I never thought that tv/movie scripts looking so complicated!

[Sentinel King]

While writers doing their scripts..I has to ask this question..

Why do all scripts have to be looking so complicated?! Not all the scripts are the same, it's different writing styles that writers needs to write for their scripts. Some scripts are a bit hard to reading, not giving a clear shot to understand what nor where scene are at.

I'm writer myself, I love to telling a stories for many years, I never bothering to submitted my scripts, because I thought that it would be pointless for me to give it a try.

So this year, I give a another try. To create my own franchise, of course, you guys already know that I love toku from Japan. For years, I wrote wrong writing style, because I was writing on WordPad.

I understand that various scripts pages are up in between 22-25 pages each for 30 minutes, 60-70 pages each for 60 minutes long. Tell me, why are those scripts seemed to be a bit hard to read, while other scripts seemed to be very easy to understand?

Until last week, I finally get it. So I've downloaded this new word, "AbiWord." It's completely free and it's perfect for me to take my scripts to whole new level. I mean..you have to tell where those scenes are at. I'm determined than ever to make my scripts easy to read.

What I find most scripts are so easy to read: Dead Shadows, Veronica Mars, Desperate Housewives. They're much easier for me to read and understand what's going on. It has to be my favorite scripts to read so far.

Now..Transformers movie..to be honest with you..I has to shake my head. That was a bit hard to read. That includes Fringe as well. I mean..you don't have to tell a LONG, LONG, LONG story to tell where those scenes are at, do you understand what I'm talking about, no? I hope you understand!

Those scripts has taught me how to write my scripts. Of course, it doesn't have to be perfect scripts, but at least, it did taught me to tell where those scenes are at.

Do you understand what I'm talking about?

 

[Bolt]

I'm not exactly sure what you're trying to say, but if you're talking about formatting, then yes, all screenplays are expected to be written following a certain protocol (Courier font, proper abbreviations/exposition, etc.). I highly recommend that anyone interested in screenwriting download the program Celtx. It has some limitations, but it's free and it basically does everything for you as far as formatting, just a couple key presses and voila. I've been using it to write my current screenplay and it all turns out a lot nicer once it's organized just right on the page.

If you're talking about length, I don't know what else to tell you. I don't watch a lot of TV, but I know a lot of television scripts are designed to fit as much dialogue into the allotted running time as possible to prevent people from getting bored (people can't stand silence, if you haven't noticed). TV scripts therefore can run anywhere from 25 to 35 pages for a half-hour time slot. Movie screenplays generally work the same way, with one page of screenplay roughly translating to one minute of screen time (this can vary, of course, depending on the volume of dialogue and exposition). So yeah, you take a screenplay for a blockbuster movie like Transformers or Inglorious Basterds or something and it's going to be upwards of 180 pages.

 

[Sentinel King]

Thank you so much, Bolt. That's what I was looking for this formatting program, Celtx! It's going to make my job much easier now.

And I thought you already know about length? Have you reading those scripts as of late?

 

[HaiTien78]

I'm writer myself, I love to telling a stories for many years, I never bothering to submitted my scripts, because I thought that it would be pointless for me to give it a try.

I'm kind of confused on what you're trying to say. Are you complaining about too much to read in a screenplay? 100 pages isn't a lot to read really.

You've been writing for years or screenwriting for years? Because if you aren't aware of formatting and assume all screenplays are something akin to something you'd see in high school I honestly doubt the latter. Screenwriting and writing average literature are completely different worlds

As far as screenwriting software goes I'd also recommend Celtx but if you have the money or aren't opposed to pirating go for Final Draft. I've been using that one for years and it hasn't let me down. I don't know a single amateur screenwriter that doesn't use either.

And for length generally the first thing you're taught is that one page of your screenplay should equal roughly about one minute in whatever you're filming. So the screenplay for an episode of Kamen Rider would be roughly around 21 pages.

 

[Skyknight]

"Well, it took an hour to write, I'd thought it'd take an hour to read"

 

[Quark]

"Well, it took an hour to write, I'd thought it'd take an hour to read"

YES!

 

[Bolt]

Screenwriting and writing average literature are completely different worlds.

This. I found it amazing how hard it was to transfer from writing short fiction to writing for the screen. A lot of difference in pacing, style of exposition, and especially dialogue. It's not something that you can't get used to, but it does require something of a transition if you're relatively new to it.

 

[sgtkira]

Yeah, you think they're complicated. But do what I did, and look at some tutorials, and it really isn't that hard to figure out. Especially with something like Celtx that spells it all out for you ^^

There's "Action", which is what the character or characters are doing. "Character", which should be self explanatory, same with "Dialogue"
"Scene Heading" is basically the "Setting" of that exact scene. In that, you should put if it's Day or Night, if you are inside or outside ie. INT (Interior/Inside) or EXT (Exterior/Outside) And "Text" is just onscreen text (but those don't really get used much anymore). And the other ones, I forgot since I don't plan on using them :laugh:

However, I just suggest you look at tutorials like I did, since they really helped And good luck :thumbs: