Script & Screenplay 1. Fiction and nonfiction. In general, fiction refers to plot, settings, and characters created from the imagination, while nonfiction refers to factual stories focused on actual events and people. A fiction writer intends to make the audience believe that the whole things, which they read, or view, are occurring. But a non-fiction writer cannot indulge in such a thing. Fiction writers create stories without any commitment to their readers. They only elaborate on their ideas and views. A non-fiction writer cannot pour out his own imaginations. 2. Define Screenplay. A Screenplay is a Story told with pictures, in dialogue and description and placed within the context of dramatic structure. A screenplay is a written work for a film, television show, or other moving media, that expresses the movement, actions and dialogue of characters. Screenplays Are the blueprint for the movie. A screenplay is written in a specific format to distinguish between characters, action lines, and dialogue. 3. What is drama? Drama marks the division between tragedy and comedy. A drama can take place anywhere with any characters in any time period; it's not the setting that makes a movie a drama, but the tone. 4. Difference between a story and a plot? The story is about the who, what, and where within your concept. The plot is about the how, when, and why everything within that story happens. The plot explains not just what happens but also how one event leads to another. In Poetics, Aristotle identified the basic form of a plot as containing three parts: a beginning, middle, and end. A story is a complete narrative. It contains the plot, as well as other literary devices such as character development, settings, and themes. 5. What is narrative and how does it differ from a story? A story is a description of imaginary people and events. Narrative: a story or an account of a series of events, The story includes all the events described that makeup a narrative. The narrative is how the story is told or demonstrated. Narrative turhs story into information, or better, into knowledge for the recipient (the audience or reader). Each story event is a unit ofknowledge the audience requires, 6. Define Conflict. Conflict in a story is a struggle between opposing forces. Characters must act to confront those forces and that is where conflict is born. If there is nothing to overcome, there is no story. Conflict in a story creates and drives the plot forward. 7. What are the types of conflict? 1) EXTERNAL CONFLICT External conflict is when characters are faced with forces outside themselves, beyond their control, which oppose their needs and wants. 2) INTERNAL CONFLICT Itis the psychological struggle within the mind of a literary or dramatic character, the resolution of which creates the plot’s suspense 3) INTERACTIONAL CONFLICT This relates to how the main character interacts with other characters or their surroundings. How do they react when the main character and the villain both want the same thing? Anger, violence, argument or silence? 8. What is meant by a final draft? A final version of a script with individual scenes, full dialogue or monologue (including narration in connection therewith) and camera setups if required. 9. Plot-driven screenplay. ‘A plot-driven screenplay is a type of screenplay that derives most of its action from a well~ constructed plot. A good plot-driven screenplay will have compelling and multi-faceted characters but will place plot and story structure ahead of deep character development. Most genre fiction like sci-fi or mystery tends to be plot-driven. Stories like The Lond of The Rings spend a large amount of time on worldbuilding and character but are still primarily driven by complex plots. Define a character? Action is character; a person is what he does, not what he says. Film is behavior. Because we are telling a story in pictures, we must show how the character acts and reacts to the incidents and events that he/she confronts and overcomes (or doesn't overcome) during the story line, 11, What is Celtx? Celt is media pre-production software, designed for creating and organizing media projectsscreenplays, films, videos, stageplays, documentaries, machinima, games, and podcasts. The software is developed by Celtx Inc. 12. What is a scene? A scene is a dramatic part of a story, at a specific time and place, between specific characters. The term is used in both filmmaking and theater. 13. What is a flashback? Flashback, in motion pictures and literature, narrative technique of interrupting the chronological sequence of events to interject events of earlier occurrence. The earlier events often take the form of reminiscence. The flashback technique is as old as Wester literature. 14. Difference between a flashback and flash forward? Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story's primary sequence of events to fill in crucial backstory. In the opposite direction, a flashforward (or prolepsis) reveals events that will occur in the future. 15. What is the premise? A story's premise is the foundational idea that expresses the plot in simple terms. A good premise will communicate your story’s essence in a one-sentence or two-sentence statement. 16. What is a motif? A motif is a repeated narrative element that supports the theme of a story. A motif in film ean be presented in a number of ways like physical items, sound design, lines of dialogue, music, colors, and symbols. Any motif used will vastly improve your story if it has narrative significance. 17. Define protagonist and antagonist? The protagonist is the “good guy” main character who drives the story forward, while the antagonist is the “bad guy” main character or force that stands in the way of the protagonist's goals. The relationship between these two main characters is often what makes a film exciting and suspenseful. 