FILM SCRIPT
Written by
UCA Center for Writing & Communication
Center for Writing & Communication
201 Donaghey Ave.
Thompson Hall 109
Conway, AR 72035
[email protected] FADE IN:
INT. CLASSROOM - DAY
This is an example of a film script. What you are reading
now is known as "action description" which describes what is
going on in the scene visually.
This stretches across the width of the page, unlike dialogue.
Action description should be broken into small bits, 3-5
lines in length.
Keep things like "close-up" and "long shot" out of the
script. The script is about the story and the story alone!
The director and his crew will decide how the story will be
told in the most visually effective manner.
CHARACTER
My name is Character, and I am
speaking dialogue!
NEW CHARACTER
(angry)
I’m speaking dialogue, too, and I’m
angry! Directions like the one
above should be kept to a minimum.
These parentheticals can be used to
signify emotion (angry), for
clarification (to Jennifer), or to
describe short actions that would
not necessitate an entire action
description (fidgeting).
Here’s some more action! The Inciting Incident (a.k.a. the
"Major Dramatic Question") should be established early.
The Inciting Incident is why you’re writing the script; it’s
what the film is trying to resolve ("Will Dorothy get home?"
in The Wizard of Oz, for example).
For a feature length script (around 90-120 pages), the
Inciting Incident will appear somewhere around page 15-17.
In a short film script (around 20-30 pages), it will appear
around pages 1-3.
The length of the script determines where the Inciting
Incident will be. So, the shorter the script, the earlier
the Inciting Incident!
CHARACTER
Characters all have an
objective/goal, and there will be
2.
CHARACTER (CONT’D) (CONT’D)
other characters that stand in
their way of reaching that
objective/goal. Conflict between
the protagonist and antagonist(s)is
the core of all scripts! More
often than not, the protagonist’s
super objective (main goal) will be
related to the Inciting Incident.
NEW CHARACTER
Don’t forget that this character
has an objective, too. All
characters, no matter how small,
should have an objective and
purpose in the story. If they
don’t, get rid of them!
EXT. CAMPUS - NIGHT
Keep in mind that it doesn’t matter how the Inciting Incident
is resolved; it can be happy, sad, or even weird. The main
thing is that it is resolved somehow!
CHARACTER
Since we’re on the second page,
notice the "(CONTINUED)" on the
last page and the page number on
this one.
NEW CHARACTER
Everything a character says should
help the character reach his or her
goal -- even if it’s subtle.
Remember, though, that a character
can get sidetracked by numerous
things during a script, which lead
to smaller goals outside of a
character’s super objective.
You now know the basics of writing a film script! The end of
the story is the only time -- other than the very beginning
of the script -- when a technical direction is always
appropriate!
FADE OUT
(Please visit www.filmscriptwriting.com/samplescripts.html
for some examples of actual film scripts.)
