Film Script

---

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.)

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes