Script Research...

To prepare for my own script writing, I looked at the scripting for the show 'How I Met Your Mother'. I had the first few pages to the script and noticed that they only keep in certain parts of the original script. This could be due to several reasons, the first could be that there were parts which may not have sounded right during the read-throughs, it could be that they can't remember the script word for word, that they may tweaked the script and so on. So after finding this out, I have accumulated a few ideas on how to write my script. I have also looked at other scripts and seen how they are written, and how they are laid out.

Twilight Script:

FADE IN:

1  EXT. RAIN FOREST, OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK, WASHINGTON - DAWN 1 Moss-draped. Shadow-drenched. Tortured tree trunks twist upward, reaching for rare sunlight.

BELLA (V.O.)

I’d never given much thought to how I would die... 

Suddenly, every creature in the forest is deadly silent. Neither bird, beast nor insect make a noise. A predator is near. 

Then, in the distance, hear a tiny SNICK - a twig snapping. Abruptly, we’re on the move. Fast. 

UNKNOWN P.O.V - MOVING 

Trees start whipping past us at a dizzying speed, branches are dodged with preternatural agility. And we’re speeding up, chasing something. It's exhilarating. Terrifying. Finally, up ahead, we get the first glimpse of our prey -- A DEER -- running for its life as it darts through this maze of a forest. It sprints forward, but we gain on it. Beyond the deer, SEE the forest’s edge ahead, white sunlight glowing against the trees. The buck races for the light. We're just behind it, about to emerge from the shadowy darkness -- The deer LEAPS into the light in a high arc, hovering (suddenly SLOW MOTION) against the WHITE GLARE of the sun... then BAM! The deer abruptly plummets out of frame at an unnatural angle, leaving the WHITE GLARE to fill the screen. HOLD ON WHITENESS -- 

BELLA (V.O.)

But dying in the place of someone I love seems like a good way to go... 

This is the beginning of the opening scene in Twilight.  I chose this part because it's a good example of stage directions from the director to explain how they want the scene to be set up. It also shows how much detail needs to be put into a script. I also saw that there were many tweaks done to some of the scenes, which tells me that scripts have to be drafted more than once before they actually start filming. I also saw that there were over 100 scenes, but that's for a whole movie, it may be quarter that for a trailer, but it has showed me that there are a lot of scenes within a movie, and how long a full script is. 

Donnie Darko Script...

VOICE

Helluva night for a walk... huh,

Donnie?

Donnie stares off into the distance.

VOICE (CONT'D)

Tonight is very special, Donnie.

DONNIE

What?

VOICE

I've been watching you.

(beat)

Do you believe in God, Donnie?

Donnie doesn't answer. He holds his stomach, taking deep

breaths.

VOICE (CONT'D)

God loves his children, Donnie. God

loves you.

There... standing on the seventh hole is a six-foot-tall

figure dressed in a grotesque bunny suit.

Donnie stares at the Bunny nervously as a wave of nausea

overcomes him.

BUNNY

My name is Frank.

(beat)

I want you to follow me.

DONNIE

Why?

FRANK

I'm here to save you.

(beat)

The world is coming to an end, Donnie.

Donnie doesn't answer.

FRANK (CONT'D)

Look up in the sky, Donnie.

He looks up into the black night.

FRANK (CONT'D)

28 days... 6 hours... 42 minutes...

12 seconds. That is when the world

will end.

This is a part of the script for Donnie Darko. I thought this was a good example of dialogue, and how it is laid out on a script. It also shows the stage directions, and the sounds or music involved in that scene. It also is a good example of introducing a character within a scene, and how descriptive the character description is. This is probably to help out the costume department gain an idea of what the director wants. I chose these two scripts as they are similar to the genre I want to look at. These scripts have given a good idea of how to set mine up, and what to include.