Visualise the Scene.

You should spend time allowing the scene to play in your mind’s eye. As if you were watching it as a finished film.

• What is the opening shot?
• How do you see the main protagonist?
  • What do they look like?
  • What have they just been doing (given circumstance)?
  • What clues about the props / behaviour give us clues about their character?
• What event happens which draws the character in to your scene?
  • How does the character respond to this new event?
• How does the scene develop into a climax?
• What is the final shot of the scene?

You must allow the scene to play in your mind several times through and make notes about the details in your mind.

Use this document to visualise your scene in five stage.

Limitation is Stimulation

Remember this must play out at The Mirus Battery and that your cast will a maximum of two people that come from within our class.

We will be filming during the day in dark concrete rooms and corridors. We will be using torches and light panels for lighting.

Some Advice:

EXAMPLE HORROR SCRIPT ALIEN (1978) Scott

Here is the script to the opening sequence

Notice how economical it is?

Almost a bullet point list of what we can hear and what we can see…

DRAFT 1

Take a copy of this pre formatted screenplay

The rule of thumb is that each page of a screenplay equates to one minute of screen time.

TASK

Write the first page of your script, reveal the location, situation. Possibly introduce the character.

Five Golden Rules of German Expressionism

Revision

Review your video essay about the nature and ‘rules’ of German Expressionism.

Identify 5 Golden Rules of German Expressionism in terms of representation of the monster and visual style.

Task

Your task is to develop a visual / cinematic idea for your opening sequence and write the screenplay for it.

We will be working in groups later and deciding which screenplays will go forward into production. For now this is a solo exercise.

Here is the first page of a good example from a student screenplay.

In your screenplay you should:

• Use of the screenplay format 
• Include descriptions of the locations in your screenplay (The Mirus Battery)
  • Include element of the setting / important props within the scene.
• Create an atmosphere which belongs in the horror genre.
• Use descriptive language (simile’s and metaphors).
• Give a sense of how the camera might move or the edit cut.
• Give a sense of the diegetic sounds in your sequence.
• Give a clear description of character (motivations and feelings)

The first step is developing some ideas for a scene. Here is a slideshow on ideas:

INSPIRATION TASK

• Take a copy of this document and replace the following:
  • A location
  • A sound – Freesound.Org
  • An item of clothing
  • A character
• In pairs share your documents.
• Allow you partner time to think about your items
• Discuss the film / sequence ideas that spring from those items

TASK

Sketch out the scene for your film use this document:

The Extended Step Outline

Lessons from the Screenplay

Lessons learnt…

1. Action lines (in the script) give the scene a sense of atmosphere. They also give actors and directors guidance about their characters and the tone of the scene.
2. The last line is the point of the scene.
   • Funnel the scene down to its final point of crisis or tension.
3. Subplot characters echo and foreshadow the narrative journey of the central protagonist.

Your Screenplay

Write a short screenplay:

• Your screenplay should be formatted using this preformated document.
• …should be no more than 1 page.
• …should have a clear climax.
  • The final line should define the scene. Final lines:
    • ‘…it was stolen!’
    • ‘…I think I’m lost!’
    • ‘…you never understood!’
    • ‘…you’re too late!’
• It should contain a major and supporting character.
• It should be achievable to film in 8-12 shots some of which could be repeated.

Reflective Journal

Inquiry

Formatting screenplay rules in brief.

Lesson from the screenplay video embedded.

Your learning on how to shape a scene in a screenplay, develop character notes and build towards a conflict / crisis.

Action

Creative Intention

To write a screenplay for a simple scene. The screenplay should include character notes/directions and build to a clear moment of conflict/crisis at the end of the scene.

Decisions you made when writing the screenplay. This must include quotes from your screenplay. Examples could include:

• Character description.
• Action lines / dialogue which develop the conflict in the scene.

Reflection

• The notes / recording from your group reading and discussion on your screenplay.
  • Did your peers identify character notes and the building conflict?
• A link to the screenplay that was chosen by the group.
• Comments on why it was considered by the group to be the most effective.

Development & Extension

The 5 act structure and the self contained structure of each act.

• Linking narrative with screenplay writing

One of the things you need to learn is how to correctly format a screenplay.

The rules we are going to follow are set down in this section from a book on screenwriting, called ‘On Screenwriting’ by Freddie Gaffney.

Here is a section from this book, which sets out the standard rules for a screenplay format.

Here is an annotated image of a  screenplay format:

TASK

Here is an extract from the film American Beauty (1999) Mendes, which has had its formatting removed.

Take a copy and then use the formatting rules given by Gaffney to reformat the screenplay correctly.

Here is a summary checklist of Gaffney’s formatting rules or use the image above:

Here is the scene from the film