created for film, TV, serial, etc

·        It provides an elaborated explanation of the incidents and characters

·        A script also gives an opportunity to the actor to comprehend the nature of character, personality, likes and dislikes

·        Scriptwriters write the script in present tense as well as in dialogue form

·        A script comprises multiple scenes and the climate is nicely mentioned in each scene

·        For instance what the actor is going to perform, what are their dialogues and what is their movement.

 

31.      Audio visual element in screenplay 

·        Images, action, sound effects, and dialogue are four elements use to tell a screen story.

·        Viewers can only experience what they see on the screen or what they hear coming out of the speakers.

·        They can see images of people, places, objects moving images of action such as fights and chases.

·        They can hear noises, music and songs

·        People can listen to the things the people they are seeing on screen.

·        Special effects and CGI, are also the visuals in screenplay

·        All the elements can be mixed, matched, and juxtaposed in infinite combinations.

·        When writing a script, the screenwriter must describe only what can be seen or heard.

·        Images and sound are external elements and therefore screenwriters must avoid the internal.

·        Instead of writing text that a character feels angry, a screenwriter should describe an action that demonstrates the character’s anger

·        Instead of telling what a character is thinking about, a screenwriter can have that character tell another character what’s on his mind. 

 

    32.      The Syd Field theory of “Paradigm”

 ·        Field noticed that in a 120-page screenplay, Act Two was notoriously boring, and was also twice the length of Acts One and Three.

·        He also noticed that an important dramatic event usually occurred at the middle of the picture, which implied to him that the middle act was actually two acts in one.

·        So the Three Act Structure is written as 1, 2a, 2b, 3

·        Field also introduced the idea of Plot Points into screenwriting theory. 

Opening Image: The first image in the screenplay should summarize the entire film, especially its tone. 

Inciting Incident: Also called the catalyst, this is the point in the story when the Protagonist encounters the problem that will change their life. 

This is when the detective is assigned the case, where Boy meets Girl, and where the Comic Hero gets fired from his cushy job, forcing him into comic circumstances. 

Plot Point 1: The last scene in Act One, Turning Point One is a surprising development that radically changes the Protagonist's life, and forces him to confront the Opponent. 

Pinch 1: A reminder scene at about 3/8 the way through the script (halfway through Act 2a) that brings up the central conflict of the drama, reminding us of the overall conflict. 

Midpoint : An important scene in the middle of the script, often a reversal of fortune that changes the direction of the story. Field suggests that driving the story towards the Midpoint keeps the second act from sagging.

Pinch 2: Another reminder scene about 5/8 through the script (halfway through Act 2b) that is somehow linked to Pinch 1 in reminding the audience about the central conflict. 

Plot Point 2: A dramatic reversal that ends Act 2 and begins Act 3, which is about confrontation and resolution. Sometimes Turning Point Two is the moment when where the Hero is has had enough and is finally going to face the Opponent. Sometimes, it's the low-point for the Hero, and he must bounce back to overcome the odds in Act 3. 

Showdown : About midway through Act 3, the Protagonist will confront the Main Problem of the story and either overcome it, or come to a tragic end. 

Resolution : The issues of the story are resolved. 

Tag : An epilogue, tying up the loose ends of the story, giving the audience closure. This is also known as denouement. 

 

33.      Joseph Campbell – Heroes journey 

The Monomyth are the heroes journey that involves a hero who goes on an adventure, and wins a victory. 

Call to adventure –The hero begins in a situation of normality from which some information is received that act as call to adventure. It is a forest, a kingdom, underground, above the sky, etc. 

Refusal of the call – When the call is given the hero first refuses it. This may be from a sense of duty, fear, insecurity, etc. 

Meeting the mentor – Once the hero has committed to the quest his/her guide and magical helper becomes known. This mentor will present the hero with one more artifacts that will help him later in their quest. 

Crossing the threshold – This is the point where the hero actually crosses into adventure field. Leaving the known limits of the world and venturing into an unknown. 

Belly of the whale – It represents the final separation from the heroes known world. When entering the stage first, the hero may encounter a minor danger or set back. 

Road of trails – It is a series of test that the hero must undergo to begin the transformation. Eventually the hero will overcome these trails and move on to next step. 

Meeting with the Goddess – This is where the hero gains items given to him that will help him in future. 

The women as temptress – The hero faces those temptations often of a physical or pleasurable nature. Women are a metaphor for physical or material temptations of life. 

Atonement with father – In this step the hero must confront and be initiated by whatever holds the ultimate powers in life. 

Apotheosis – This is the point of realization, the hero is resolves and ready for the difficult part of adventure. 

Ultimate boom – It is the achievement of the goal of quest. It is what the hero went on the journey to get. 

Refusal of written – having found bliss and enlightenment in other world the hero may not want to written to ordinary world. 

 

34.      Sequence approach to screenplay by Frank Daniel

The sequence approach divides the film into eight sequences.  The First Act has two sequences, a Second Act has four sequences, and a Third act has two. 

First sequence - Excite the viewers curiosity with an opening image and hook. Present exposition explaining the who, what, when, and where of the story.  Show a glimpse of the life of the protagonists. This sequence generally ends with the inciting incident or point of attack.

Second sequence - The protagonist tries to reestablish the status quo disrupted by the point of attack. The protagonist's want is defined, as so, the sequence poses the dramatic question that will shape the rest of the story.  This is the end of the first act, and with it the main tension is firmly established.

Third sequence- The protagonist makes a first attempt to solve the dramatic question and fulfill his/her/their want, but fails. Subplots are established.  This sequence often includes the first major set piece of the movie, which explores and exploits the main tension or comedic tension.

Fourth sequence - Here the protagonist often attempts, once again, to restore the status quo and fails.  The end of the sequence is the midpoint.  It often brings a major revelation or reversal.  So, a major element of this sequence is audience preparation for this conclusion. The audience should be tempted to guess the outcome story.  

Fifth Sequence - The protagonists deals with the result of the first conclusion.  Often new characters are introduced for new opportunities are discovered.  The protagonist's need(as opposed to want) becomes a force and complication in the protagonists choices. The sequence may deal heavily with subplots, such as a romantic subplot, and may give the audience a break from the main tension of the main plot. As with other sequences, this sequence may have its own tension, want and central question that gets resolved at the climax of the sequence.  

Sixth sequence - This is the last sequence before the end of the second act. The protagonist has exhausted all easy courses of action and must address the central dramatic question head on.  Forces pushing the protagonist to a character change become impossible to ignore. The protagonist feels that all is lost, or it may be a victory that leads to a bigger problem and third act tension.

Seventh sequence - The apparent answer of the central dramatic question proves premature.  The stakes are raised on final time.  A new third act tension is established that will answer the dramatic question once and for all. The story seen in a new light, and the protagonist might reverse his/her/their goals.  Often this long sequence ends in a false ending / final twist.

Eighth sequence – The tensions created by the point of attack are finally resolved. Any remaining subplots are tied up.  The final image may recall images that opened the film.

35. Visual composition (elements) 

Rule of Thirds 

It is moving the subject out of the “dead center” of the image by breaking the image into thirds both horizontally and vertically, forming a grid. The image will work best if the subject is placed on intersections of those lines. As a result, photograph becomes more dynamic and visually more interesting. 

Symmetrical Composition 

Symmetrical composition make the image more powerful. The grid in the view finder become very useful to ensure everything is aligned correctly. Symmetrical images usually give the feeling of stability, steadiness and balance. 

Diagonals / Lines / Curves 

By learning to see the elements of a composition, it becomes possible to make the best use of lines, diagonals or curves. Using strong diagonals in an image makes it more dynamic and produces a stronger impact on the viewer 

Leading Lines 

Lines in an image can lead the viewer’s eye to it. This draws the viewer’s attention to the important part of the image. Narrow streets, railings, paved streets, alignment of trees any converging and leading lines may be used to bring the eye to the main subject.  

Triangles  

If the image is composed of three main elements, use triangle composition. It is a good way to add impact 

Distortion 

If you use wide-angle or a fisheye lens, push the lines by purposely distorting the proportions of the image. This works best for architecture or landscape images with strong graphic elements. 

Frame in a Frame 

Natural frames enhance the subject and draw attention to it. The “frame” does not necessarily have to be on all four sides of the image; two or three sides will also work. 

Off-center Subject 

This is when the subject is placed off-center. This creates an asymmetrical composition, this is considered to be more “interesting” and moves the viewer’s eye around the page.

36.      Define plot 

·        Plot is described as the events that make up a story, or the main part of a story.

·        These events relate to each other in a pattern or a sequence.

·        The plot focuses attention on the important characters and their roles in the story.

·        It motivates the characters to affect the story, and connects the events in an orderly manner.

·        The plot creates a desire for the reader to go on reading by absorbing them in the middle of the story, ensuring they want to know what happens next.

·        The plot leads to the climax, but by gradually releasing the story in order to maintain readers’ interest.

·        Reader gets emotionally involved, connecting with the book, not allowing himself to put the book down.

·     The plot reveals the entire story, giving the reader a sense of completion that he has finished the story and reached a conclusion.

·      The plot is what forms a memory in readers’ minds, allowing them to think about the book and even making them want to read it again.

·    The reader is able to understand the message being conveyed by the author, and the moral of the story.

37.      Define sub-plot

·        In fiction, a subplot is a secondary strand of the plot that is a supporting side story for any story or the main plot. 

·        Subplots may connect to main plots, in either time and place or in thematic significance. 

·        Subplots often involve supporting characters, those besides the protagonist or antagonist.

·        Subplots may also intertwine with the main plot at some point in a story.

·        Subplots are distinguished from the main plot by taking up less of the action, having fewer significant events occur, with less impact on the "world" of the work, and occurring to less important characters.

·        In screenwriting, a subplot is referred to as a "B story" or a "C story," etc.

·        It can involve characters other than the main protagonist and antagonist, and may not intersect much with the main narrative. 

38.      Flashback 

·        Flashback in narrative sometimes called an analepsis.

·        It is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point in the story. 

·        This is often used to recount events that happened before the story's primary sequence of events to fill in crucial back story.

·        Flashbacks are used to join together to a story, develop a character, or add structure to the narrative.

·        It is often used to "resolve an enigma". 

·        In movies and television, several camera techniques, editing approaches and special effects have evolved to alert the viewer that the action shown is a flashback.

·        For example, the edges of the picture may be deliberately blurred, photography may be jarring or choppy, or unusual coloration, or monochrome.

·        The scene may fade or dissolve, often with the camera focused on the face of the character and there is typically a voice-over by a narrator. 

39. Flash forward 

·        A flash forward is also known as prolepsis.

·        It is a scene that temporarily takes the narrative forward in time from the current point of the story in film.

·        It represents expected or imagined events in the future, interjected into the main plot, revealing important information to the story that has yet to be brought to light.

·        Flashforward are used to join together to a story, develop a character, or add structure to the narrative.

·        It is similar to foreshadowing, in which future events are not shown but rather implicitly hinted at.

·        In movies and television, several camera techniques, editing approaches and special effects have evolved to alert the viewer that the action shown is a flashback.

·        For example, the edges of the picture may be deliberately blurred, photography may be jarring or choppy, or unusual coloration, or monochrome.

·        The scene may fade or dissolve, often with the camera focused on the face of the character and there is typically a voice-over by a narrator. 

 

 40.      Screenplay construction by Yves Lavandier

French writer and director Yves Lavandier shows screenplay a slightly different approach. According to him every human action whether fiction or real contains three logical parts : before the action, during the action and after the action. Since the climax is part of the action he believes the second act must include the climax. 

Before the action 

·        It is used for exposition to establish the main character their relationship and the world they live in.

·        A problem is also introduced which is what drives the story forward.

·        Later in the first act there is an inciting incident that confronts the main character. 

During the action 

·        It is referred to as rising action

·        It typically depicts the protagonist attempt to resolve the problem

·        This is the bulk of story

·        Here the characters go through major changes in their life.

·        Climax is part of it which features the resolution of story. 

After the action 

·        All the elements of story come together and lead to ending

·        Resolution is when the problem of story boils over

41.      Writing commercial script 

·        Commercial script for radio and television that sell product and announce events

·        The ad message should be communicated within a minute.

·        Good commercials are simple, newsworthy and valuable to listener

·        Commercial should create an offer that encourages a new customer to act immediately

·        For writing commercial two columns script is generally followed

·        The commercial should be given a title.

·        The length of the commercial such as 30 seconds, 60 seconds should be mentioned in script.