18. Non-linear storytelling? ‘A non-linear narrative is a narrative technique in which the storyline is told out of chronological [Link] can take many forms: by using flashforwards, flashbacks, dream sequences, or foreshadowing, non-linear plotlines can mimic the recall of human memory, or weave in fantastical elements like time travel or clairvoyance.19. What are the elements of 3 act structure? The three-act structure is a model used in narrative fiction that divides a story into three parts (acts), often called the Setup, the Confrontation, and the Resolution. 20. Difference between an original screenplay and an adapted screenplay? An original script is a screenplay based on a story that is original. What that means is that the script is not based on an existing story and you, the writer, came up with the idea and therefore, also own full copyrights of the script A screenplay adaptation is as its name indicates a scripted version of an existing story. This existing story can be in the form of life rights, books, novels, news articles and anything where the copyright belongs to someone else. 21, What do you mean by the central dramatic question? The central dramatic question is the story engine driving your narrative, a question that should always be at the forefront of your viewers’ or readers' minds. 22. What is a supporting character? A supporting character is a character in a narrative that is not the focus of the primary storyline, but is important to the plot/protagonist, and appears or is mentioned in the story enough to be more than just a minor character or a cameo appearance 23. What do you mean by an execution-dependent script? In development, these types of screenplays are often referred to as execution dependent, which c highly-skilled writing and must be attached to great means that the screenplay has to showca: talent in front of and behind the camera. 24, What is character-driven storytelling? Character-driven stories are focused more on character development than they are on plot. A character-driven plot is the type of story that is driven by emotion as opposed to a high concept plot.25. Write a short note on the skills and flaws of the characters. R i . SSeS a Being good requires having more than one good character trait. A good character a exist in. number of positive traits, as well as strong moral principles that benefit the universe they o Some examples of good character traits are: 1. Dependability: A dependable character makes a good leader, giving others someone reliable they can trust. A good character is someone who is always there to support the important people in their life, and doesn’t break their promises. They show up for their friends and family, and are always there when they're needed. Kindness: Doing nice things for others without an expectation of anything in return is a good trait that shows an admirable brand of selflessness, setting an example and becoming a role model for other: 's. Kindness does not have to mean your character is weak, cither (Mary Poppins is an example of a character who was kind and caring, but stern and forthright in her execution). - Empathy: A good character is empathetic in nature—they have the ability to relate to those around them. Their ability to put themselves in another’s shoes makes them compassionate and considerate, qualities that makes the character more relatable to the audience. . Courage: Courageousness takes on many forms, and whether it’s a final showdown between the good character and the bad character, a parent going back to school, or a suffragette leading a movement, people admire those who will brave any adversity, and stand up for what they believe in. 5. Integrity: Good characters do the right thing, exuding enough self-control to make good decisions on behalf of others—regardless of the cost to themselves. They consider the implications of their actions and how they will affect those around them, showing a high level of self discipline in order to stay true to their values. - Self-awareness: A good character is honest about who they are and what they want— however, their humility keeps them grounded, and aware of their limitations. They have no qualms about expressing their authentic self, and do not let their ego impede their ability to be good. . Affable: An affable character is easy to talk to, and always willing to listen. They get along well with others, and put other characters at ease. Character flaw or heroic flaw is a bias, limitation, imperfection, problem, personality disorder, vice, phobia, prejudice, or deficiency present in a character who may be otherwise very functional. The flaw can be a problem that directly affects the character's actions and abilities, such as a violent temper. Alternatively, it can be a simple foible or personality defect, which affects the character's motives and social interactions, but little else.Flaws can add complexity, depth and humanity to the characters in a narrative. The action hero who is afraid of heights, or a lead in a romantic comedy who must overcome his insecurity regarding baldness are all characters whose flaws help provide dimension. 26. Write a short note on the importance of screenplay in filmmaking. 