Post performance analysis**

After seeing scenes from my play brought to life, I can see where I would further like to go with it. I was very happy with the outcome and and with my actors delivery of the scens as they are exactly what I had visioned whilst writing. I would like my play to be quite set heavy, if I had the funding, I would have moving set very similar to the set that we see in the below clip from Bad Girls the Musical.

I would also like my piece to rely a lot on lighting and effects to really bring it to life as I would really like the play to grip the audience and be incredibly effective as I feel the storyline deserves this commitment.

My budget would have to be quite excessive so I would require backing from very important people in the theatre industry. I would rely heavily on sponsors and advertising to bring in the money to my play, as well as funding from angels who have interest in my plays themes.

The costume budget would probably be the lowest production cost as I would only be asking for simple costumes that could mostly be supplied through donations. Most of the budget would be spent on set, props, rehearsal space and tech.

COMPArISON**

Screenwriting: The Difference Between a TV Script and a Movie Script;

There are several differences between a TV script and a movie script. Both scripts require different formatting and layouts. The following steps will help you determine the difference between the two script formats.

Step 1 - Know the Use for Each Type of Script

The first step to distinguish the difference between TV scripts from a movie script is to properly know the use for each type. The TV script is applied in television such as the news, commercials, television sitcoms, and infomercials. A film script is often used in screenplays for feature length movies, theatrical performances, and short films.

Step 2 - Title Page and Cover

After determining what type of script you need to implement for your project you are now able to properly use the title page and cover for your script. The second distinctive difference between a TV and movie script is the title and page cover. The title page of your TV script should contain the title of your show, the episode name, and the name of the writer. The title page for your movie script should contain the title of your film along with the writer listed below.

Step 3 - Script Layout

The third difference between a TV and a movie script is the layout that is contained on each page. In the TV script, the formatting is divided into two columns most commonly referred to as the 1/3; 2/3 TV Script. On the left column all your visual elements for your script will be contained in that area. On the right column of the page, all of your audio sounds will be incorporated in this section. With this dual method, the TV script has the reader to think in dual methods both hearing and seeing. The movie script contains a layout without columns, but relies on the use of tabs and margins. Along with the tabs and margins, a movie script contains a lay out which shows all the words formatted and aligned towards the center of the page.

Step 4 - Script Formatting

The final difference that distinguishes a TV script from a movie script is the formatting. The formatting for a TV script relies on the use of capital letters to distinguish the audio portion of your story from your video. The audio column of your script must contain all caps, while your video column remains in upper and lowercase. Another unique difference a TV script has is that it showcases estimated time duration for each section of dialogue. This documented time duration proves to be extremely useful during a live TV production. The format for a movie script on the other hand is a little bit different from TV. A movie script requires caps for the following elements: the character name, scene heading, and shot transition. Along with the use of capital letters, the margins and tabs are broken down to four elements such as the: dialogue, the character, the action, and the scene location. Each element has their own distinctive tab indentation which allows the users to read through a script quickly. Both TV and movie scripts have unique formats and layouts with different purposes. By determining the proper use and difference, you are now able to properly distinguish the difference between a TV and movie script.

sourced from:http://www.steves-digicams.com/knowledge-center/how-tos/filmmaking-tips/screenwriting-the-difference-between-a-tv-script-and-a-movie-script.html

Script comparison

Below is an informative piece on writing scripts which I found on the internet (http://homeworktips.about.com/od/homeworktopics/a/play.htm). I found this very helpful as it clearly outlines the main structures of every type of script. 

Plot refers to the skeleton of the story: the chain of events that shows causality. What does that mean?

A famous writer named E. M. Forester once clarified a plot and its relationship to causality by explaining:

“'The king died and then the queen died' is a story. 'The king died and then the queen died of grief' is a plot. The time-sequence is preserved, but their sense of causality overshadows it."

Plot

The action and emotional ups and downs of a plot determine the plot type.

Plots have been classified in many ways, starting with the basic concept of comedies and tragedies used in ancient Greece. You can make up any type of plot, but a few examples might help you get started.

• Episodic: Episodic plots involve episodes: several events are linked together with each event or “episode” containing a possible climax.
• Rising Action: This plot contains a conflict, tension, and climax to resolve the conflict.
• Quest: This type involves an adventurer who sets off on a journey and reaches a goal.
• Transformation: In this variety of plot, a person changes character because of an experience.
• Revenge or Justice: In a revenge story, a bad thing happens, but eventually everything works out evenly.

Exposition

The exposition is the part of the play (normally in the beginning) in which the writer “exposes” the background information that the audience needs to understand the story. It is an introduction to the setting and characters.

Dialogue

The dialogue of a play is the part that allows you to show your creativity. A play is carried along through conversations, called dialogue. Writing dialogue is a challenging task, but it is your chance to flaunt your artistic side.

Things to consider when writing dialogue are:

• Habits or accents that provide insight to the character
• Actions or behavior the character displays while talking

Conflict

Many plots involve a struggle to make things interesting. This struggle or conflict can be anything from a concept in one person’s head to a battle between characters. Struggle can exist between good and evil, between one character and another, or between a dog and a cat.

Complications

If your story is going to have a conflict, it should also have complications that make the conflict even more interesting.

For instance, a struggle between a dog and a cat can be complicated by the fact that the dog falls in love with the cat. Or the fact that the cat lives in the house and the dog lives outside.

Climax

The climax happens when the conflict is resolved in some way. It is the most exciting part of a play, but the journey toward a climax can be choppy. A play can have a mini-climax, a setback, and then a bigger, final climax.

This is the base of any script, next there are certain additions to the script which make it suited for television and/ film, and theatre.

Scripts for soaps often include a brief outline of what has happened in the episodes previous so that the actors are aware of the context in which they are acting. Theatre scripts, however, would not have this as they begin an end in one sitting and usually within 2 hours. 

Theatre scripts also contain stage directions a lot of the time but only very simple ones as the director would make most of the staging decisions during the rehearsal process. Soap scripts may contain some stage directions but would also be minimal. 

A screenplay or script is a written work by screenwriters for a film, video game, or television program. These screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated. A play for television is also known as a teleplay.
The format is structured in a way that one page usually equates to one minute of screen time. In a "shooting script", each scene is numbered, and technical direction may be given. In a "spec" or a "draft" in various stages of development, the scenes are not numbered, and technical direction is at a minimum. The standard font for a screenplay is 12 point, 10 pitch Courier Typeface.^[1]
The major components are action and dialogue. The "action" is written in the present tense. The "dialogue" are the lines the characters speak. Unique to the screenplay (as opposed to a stage play) is the use of slug lines.
The format consists of three aspects:

1. The interplay between typeface/font, line spacing and type area, from which the concept of one page of text per one minute of screen time is derived, but is in practice only used as a ball park estimation, and often bears little resemblance to the running time of the final movie. In the United States letter size and paper and courier 12 point are mandatory; Europe uniformly uses A4 as the standard paper size format using 12 point 10 pitch Courier as per the US.
2. The tab settings of the scene elements (dialogue, scenes headings, transitions, parentheticals, etc.), which constitute the screenplay's layout.
3. The dialogue must be centered and the names must be capitalized. A script usually begins with "FADE IN:", followed by the first scene description. It might get more specific, e.g. "FADE IN ON AN ECU of Ricky as he explains the divorce to Bob." A script will usually end with "FADE TO BLACK", though there are variables, like "CUT TO BLACK" for abrupt endings.

The style consists of a grammar that is specific to screenplays. This grammar also consists of two aspects:

1. A prose that is manifestation-oriented, i.e. focuses largely on what is audible and what is visible on screen. This prose may only supply interpretations and explanation (deviate from the manifestation-oriented prose) if clarity would otherwise be adversely affected.
2. Codified notation of certain technical or dramatic elements, such as scene transitions, changes in narrative perspective, sound effects, emphasis of dramatically relevant objects and characters speaking from outside a scene.

Physical format

American screenplays are printed single-sided on three-hole-punched paper using the standard American letter sized (8.5 x 11 inch). They are then held together with two brass brands in the top and bottom hole. The middle hole is left empty as it would otherwise make it harder to quickly read the script.
In the United Kingdom, double-hole-punched A4 paper is normally used, which is slightly taller and thinner than US Letter size. Some UK writers format the scripts for use in the US Letter size, especially when their scripts are to be read by American producers since the pages would otherwise be cropped when printed on US paper. Because each country's standard paper size is difficult to obtain in the other country, British writers often send an electronic copy to American producers, or crop the A4 size to US letter.
A British script may be bound by a single brad at the top left hand side of the page, making flicking through the paper easier during script meetings. Screenplays are usually bound with a light card stock cover and back page, often showing the logo of the production company or agency submitting the script, covers are there to protect the script during handling which can reduce the strength of the paper. This is especially important if the script is likely to pass through the hands of several people or through the post.
Increasingly, reading copies of screenplays (that is, those distributed by producers and agencies in the hope of attracting finance or talent) are distributed printed on both sides of the paper (often professionally bound) to reduce paper waste. Occasionally they are reduced to half-size to make a small book which is convenient to read or put in a pocket; this is generally for use by the director or production crew during shooting.
Although most writing contracts continue to stipulate physical delivery of three or more copies of a finished script, it is common for scripts to be delivered electronically via email. Although most production companies can handle scripts in most formats, it is better practice to supply scripts as a PDF file where possible. This is because it gives the writer final control over the layout of the script, which may otherwise vary depending on what fonts and/or paper size the recipient uses to print the script. The formatting software programs listed at the bottom of this article produce industry standard formatted screenplays in PDF.
Screenplays and teleplays use a set of standardizations, beginning with proper formatting. These rules are in part to serve the practical purpose of making scripts uniformly readable "blueprints" of movies, and also to serve as a way of distinguishing a professional from an amateur. It is very important that the correct format is used, as otherwise the script is likely to be disregarded very quickly. There are practical reasons for this. An incorrectly formatted script can be very difficult for actors to read from, when testing the script out. If you are unsure exactly what is required, then at least be consistent, and keep things as simple as possible.

Feature film

Screenplay for The Godfather,
Turin, Italy

Motion picture screenplays intended for submission to mainstream studios, whether in the US or elsewhere in the world, are expected to conform to a standard typographical style known widely as studio format which stipulates how elements of the screenplay such as scene headings, action, transitions, dialog, character names, shots and parenthetical matter should be presented on the page, as well as the font size and line spacing.
One reason for this is that, when rendered in studio format, most screenplays will transfer onto the screen at the rate of approximately one page per minute. This rule of thumb is widely contested — a page of dialog usually occupies less screen time than a page of action, for example, and it depends enormously on the literary style of the writer — and yet it continues to hold sway in modern Hollywood.
There is no single standard for studio format. Some studios have definitions of the required format written into the rubric of their writer's contract. The Nicholl Fellowship, a screenwriting competition run under the auspices of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, has a guide to screenplay format.^[3] A more detailed reference is The Complete Guide to Standard Script Formats.^[4]
Screenplays are usually 90-120 pages long, Comedies and children's films usually shorter.
Screenplays are almost always written using a monospaced font, often a variant of Courier or Courier New, both mostly used as 12 pt font. This is preferred due to its clarity.

Television

For American TV shows, the format rules for hour-long dramas, like CSI, and single-camera sitcoms, like Scrubs, are essentially the same as for motion pictures. The main difference is that TV scripts have act breaks. Multi-camera sitcoms like I Love Lucy use a different, specialized format that derives from radio and the stage play. In this format, dialogue is double-spaced, action lines are capitalized, and scene headings, character entrances and exits, and sound effects are capitalized and underlined.
Drama series and sitcoms are no longer the only formats that require the skills of a writer. With reality-based programming crossing genres to create various hybrid programs, many of the so-called "reality" programs are in a large part scripted in format. That is, the overall skeleton of the show and its episodes are written to dictate the content and direction of the program. The Writers Guild of America has identified this as a legitimate writer's medium, so much so that they have lobbied to impose jurisdiction over writers and producers who "format" reality-based productions. Creating reality show formats involves storytelling structure similar to screenwriting, but much more condensed and boiled down to specific plot points or actions related to the overall concept and story.

Documentaries

The script format for documentaries and audio-visual presentations which consist largely of voice-over matched to still or moving pictures is different again and uses a two-column format which can be particularly difficult to achieve in standard word processors, at least when it comes to editing or rewriting. Many script-editing software programs include templates for documentary formats.

Script draft 1

Script (First Draft)

 

Start with establishing shot of Courtney in a gang. She is being followed by a strange, older man, who we see looking at her [half-shot from behind of man, looking at Courtney]. Courtney gets a text from her mum, asking her to come home and cook dinner. Courtney turns to her friends:

 

Courtney - (suggestively) Oh, I gotta go, I'm meeting someone

[friends laugh, wolf-whistle, cheer]

 

[Camera shot following C as she walks away].

 

Courtney walks down an alley, followed by camera [as man]. She looks sideways, as if she feels someone walking behind her. Halfway down the alley, she turns to confront him.

 

C - (angrily) I've already got a shadow thanks.

 

She continues to walk, but the man still follows

 

C - (confrontational) Seriously, do you have a problem?

 

[Camera cuts to behind C, looking directly at the man]

 

Man - (creepy, sexual) I'm sorry, but I think you are the most gorgeous girl I have ever seen

 

C - (surprised) Oh...thanks. (She turns away, and begins to walk off)

 

Man - (stopping her) No, wait. I'm a scout...I know that with that face, you'll go far.

 

Courtney is shocked and stands there, stunned.

 

Man - (eagerly) Here, take my card. Call me. (Courtney stands, looking at card [close-up of card]. He turns to walk away, but turns back, energetically, but firm) Hang on, let me call you.

 

Camera moves out, fading into Courtney at the airport departure lounge with Man

 

Man - (creepy) You're going to love London. It's great.