·        Inform the audience the name of the company and product

·        In two column script, the video information is present in left side and the audio information present at right side

·        These details include settings, dialogue, action, music VFX and SFX

 

42.      Importance of research in documentary making 

·        Documentary filmmaking is a non-fiction style of filmmaking that seeks to document some aspect of reality.

·        This can be done for education, preservation, and entertainment purposes.

·        Documentary filmmakers often choose subject matter they are passionate about, and a documentary can be about any non-fiction, real-world subject.

·        Documentary filmmaking requires research to provide the context, footage and other visuals, narration, and interviews that will appear in the film.

·        There are several types of research that documentary filmmakers might undertake, including archival research, academic research, and in-person interviews.

·        Good documentary filmmaking requires research, in fact by definition the documentary filmmaking process requires research into the subject it seeks to document.

·        In order to document actual events, histories, people, and cultures, you must find the documents, people, and objects that will tell your story.

·        Research is necessary for the raw visual materials that will provide you the context necessary to understand, interpret, and share the subject of your film.

·        Research is also important to organize and plan out your documentary.

This often begins with archival research. Archives have a diverse range of different research materials, including:

            Still photos, footage, newspapers, and online articles

            Paintings, etchings, sketches

            Letters, journals, and diaries

            Governmental documents

43.      Cross cutting

 

·        Cross-cutting is an editing technique most often used in films to establish action occurring at the same time, and usually in the same place.

·        In a cross-cut, the camera will cut away from one action to another action, which can suggest the simultaneity of these two actions.

·        Cross-cutting can also be used for characters in a film with the same goals but different ways of achieving them.

·        Suspense may be added by cross-cutting. 

·        It is built through the expectations that it creates and in the hopes that it will be explained with time.

·        Cross-cutting also forms parallels; it illustrates a narrative action that happens in several places at approximately the same time.

·        For instance, in D.W.Griffith’s A Corner in Wheat, the film cross-cuts between the activities of rich businessmen and poor people waiting in line for bread.

·        This contrast is used for strong emotional effect, and frequently at the climax of a film.

·        The rhythm of, or length of time between, cross-cuts can also set the rhythm of a scene. 

·        Cross-cutting was established as a film-making technique relatively early in film history such as The Great Train Robbery, The Birth of a Nation, etc.  

44.      Parallel editing

 

·        Parallel editing is an editing technique that allows two or more simultaneous sets of action to unfold within a single film sequence.

·        One of the most important effects of the parallel edit is that of simultaneousness

·        By employing this sequence of alternating focus, the filmmaker is able to place subjects in relation to one another

·        It creates tension and can show different point of views.

·        It creates something that the audience knows that the characters don't

·        Both cross cutting and parallel editing are used to imply a relationship between different sets of action.   

·        Parallel editing didn't simply contribute to storytelling; it juxtapositions and contrasts

·        An example of this style occurs during the scene of Lincoln's assassination in the Ford Theatre. The camera cuts between shots of the stage, the President's viewing box, and close-up shots of the Stonemans

·        The emphasized relationship between these spaces is used to increase the tension within the scene.  

 

45.      Documentary writing 

·        Once the documentary idea is decided, it is time to start search for information. No important message should be left.

·        Based on the research, start creating a list of potential characters/interviews, basic storylines, areas of potential conflict and emotion.

·        Ask yourself, “what’s at the heart of this story and how do I “show” that visually?”

·        Decide the look, feel and style of the documentary.

·        Writing an outline at the beginning can be an invaluable guide to point you in the right direction

·        Shooting script act as a reference to the documentary maker not deviating from the main concept.

·        It avoids confusion at the shooting spot what footage should be taken.

·        “How to write a script” creatively involves adding special elements such as stop motion, time-lapse, animation/cartoons, recreations, etc.

·        Think about some unique and creative ways to present the documentary.

·        The documentary should have "Wow" factor.

 

46.      Ideation 

·        Ideation is the creative process of generating, developing, and communicating new ideas

·        Where an idea is understood as a basic element of thought that can be either visual, concrete, or abstract. 

·        Ideation comprises all stages of a thought cycle, from innovation, to development, to actualization. 

·        Ideation can be conducted by individuals, organizations, or crowds.

·        It is an essential part of the design process. 

Methods of innovation 

·        Problem solution is the most simple method of progress, where someone has found a problem and as a result, solves it.

·        Derivative idea involves taking something that already exists and changing it.

·        A symbiotic method of idea creation is when multiple ideas are combined, using different elements of each to make a whole.

·        A revolutionary idea breaks away from traditional thought and creates a brand new perspective.

·        Targeted innovation deals with a direct path of discovery. This is often accompanied by intensive research in order to have a distinct and almost expected resolution.

 

47.      French Avant-Garde cinema

 

·        Experimental film, experimental cinema or avant-garde cinema is a mode of filmmaking that explores non-narrative forms and alternatives to traditional narratives. 

·        Experimental films have been produced on very low budgets with a minimal crew or a single person and are either self-financed or supported through small grants.

·        Experimental filmmakers generally begin as amateurs, and some used experimental films as a springboard into commercial film making.

·        The aim of experimental filmmaking is usually to render the personal vision of an artist, or to promote interest in new technology rather than to entertain or to generate revenue

·        This film generally different from, and often opposed to, the practices of mainstream commercial and documentary filmmaking. 

·        An experimental film is often characterized by the absence of linear narrative, the use of various abstracting techniques such as out-of-focus, painting or scratching on film, rapid editing the use of asynchronous sound or even the absence of any sound track.

·        The goal is often to place the viewer in a more active and more thoughtful relationship to the film.

·   Some critics have argued that much experimental film is no longer in fact "experimental" but become a mainstream film genre.

·     Many of its more typical features such as a non-narrative, impressionistic, or poetic approaches to the film's construction define what is generally understood to be "experimental

 

48.      Character arc 

·        A character arc is the transformation or inner journey of a character over the course of a story.

·        If a story has a character arc, the character begins as one sort of person and gradually transforms into a different sort of person in response to changing developments in the story.

·        This changes described as character arc

·        In most stories, lead characters and protagonists are the characters most likely to experience character arcs

·        The main character seems initially unable to overcome opposing forces, possibly because they lack skills or knowledge or resources or friends. To overcome such obstacles, the main character must change, possibly by learning new skills, to arrive at a higher sense of self-awareness or capability.

·        Main characters can achieve such self-awareness by interacting with their environment, by enlisting the help of mentors, by changing their viewpoint, or by some other method.

 

49.      Define ambient sound   

            ·        Ambient sound means the background sounds which are present in a scene.

            ·        Common ambient sounds include wind, water, birds, crowds, office noises, traffic, etc. 

·        It provides audio continuity between shots.

·        Preventing an unnatural silence when no other sound is present.

·        Establishing or reinforcing the mood.

·        It is the opposite of "silence". Ambience is similar to presence, but is distinguished by the existence of explicit background noise in ambience recordings, as opposed to the perceived "silence" of presence recordings.

·        Every location has distinct and subtle sounds created by its environment. These sound sources can include wildlife, wind, music, rain, running water, thunder, rustling leaves, distant traffic, aircraft and machinery noise.

·        Ambience is normally recorded in stereo by the sound department during the production stage of filmmaking.

·        It is used to provide a movie location which occupies a separate track in the sound edit

 

50.      Categories of narrative structure

 

Linear narrative

 

·        Linear narrative is the most common form of narration, where events are largely portrayed in a chronological order, that is, telling the events in the order in which they occurred.

·        Flashbacks are often confused with true narratives which are not linear

·        Some films appear to open with the ending, flashback movies almost immediately jump back to the very beginning of the story to proceed linearly from there

 

Nonlinear narrative

 

·        Nonlinear narratives, disjointed narrative or disrupted narrative is a narrative technique, where events are portrayed, out of chronological order

·        Flashback, flash forward, twist are there in nonlinear narrative

 

Interactive narration

 

·        Interactive narration refers to works where the linear narrative is driven by, rather than influenced by, the users interaction.

·        There is only one narrative but the method of delivery requires the user to actively work to gain the next piece of the narrative

·        This is the narrative approach of some modern video games. A player will be required to reach an objective, complete a task, solve a puzzle, or finish a level before the narrative continues.

 

Interactive narrative

 

·        An interactive narrative is one which is composed with a branching structure where a single starting point may lead to multiple developments and outcomes.

·        At each step of the narrative, the user makes choices that advance the story, leading to new series of choices. 

 

51.      Creation of storyboard

 

Storyboards for films are created by hand drawing or digitally on a computer.

The main characteristics of a storyboard are:

 

·         Visualize the storytelling.

·         Focus the story and the timing in several frames 

·         Define the technical parameters: description of the motion, the camera, the lighting, etc.

 

·         If drawing by hand, the first step is to create or download a storyboard template. Then sketch a thumbnail storyboard.

·         If a director or producer wishes, more detailed and elaborate storyboard images are created.

·         These can be created by professional storyboard artists by hand on paper or digitally by using 2D storyboarding programs.

·         Some software applications even supply a stable of storyboard-specific images making it possible to quickly create shots which express the director's intent for the story.

·         These boards tend to contain more detailed information than thumbnail storyboards and convey more of the mood for the scene.

·         These are then presented to the project's cinematographer who achieves the director's vision.

·         If needed, 3D storyboards are created. The advantage of 3D storyboards is they show exactly what the film camera will see using the lenses the film camera will use.

·         3D storyboards can be constructed using 3D animation programs or digital puppets within 3D programs. 

 

53.      Ideation to film production 

·        The concept of the story has been developed first

·        Working on the story line and the characters involved in story

·        Preparing rough drafting the first script

·        Rewriting the script again and again to make it perfect and interesting

·        Once the script is finished, prepare shooting script for production

·        Preparing production budget is the most important process in film production

·        The movie is then in pre-production. Here all key players in front and behind the camera are chosen. Shooting logistics are planned out. Who, what, where, when and how

·        Once the master plan is ready and all pertinent details are sorted out the movie moves into shooting

·        A rough cut in editing reveals what areas need to reshoot. These are identified and shot

·        Once everybody is happy with the fine cut the film is picture locked so no further changes can be made

·        Once the editing is over, then audio mix and color grading, VFX, graphics and animation can be done.

·        After that the master is created for distribution and theatre screening.

 

53.      Screenplays are structure by William Goldman 

·        When William Goldman says that “screenplays are structure” he is talking about how a story is actually put together.  

·        A story may have excellent dialogue, and loveable characters, but if the structure is not fully developed then you may as well forget it.

·        The structure of any story focuses on how beat by beat and scene by scene it is ultimately laid out.  

·        A story can use any type of story-telling model, but focusing on the structure or the foundation of the story is vital.

·        Goldman believes that screenwriting is a lot like carpentry.  If you put together some wood, nails, and glue to build a bookcase, you better have established a sound foundation.  If not, you have might have created something really beautiful, but it won’t work as a bookcase. 

·        As a screenwriter you must first decide what the proper structure should be for the particular screenplay you are writing.

·        Goldman believes that it is absolutely crucial to know the spine of your story above anything else.  

·        A spine can be rather simple such as “boy meets girl, loses girl, finds her again,” or something much more complex.  That spine is then developed further, taking a broad idea and digging deeper into the story scene by scene.

·        After finding exactly what the spine of your story is, a writer must protect it at all costs.  It is easy to lose focus of what is really important in a story when you’re 80 pages in.  

·        Goldman insists that strictly sticking to the ultimate spine of a story will drive that script to success. Without a well-developed spine, a screenplay is pretty much condemned.

 

54.      Shooting script

 

·        The shooting script is more elaborate, precise, overwritten version of the screenplay.

·        The shooting script is not written by the screenwriter. It is written by the director alongside his cinematographer, while both discuss their ideas and shot plan desired for the movie.

·        The main difference between the screenplay and the shooting script is that the screenplay is a selling tool, whereas the shooting script is a production tool.

·        The shooting script is normally broken into shots, featuring precise cinematography terminology such as close-ups, dolly in, overexposed.

·        The idea here is to inform the crew what is going on.

·        Before shooting starts, the shooting script will be divided into dates, so everyone knows what is being shot when.

·        The goal is to let all the crew members know what they will need to bring or arrange beforehand.

 

55.      Types of characters in film

 

Protagonist

 

·        The protagonist is the main character, the star of the film.

·        Most of the action centers around them, and they’re the one we’re meant to care about the most.

 

Antagonist

 

·        Antagonist is the character who opposes the protagonist.

·        Most of the time, the protagonist is good and the antagonist is evil, and such is the source of their conflict.

·        Antagonists usually play just as important a role in a story as their protagonistic counterparts 

 

Deuteragonist

 

·        They’re often seen in the company of the protagonist — giving advice, plotting against their rivals, and generally lending a helping hand.

·        Their presence and close relationship to the protagonist gives the story warmth and heart

 

Tertiary characters

 

·        The tertiary characters are not important because they appear one or two scenes throughout the film.

·        A story still requires a few tertiaries. We all have them in real life, you only see once a week, the random guy you sit next to in class.

 

Foil character

 

·        A foil is someone whose personality and values fundamentally clash with the protagonist’s.

·        The foil is not usually the primary antagonist. Sometimes the foil clash with protagonist and later become friends. 

Dynamic/changing character

 

·        A dynamic character is one who changes over the course of story. 

·        Many villains are made through a shift from good to evil

·        The protagonist of the story should always be dynamic

 

Static/unchanging character

 

·        The static character the one who doesn’t change. 

·        These static figures tend to be unlikable. Harry Potter’s aunt and uncle, their ignorance to how they’re mistreating the hero.

 

Stock character

 

·        Stock characters are those familiar figures that appear in stories time after time

·        He can be comedian, the mentor.

 

Symbolic character

 

·        A symbolic character is used to represent something larger and more important

·        The true nature of a symbolic character may only be fully understood at the very end of a story. 

 

Round character

 

·        The round character has a full backstory (though not always revealed in the narrative), complex emotions, and realistic motivations for what they do.

·        Majority of the protagonists are not only dynamic, but also round.

 

56.      Visualization in storyboard

 

·        A good Storyboard Artist is not only a talented artist who can draw, but someone who also understands film language, camera movement, and the shot descriptions including wide shots, medium shots, close-ups, dolly shots, jib shots, and Dutch angles.

·        It helps the director and cinematographer really understand camera placement, camera movement, and shot compositions which help to save time and money on set.

 

Pre-visualization in film

·  Film shot planning is done prior to shooting.

·        The director and cinematographer are involved in the pre-visualization process

·        Pre-visualization is the visualizing of complex scenes in a movie before filming.

·        It describes techniques such as storyboarding in the planning and conceptualization of movie scenes.

·        It can be accomplished by sketching with charcoal on paper or using digital software

·        The goal is to resolve both creative and production issues before filming begins 

Post visualization 

·        Post visualization happens during post production when viewing rough cuts.

·        When a director or editor needs to experiment with replacing shots to clarify story moments or alter the pacing of the project.  

 

57.      Script analysis

 

·        Screenplay script is the blueprint that producers, directors and actors use to translate a story from page to screen.

·        Before going for production, the screenplay script is read by the production team to evaluate its strengths and weaknesses.

·        Read the screenplay from start to finish. It may even be useful to re-read the script a couple of times so you are more familiar with it.

·        Analyze the concept of the film. Ask yourself if the concept is original, easily marketable and full of emotion.

·        The script must have a theme. The story must be logical and make sense.

·        Analyze the structure of the film. The screenplay must be properly formatted with scene headings, action lines and dialogue.

·        The screenplay must also have a three-act structure -- set-up, confrontation and resolution.

·        The script must draw the reader in within the first 10 pages and keep the reader guessing throughout.

·        The writing should be visual, "showing" what is happening rather than "telling". The script must also be of proper length, between 100 and 125 pages.

·        Analyze the individual scenes of the screenplay. Every scene must be important to the story and move the story forward.

·        The pacing from scene to scene must flow and the reader should never be able to guess easily what is going to happen next.   

·        Analyze the characters. The hero of the script must be likable. He should have wants and needs that must be satisfied and he should undergo change to achieve his goals.

· Characters should be multidimensional, with varying points of views, wants and fears. The antagonist must be stronger than the protagonist, making the hero’s journey more difficult.

 

    58.      How to analyze a film script? 

·        Screenplay script is the blueprint that producers, directors and actors use to translate a story from pate to screen.

·        Before going for production, the screenplay script is read by the production team to evaluate its strength and weakness.

·        Read the screenplay from start to finish. It may even be useful to re-read the script a couple of times so you are more familiar with it.

·        Analyze the concept of the film. Ask yourself if the concept is original, easily marketable and full of emotion.

·        The script must have a theme. The story must be logical and make sense.

·        Analyze the structure of the film. The screenplay must be properly formatted with scene headings, action lines and dialogue.

·        The screenplay must also have a three act structure – setup, confrontation and resolution.

·        The script must draw reader in within the first 10 pages and keep the reader guessing throughout.

·        The writing should be visual, “showing” what is happening rather than “telling”. The script must also be of proper length, between 100 and 125 pages.

·        Analyze the individual scenes of the screenplay. Every scene must be important to the story and move the story forward.

·        The pacing from scene to scene must flow and the reader should never be able to guess easily what is going to happen next.

·        Analyze the characters. The hero of eh script must be likable. He should have wants and needs that must be satisfied and he should undergo changes to achieve his goals.

·        Character should be multidimensional, with varying point of views, wants and fears. The antagonist must be stranger than the protagonist, making the hero’s journey more difficult. 

 

59.      Screenplay format / Screenplay writing

 

Many scripts begin with a transition, which may include fade in or black screen. Other scripts will begin with scene headings, or even subheadings.

 

Scene Heading

 

The scene heading is there to help break up physical spaces and give the reader and production team an idea of the story’s geography.You will either choose INT. for interior spaces or EXT. for exterior spaces. Then a description of the setting, and then the time of day. 

 

Example

 

            EXT. SUBURBAN HOME – NIGHT

 

            WE OPEN on a modern suburban home. The front window illuminated by the lights inside.         We see the silhouette of a small human figure as it runs back and forth.

 

There are rare cases where the scene begins inside and goes outside, or vice versa, and in these situations you may write INT/EXT. or EXT/INT. 

 

Subheading 

Often, writers will use subheadings to show a change in location without breaking the scene, even if the scene has shifted from INT. to EXT.

Example: 

            INT. SUBURBAN HOME – KITCHEN – NIGHT           

            Filbert lifts his sword into the air, lets out a big battle cry, and sprints from the kitchen to ---

            HALLWAY 

          Filbert comes around the corner, distracted by his fantasy, bumps into the wall. His favorite       ball slips from his hand. 

 

It is assumed that readers will understand the change in space while retaining the idea that the time of day is the same even continuous. The reason many writers do this is to avoid the notion that we’ve entered an entirely new scene, though you could always include CONTINUOUS in place of DAY or NIGHT by creating an entirely new scene heading.

 

Transitions

 

In the bottom right of the page you will place transitions, but in modern screenwriting these seem to be used less and less. The transitions that seems to have really stood the test of time are CUT TO: and FADE OUT. 

Example: 

            1. EXT. SUBURBAN HOME - NIGHT 

            WE OPEN on a modern suburban home. The front window illuminated      1

            By the lights inside. We see the silhouette of a small human figure as it

            Runs back and forth.

 

            2. INT. SUBURN HOME – KITCHEN – NIGHT                                         2           

Character introductions

 

When you introduce a character in a screenplay, you want to use all-capital letters for the name of the character, then a reference to their age, and finally some information about their traits and personality.

 

            1. INT. SUBURN HOME – KITCHEN - NIGHT

 

            FILBERT, wiry, lost in his own imaginary world. Dressed as a Knight.         1

            A toy sword in his other hand. 

Action

 

Action lines are where you describe the visual and audible actions that take place on screen. You want to write in third person in present tense.

 

1. INT. SUBURBAN HOME – KITCHEN – NIGHT

 

He stares into the abyss. Sweat drips down his defeated face. Mouth agape.       1

Hands clenched. WE HEAR a resounding THUD. Filbert takes deep breathe.

Pulls his helmet guard down. Draws sword, creeps down the steps, disappears

Into darkness. 

Dialogue

 

Your lines of dialogue will be set underneath the character to which they are assigned. Dialogue is pretty straightforward from a formatting standpoint, but it is the most difficult part of screenwriting.

 

1. EXT. SUBURN HOME – NIGHT                                                                       1

 

FILBERT

                                                This is my castle. I am sworn to

                                                Protect it. 

Extensions

 

These occur when a character says something off-screen (O.S.), or if dialogue is voice-over (V.O.). You will see extensions when a character ends a block of dialogue, performs an action, and speaks more.

 

1. INT. SUBURBAN HOME – KITCHEN – NIGHT                                         1

 

FILBERT (V.O)

 

                                                This is my castle. I am sworn to

                                                Protect it. 

Parenthetical 

1. INT. SUBURBAN HOME – KITCHEN – NIGHT                                         1 

BECKY

                                                            (into phone)

                                                Oh yeah, he’s being good. He’s just

                                                fighting orcs or trolls or …

                                                something, I’m not really sure. 

 

You can use a parenthetical inside your dialogue to show small actions, or even a change in mood without having to jump out to an action line. 

Camera shots

The best professional screenwriters know how to suggest shots without actually writing in shots, but if you really insist on describing a particular shot in your screenplay you can format it like a subheading.

 

1          INT. SUBURN HOME – KITCHEN – NIGHT                                        1

 

            Filbert comes around the corner, distracted by his fantasy, bumps into

            The wall. His favorite ball slips from his hand.

 

            FILBERT’S POV

 

            IN SLOW MOTION – The ball tumbles down the stairs. WE HEAR each the echo of each         bounce as it travels down the steps.

 

60.      Principles of adaptation

 

·        A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film.

·        A common form of film adaptation is the use of a novel as the basis of a feature film.

·   Other works adapted into films include non-fiction (including journalism), autobiography, comic books, scriptures, plays, historical sources, and other films.

·        Movie studios will commission novelizations of their popular titles.

 

 61.      Adaptation in Tamil movies 

 

·        A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film.

·        A common form of film adaptation is the use of a novel as the basis of a feature film.

·   Other works adapted into films include non-fiction (including journalism), autobiography, comic books, scriptures, plays, historical sources, and other films. 

Examples for film adaptation (Write any 10 films, directors and the novel name)

 

1.  47 Naatkal (K.Balachandar) - Based on a Novel by Shivashankari

 

2. Aalavandhan (Suresh krishna) - Based on Kamal's book Daayam

 

3. Avan Aval Adhu (Visu) - Based on the Novel "OruSingamMuyalaagiradhu" by Sivashankari

 

4. Gaayathri (P.Pattabiram) - Based on Sujatha's Novel in the same Name

 

5. Iruvar Ulla (L.V.Prasad) - Based on the Novel "Pen Manam" Written by Lakshmi Thirupathisaamy

 

6. Marupakkam (K.S.SethuMadhavan) - Based on the Novel "UchiVeyil" written by Indira Parthasarathy

 

7. MullumMalarum (J.Mahendran) - Based on the Novel by Umachandran of the same Name.

 

8. MooduPani (BaluMahendra) - Based on the novel "IdhuvumoruViduthalaithaan" by Rajendra Kumar

 

9. OnbadhuRoobaiNottu (ThangarBachan) - Based on the Novel written by the director in the same Name

 

10. OorukkuNooru Per (B.Lenin) - Based on the Novel by Late Jayakanthan in the same Name

 

11. OruNadigaiNaadagamPaarkiral (A. Bhimsingh) - Based on Late Jayakanthan's Novel in the same name.

 

12. OruOodhapooKanSimitugiradhu (S.P.Muthuraman) - Based on Pushpa Thangadorai’s Novel in the same Name

 

13. ParthibanKanavu (Yoganand) - Based of the Novel by Late Kalki Krishnamurthy in the same name

 

14. PonnarSankar (Thiyagarajan) - Based on the Novel by M.Karunanidhi in the same name.

 

15. Priya (S.P.Muthuraman) - Based on Late Sujatha's Shankar-Ganesh Novels series

 

16. SollathaanNinaikiren (K.Balachandar) - Based on Muthulakshmi's Novel in the same name

 

17. ThillanaMohanaambal (A.P.Nagarajan) - Based on the Novel by KodhamangalamSubbu in the same Name

 

18. Uthiripookal (J.Mahendran) - Based on a Short Story by Pudhumaipithan in the Name "Chithirranai"

 

19. Aravaan (Vasanthabalan) - Based on the book "KaavalKottam" written by Su.Venkatesan. Only a part of the book is been filmed and not the complete book.

 

20. Yatchan (Vishnuvardhan) - Based on a Short story published in a Tamil Weekly Ananda Vikatan by SuBa in the same Name.

 

21. Paradesi (Bala) - Based on an English Novel "Red Tea" written by Paul Harris Daniel.

 

22. SilaNerangalilSilaManidhargal (Bhimsingh) - Based on the Novel by Late Jayakanthan in the same name.

 

23. Unnai Pol Oruvan  1965 (Jayakanthan) - Based on the Novel of the same name by Late Jayakanthan

 

24. AanandhaThaandavam (Gandhi Krishna) - Based on the Novel “PirivonSandhipom" by Sujatha.

 

62.      Scenic design 

·         Scenic design is also known as stage design or set design

·         It is the creation of theatrical, as well as film or television scenery.

·         Scenic designers come from a variety of artistic backgrounds.

·         Scenic designers design sets and scenery that aim to support the overall artistic goals of the production.

·         It is a part of the visual production of a film or television.

·         A designer looks at the details searching for evidence through research to produce conceptual ideas that best support the content and values with visual elements.

·         Our imagination is highly visual. Whether outside or inside, colorful trees or concerts, star lit skies or the architecture of a great building, scenic design is a process of discovery.

·         Discovering the setting, environment, atmosphere, ambience, & world that is being created.

·         The scenic designer works with the director and other designers to establish an overall visual concept for the production and design the stage environment.

·         They are responsible for developing a complete set of design drawings that include the following:

·         Basic ground plan showing all stationary scenic elements;

·         Composite ground plan showing all moving scenic elements, indicating both their onstage and storage positions;

·         Front elevations of every scenic element, and additional elevations as required.

 

·         In the process of planning, scenic designers often make models, ranging from very basic to extremely complex.

·         The scenic designer is communicating the details of this environment to the technical director, production manager, charge scenic artist and prop master. 

 

 63.      Techniques involved in story building / story telling 

Monomyth

·        The monomyth also called the hero’s journey.

·        In a monomyth, the hero is called to leave their home and sets out on a difficult journey.

·        They move from somewhere they know into a threatening unknown place.

·    After overcoming a great trial, they return home with a reward which will help their community.

·        It can bring your message alive for your audience.

 

The mountain 

·        The mountain structure is a way of mapping the tension and drama in a story.

·        It’s different because it doesn’t necessarily have a happy ending.

·        The first part of the story is given to setting the scene, and is followed by just a series of small challenges and rising action before a climactic conclusion. 

 

Nested loops 

·        Nested loops is a storytelling technique where you layer three or more narratives within each other.

·        You place your most important story – the core of your message – in the centre, and use the stories around it to elaborate or explain that central principle.

·        The first story you begin is the last story you finish, the second story you start is second to last, etc.

 

In medias res

·        In medias res storytelling the story starts with heat of the action.

·        By doing this the audience will be gripped from the beginning and will stay engaged to find out what happens.

·        Give your audience just enough information to keep them hooked.

 

Converging ideas

·        It is a speech structure that shows the audience how different strands of thinking came together to form one idea.

·        It can be used to show the birth of a movement towards one goal.

·        It can show how several equally important stories came to a single strong conclusion.

False start

·        A ‘false start’ story is when you begin to tell a seemingly predictable story.

·        You lure your audience into a false sense of security, and then shock them by turning the tables.

·        It’s a quick attention hack which will disrupt your audience’s expectations and surprise them into paying closer attention to your message.

 

Petal structure

·        The petal structure is a way of organizing multiple speakers or stories around one central concept.

·        It’s useful if you tell several unconnected stories that all relate back to a single message.

·        You tell your stories one by one before returning back to the centre.

·        The petals can overlap as one story introduces the next but each should be a complete narrative in itself.

·        In doing so, you can weave a strong emotional impressions around your idea.

 

64.      Is it right - Screenplay by one person and dialogue by another person

 

It is better to have separate person for screenplay writing and dialogue writing because of the following reasons

 

Screenplay writer

 

·        A screenplay writer writes the entire screenplay. This includes the dialogues of the characters in the screenplay.

·        Screenwriters must also be able to understand filmmaking, possess creative writing skills and be an expert in film language

·        Screenwriter should possess strong writing talent, as well as creativity, patience, self-motivation, etc.

·        Screenwriters work with directors and producers to write scripts for films. Screenwriters need to be able to work in a team and under pressure.

·        Screenwriters are responsible for describing the stories in detail, including physical environments and the moods of the characters.

·        Prior to production of a film or show, screenwriters might produce a synopsis and several scenes of a story.

·        Screenwriters may be asked to rewrite or make various versions of the scripts they are working on.

·        Screenwriters adapt or write scripts for film, providing synopses and shooting scripts, and collaborating and rewriting on deadlines. 

Dialogue writer 

·        A dialogue writer is specific and only hired to write the dialogues.

·        Dialogue writer writes only dialogue for the characters

·        He will think of the conversation only rather than how it will come on screen

·        Dialogue writer cannot be a good visualizer. So he may not be able to write for screenplay

·        Like screenwriter he is not working throughout the movie

·        Since dialogue is one of the important element to the success of movie the writer give more concentration on dialogue part only

 

65.      Basics of script writing / Process of script writing 

Craft a logline 

·        A logline is a brief summary of the story, usually no more than a single sentence

·        It describes the protagonists and their goal, as well as the antagonists and their conflict

·        It conveys both the ideas of the story and its emotional undertones 

Write a treatment 

·        A treatment is a longer 2-5 page summary that includes the title of screenplay, the logline, a list of main characters, and a short synopsis.

·        A producer may read the treatment first before deciding if the script is worth their time.

·        The synopsis should highlight the main beats and turning points of the story 

Develop the characters 

·        Create characters who will create problem and who is going to solve it.

·        Makes the character empathetic (kind) and interesting

·        Even the bad guy should have a reason he is bad 

Plot and outline 

·        Plot refers to the storyline of the text. The plot is the sequence of events in the story or drama.

·        The conclusion is the final resolution either good or bad of the conflict and the end of the story

·        Outline the plot of the story. This means write a summary of the story, a short description of what the story will be about, what will happen, who will do what, etc. from beginning to end. 

Write a final draft 

·        Using the outline as a map, write the script scene by scene, including the dialogue and descriptive action.

·        It creates interest to the producer to read the script if it has interesting characters and the proper structure elements. 

Rewrite 

·        If the draft is ready go through once again for review

·        Refine the action, shorten the dialogue and edit the script.

·        This stage helps the writer to reduce the error at the maximum

 

66.      Synopsis development 

·         Synopsis means summary.

·         A synopsis is a write-up that describes the plot and world of the story. A script synopsis can be used to sell the idea. A synopsis can also be written when providing screenplay coverage to agents, managers, and producers.

·         A synopsis should be long enough to pack in everything that's good about the story, but short enough to be read in less than five minutes. This usually translates to two to three single-spaced typewritten pages.

·         A synopsis conveys the narrative arc, an explanation of the problem or plot, the characters, and how the book or novel ends. It ensures character actions and motivations are realistic and make sense. It summarizes what happens and who changes from beginning to end of the story

·         It begins with a paragraph identifying protagonist, problem, and setting.

·         The next paragraph should convey any major plot turns or conflicts necessary

·         How major conflicts are resolved should be present in the last paragraph.

This ensures the clear presentation

 

67.      Techniques of scriptwriting

 

·        Plan out the story first, and use an outline that will tell you where you are and where you are going.

·        The journey you’ve taken for hero through has changed them in a profound (deep) way.

·        You should always have a star in mind when you write your script.

·        It will help you visualize the action and allow you to hear the voice of your character.

·        Every scene needs to drive the action forward.

·        A screenwriter is writing for his or her audience.

·        “Always confuse, torture, mislead, and surprise the audience as much as possible,”

·        Not everything you write is gold. Some of it needs to be removed away. Edit it.

·        Make writing as good as you think it is, not as good as you think someone will want.

·        Finishing your screenplay is always trying and challenging because it may take you a very long time to complete it.

·        In between the fade in and fade out, you’ll have other distractions and commitments demanding your attention and time, pulling you away from your writing.

·        The ideal page count for a screenplay should be 105-110 not more than that.

 

68.      How to convey internal thoughts of a character in a movie?

 

·        Voice Over is the method to express the characters thoughts. In visual the character will be present but there will not be a lip movement.

·        A dream sequence gives the audience a hint into the character's past

·        A letter or A diary is tool used to convey the inner feeling of a character

·        A musical score is also used to convey the mood of the character such as sad, angry, happy, etc.

·        A secondary character talking with primary character’s mind - A secondary character is the one who joins with hero for their journey.

·        A visual Montage is used visualize what the character think

·        In some films songs are used to convey the internal thought of the character.

 

69.      Studio format in screenplay writing 

·        Screenplay must be typed in Courier font of 12pt.

·        Screenplay should be written entirely in the present-tense (dialogue excepted).

·        Type in Single-sided A4 paper

·        Each scene must start with a slug-line.  For example:  INT.  FARM HOUSE - MORNING

·        Each scene can contain action, dialogue, or action & dialogue.

·        Paragraph should be typed and aligned in Left-justification.

·        Action should be indented 1.5” from the left edge of the page.

·        Dialogue starts with the character’s name, in ALL-CAPS

·        Top, bottom and right margins are one inch.

·        If you need a character to pause during their speech, put a parenthetical ‘beat’ (Parentheticals are basically notes to the actors)

·        Page numbers go at the top-right. Title page is page zero and is not numbered. Page 1 isn’t numbered either.

·        If dialogue is happening off-screen, put (O.S.) after the character’s name.

·        Title page should have the title and underneath that, the author’s name at page centered. At the bottom of the page, you can add company or author information

·        If a bit of dialogue is split between two pages, add (MORE) at the bottom of the first page. Then, on the next page, start with character’s name (cont’d)

·        Screen directions or transitions (fade out, fade to black, fade to white, etc...) go in ALL-CAPS way over on the right 

70.      What do the spectators expect from the opening image in the movies

 

·        Opening image in a movie is obviously essential to what will eventually lead to the final visual

·        The opening visual should set the tone and atmosphere of what is to come.

·        Screenwriters should craft an excellent visual to go along with the introduction of the story, characters, and concept.

·        It has to stand out. It can’t be a static location description followed by dialogue.

·        The opening image is presented in such a way that encapsulates the overall concept of the story to come.

·        It’s an engaging visual because it’s unique and shocking.

·        This opening image, accompanied by some dialogue, showcases the horror of the Civil War.

·        And it also manages to show us the type of man the lead character is.

 

71.      Principles of editing

 

·        Choose the clips that show the essential action. You can leave out anything that doesn’t help tell the story.

·        Show a different subject, or a different view of the same thing: a different shot size or camera position.

·        If you have to cut similar shot sizes together, use another shot to hide the join. Add it as a ‘cutaway’ above the main clips.

·        If you cut straight from an extreme long shot to an extreme closeup, viewers won’t understand where the closeup fits into the bigger picture. Use an in-between size like a mid shot to bring the viewer with you.

·        Long shots and extreme long shots remind viewers of where everything fits into the scene.

·        Closeups, simple shots, and shots without any action or movement, can be short. Long shots, extreme long shots, and any shots with detail will need to be on screen for longer.

·        Transitions are the ‘joins’ between shots. can use a fade out (usually to black) at the end of a scene. 

·        It’s jarring if you show something moving in one shot and it’s not moving in the next shot. Let the movement come to an end before you cut to a static shot.

·        You can use ‘wild track’, ‘room tone’ or ‘ambience’ – background sound from the location – to avoid silence and keep things smooth.

·        Don’t have sudden changes in sound level, or dead silence, unless you’re deliberately trying to shock people.

·        If you edit while an action is happening, rather than at the beginning or the end,  it’ll look smoother. Viewers will concentrate on the movement, not the edit.

·        When you have more than one audio track, you need to balance the sound levels. You don’t want background sound, or music, drowning out dialogue.

 

72.      Importance of creativity in story development and scriptwriting

 

·        Writing creatively requires a focused approach and broad understanding of the subject in order to create a larger picture for the reader to visualize.

·        Think of the Three Act Structure. Setup, confrontation, and resolution. The setup will establish characters, how they relate, and their world. There will be an inciting incident that has an attempted resolution and a turning point. The confrontation will be the central problem with the main character attempting to resolve it. The resolution consists of the climax and the resolution of the problem.

·        Add Interesting Details about the Setting and Location.

·        This is when the writer uses an analogy to explain a complex concept so that the readers may understand it better.

·        Keep a notebook with you at all times so that you can scribble down any ideas when they come to mind.

·        Meaningful dialogue will demonstrate how the character feels or what they mean by what they are saying.

·        Having meaningful dialogue transforms it into a masterpiece

·      Tension and conflict is created between characters and can be internal or external. You should balance these opposing forces to keep the reader interested in the story and anxious to see how it will be resolved.