Scripting & Paperwork

There are three stages in preparing the final script of your film:

• Scenario (or short story in present tense decsribing what we will see)

• Screenplay (the story broken into scenes and action)

• Shooting Script (the screenplay broken down shot by shot)

 (see also storyboards)

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EXAMPLE SCENARIO

Two young boys and a girl travelling in a car find themselves broken down in a scary forest.

They struggle to repair their car when suddenly a strange, but beautiful, girl appears.

She asks them is they need help.  They say yes. She then leasd them to her house so that they can rest and get warm.

As they are relaxing we see her watching them from behind and she looks evil and we see her become a vampire.

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EXAMPLE SCREENPLAY

SCENE ONE  – A forest early evening

Two young boys and a girl are struggling and arguing around the bonnet of their broken down car – smoke is coming from the engine.

GIRL
(she is angry)
Come on let’s get going

The boys ignore her.  The suddenly she screams out.  A strange, but beautiful, girl has appeared on the road ahead.

BOY 1
Who the hell is that?

 GIRL
Let’s go this is all wrong

The strange girl approaches them as they watch anxiously….

 STRANGE GIRL
Can I help you?

SCENE TWO  – Strange Girl’s house  –   Kitchen –  Later

Two young boys and a girl are eating and drinking, relaxed as the girl has prepared them some food. As we watch the girl turns and we see that she has become a vampire.

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EXAMPLE SHOOTING SCRIPT

SCENE ONE  – A forest early evening

SHOT  1     MS         The two boys are huddled over the engine of the car which is spurting out smoke

SHOT  2     CU          The girl watches them…

GIRL
(she is angry)
Come on let’s get going

SHOT 3      MLS       The boys ignore her – we see her beyond them waiting anxiously

SHOT 4      CU           Boys hands tinkering with engine

SHOT 5      MS           Reverse Angle from POV of GIRL, she turns away from the boys and screams.

SHOT 6      MS           The boys turn too…

BOY 1
Who the hell is that?

SHOT 7       LS             They are all looking at the STRANGE GIRL who has appeared on the road ahead.

SHOT 8       CU            The girl stares at the newcomer

 GIRL
(to boys)
Let’s go this is all wrong

SHOT 9        CU            STRANGE GIRL smiles at them

 STRANGE GIRL
Can I help you?

SCENE TWO  –

Strange Girl’s house  –   Kitchen –  Later

SHOT 10       LS

The boys and the girl are eating and drinking, relaxed.

SHOT 11        MS          STRANGE GIRL

She is at her sink preparing a drink  – it is strange because we can’t
see her reflection in the window.

Slow Zoom to CU

She turns to look at her guests and her vampire fangs appear

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This student’s blog shows another example of the difference between the scenario and the screenplay