First,
WHAT IS A SCRIPT?
It is a film in words specially formatted on paper.
A script or script is a plan to produce a movie. It is aimed more specifically at the visual and narrative arts, such as film and television. The main components are action and dialogue. The “action” is written in the present tense. The “dialogue” are the lines that the characters speak.
Scripts typically include not only the dialogue spoken by the characters, but also a flat-by-shot outline of the movie’s action. The format is then structured so that one page generally equates to one minute of screen time.
These are the basics of how to read and write a script using an original short script.
MERGE:
This is where the story opens (Script). In movies it is usually a black screen that opens in the first scene of the movie.
AT HOME – NIGHT
IN T. It means interior, like a house or an enclosure. EXT means outside, like in a field or yard
HOME; means the location, such as where the scene is located, such as a house, a street, a concert, etc.
NIGHT; means the time of day, daylight, or the scene with artificial light, such as a light bulb.
THE SOCIAL ASSISTANT
Danny may be slow, but he’s a tough little survivor.
THE SOCIAL ASSISTANT; is the character who is speaking.
Right below and centered is what that character is talking about.
RIDE
The tubular railing of a water-soaked wooden walkway, stretching north and south beyond sight.
RIDE; It is a close-up of the scene.
Right below BOARDWALK is the action or narrative of the scene, this is what is happening in a particular scene.
(SO) and (VO) The first is Off Screen, the speaking character is heard but not seen, possibly in another room out of sight. The other is Voice Over, the voice is heard, but it is not on the scene at all, like on the other end of a phone line or doing a narration in the story.
FADING TOWARDS:
FADE TO: this is a transition from one dramatic scene to another, it can also be, FADE TO BLACK: or DISSOLVE TO: etc.
FADE OUT: THE END.
This closes the story (script).
Now you’re ready to at least read one script and with a little more research, you could be on your way to writing one or more.