 

C - (lovingly) I can't wait! (She holds his hand, and he squeezes back) [close-up]

 

The scene cuts to the apartment in London, where they will be staying. They walk in, put the luggage on the bed. Courtney is enamoured by her new surroundings.

 

C - (astounded) Oh my God, this place is amazing!

 

Man - (slyly) Welcome to London. (She pecks him, however he takes it too far, but Courtney goes along with it, as she trusts him. They passionately kiss as they go into a room. The door slams, and we assume they are going to have sex)

 

The scene changes to the man and his friend talking in the living room. Courtney comes out the bedroom and goes through to the kitchen. [Camera looks at a side shot of Courtney, but we can see the man and friend]. Money changes hands from the friend to the man.

 

The man calls Courtney over

 

Man - Come here babe, I want you to meet my friend, Matt.(The man pulls Courtney onto the sofa, in between the 2 men. Matt puts his hand on her leg, and starts kissing her neck. Matt stands and takes her to the bedroom. Courtney turns)

 

C - (worried) What's going on?

 

Man - (commanding) Don't worry babe, just do what you're told!

 

Courtney keeps eye-contact until the door finally closes. [shot of the man counting money]

 

Montage of Courtney in compromising situations with different men.

 

The scene changes. We are now leaving a school. Courtney is walking out, and caught up by Junior, her friend.

 

Junior - (out of breath) Courtney, wait!

 

C - Hey Junior.

 

J - I was going to go into town, d'ya wanna come?

 

C - Oh, I'm sorry, I've got to meet someone.

 

J - Ok honey, see ya tomorrow.

 

They part ways, and we follow Courtney for a few footsteps.

 

The scene changes to a counsellors office. Phil Townsend is on the phone to his wife, Sheila.

 

Sheila - Can you run the pub tonight? I'm meant to be going out with the girls.

 

Phil - Look, I have my job. You have yours. Get one of your stupid barmaids to run it for you while you go for a piss-up.

 

S - You sit behind a desk all day, talking to hormonal bloody teenagers who have no idea what real life is like. I have no time off, all I want is one night, is that too much much to ask? Actually, no forget it. Have a nice fucking day.

 

Shot of Sheila slamming the phone down. Next shot shows Phil slamming the phone down, just as Courtney steps through the door.

 

Our Backstories

Yesterday began writing back stories today for our soaps. Once we got started, Enily, Ben and myself, all got really into it and began to throw idea around until we created a huge deep back story for Enily's character: 

(There are some mentions of other characters as we decided to make them all link up into one big mess of people so that we could really focus on  all of the drama)

Phil and Sheila are a married couple, who are comfortable with each other, but argue a lot with each other. They have been together for many years, and had a child at the age of 20. The relationship has fallen apart in recent years, and Phil has looked elsewhere for love. Their son, Junior, who is gay, doesn't spend too much time with his parents, as he is totally sick with the arguing. He spends a lot of time with Brandii-Mae Brown, a fellow college student with Junior, who is a doing GCSE's at college. Phil has an affair with Brandii-Mae, who is many years his junior. 

Brandii-Mae is a 18 year old Liverpudlian girl, who is from a very disjointed family. She never knew her father, and her mother was very rarely around. Because of this, she spend most of her teenage life involved in gang culture. At the age of 15, she ran away with a 27 year old man to London. He told her that he could give her a modelling contract, but after a time of living with him, it became clear that he was simply using her for his own sexual desire. Not only was he a sexual predator, he also dealt in Class A drugs. After a drugs raid on his property, he is arrested, and Brandii-Mae is taken into the police station for care, where she is looked after by Phil Townsend, a counsellor. Phil is married to Sheila, who owns and runs a pub, The Town's End. Their marriage is broken, but they stay together for the sake of their son, Junior. He establishes a rapport with Brandii- Mae, who spills her heart to Phil. She sees him as a father figure, something she has never had before, and falls helplessly in love with him. Because his marriage is in total disarray, Phil finds it easy to fall for Brandii-Mae. Regular counselling sessions mean that they can meet in complete privacy. And after a time, the sessions became less about Brandii talking about her feeling, but they start to develop a sexual relationship. Because of her bad experiences and lack of formal education, Phil manages to get Brandii into college to study for English and Maths GCSE. While she is studying, she meets Junior, and strikes up a friendship - not because she likes him, but she sees him as a way to spend more time with Phil. Junior takes Brandii home to meet his parents, and Phil is shocked to see her. He takes her to the side to ask her why she is really here. Even though he is trying to be serious, she is being extremely flirty. He tries to stand off to her, but realises that he is not going to win, and actually wants Brandii. As days go by, she sees more of Phil, and becomes more flirty. Phil and Brandii start to see each other at every opportunity - when Brandii has a break at college, and Sheila has gone out, he would pick her up and bring her to the pub.