27. Emotional needs of the characters in screenwriting. There is no life living without emotions. There is no heart in any type of art without emotions. Famous plays, films, novels, and poetry always evoke emotional reactions from viewers and readers. The word emotion derives from the Latin emovere, which translates as: to excite, to ’s' actions in all stories, move, to stir or to agitate. Emotions are what motivate your characte with the most basic emotions being the desire for security or self-preservation. Motivation always springs from some emotional need, such as the need for love, revenge, power, or the desire for control, fame, respect, or recognition. You need to create characters who will involve and represent your passions, loves, hates, joys, ars, and let your emotional characters shine through in the story. sorrows, resentment 28. Three-dimensional fictional character? We often call good characters “three-dimensional.” Three-dimensional characters are complex and unique, with fully developed fictional lives. This makes them seem like real people. And the more real the character seems, the more the audience will identify with them and care about what happens to them. PHYSICAL: The nature of a character's body affects their attitude toward the world and the world’s attitude toward them, Are they male or female or transgender? How old are they? What is their race? Are they athletic? How is their health? Are they graceful, clumsy, sexy or sickly? Naturally attractive or ugly? Do they have a high-pitched, squeaky voice or a deep, soothing voice? PSYCHOLOGICAL: Psychological traits are the elements of the character's personality. Are they outgoing or shy? Optimistic or pessimistic? Patient or short-tempered? Greedy, overly-sensitive, confident, competitive, charming, uptight, lecherous and/or kind? What are they most afraid of? What do they enjoy? What are their political, philosophical, and religious beliefs?SOCIAL: Social characteristics can be thought of as demographics. Is the character single, married, divorced? Are they dating ~ if so, who and for how long? Do they have kids? Are their parents alive and do they get along with them? Is the character popular, stylish, a jock, or a nerd? What is their job? What religion do they belong to (which may be different from their spiritual beliefs) and do they actively participate in it? What is their socioeconomic class? Education level? What ethnicity, and are they a minority in their environment? What social groups are they part of — friends, work groups, hobby groups? Where do they live — what city and what kind of domicile? Whom do they live with? 29. Multi-plot narrative? A multiple narrative describes a type of story that follows several protagonists rather than focusing on one main character. In films screenplay have multiple story lines, with the main tension of each story directly connected to what is going on within the current world. Characterization : In a traditional narrative structure, audiences watch one protagonist change throughout the story. Ina multiple narrative, with each character heading up his own storyline, character development occurs primarily through the players’ encounters with each other. This allows audiences to see their internal motivations, background and similarities and differences between one another. Theme : The themes of multiple narratives are directly tied to the interconnected nature of their characters. Sometimes the theme can explore how characters deal with a particular issue. Effects : One advantage of multiple narratives is that they create a strong sense of suspense. Audiences continue watching or reading to find out the connections between the characters. Challenges : One problem with multiple narratives is that they often devote too much attention to the larger story and not enough to characterization. 30. What is an open-ended screenplay? How is it different from a closed-ended screenplay? Endings are crucial. The feeling an ending gives an audience is the feeling they leave the cinema with, It’s the feeling that will color their perception of their whole experience and the whole film. An open ended screenplay is a screenplay without a proper resolution. And here the audience leaves with a question in their mind or leaves them wanting more. A close ended screenplay is a screenplay with proper resolution. No questions remain. It will be satisfying and complete, anal. ‘make it easier to put yourself in the head of a character. © FoodThe dialogue in a screenplay may serve as a way to express a character's point-of-view OF 10 Understand the interpersonal dynamics between two or more characters. Dialogue is also a way to convey the story's mood or tone. In a television comedy, much of the humor will come from your dialogue. Dialogue can be either formal or informal, serious or playful. It can advance the plot or simply provide information, But no matter what its purpose, dialogue should be short, sharp, and to the point. After all, audiences don’t want to hear characters prattle on endlessly; they want to see them move the story forward, 33. Difference between external and internal conflict? All conflict falls into two categori struggles with their own opposing di : internal and external. Internal conflict is when a character sires or beliefs. It happens within them, and it drives their development as a character. External conflict sets a character against something or someone beyond their control Internal and external, are useful because they create: © Tension: Because of conflit ’s uncertainty, we want to know how it resolves and keep turning pages to find out © Stakes: Conflict suggests worst-case outcomes and makes resolution urgent (the hero must overcome the antagonist/environment or themselves ‘or else...”) @ Character development: Conflict allows for dramatic incidents and confrontations that test characters and cause them to learn and adapt 34. How to create a compelling screenplay idea? Learn the three-act structure. ... Research and write the backstory. ... Write your logline and story outline. ... Use active language and a third-person perspective. ... Watch a variety of films and videos from various genres. ... Read, read, read. ... Write your scenes on notecards.35. The importance of intention and obstacles? A good story involves drama. Drama means conflict. Conflict of what? Intention vs. the Obstacle. “Drama is intention and obstacles, somebody wants something, something is standing in their way of getting it.” 1. Intention — the strong urge or pull of your protagonist (or you) to do something. 2. Obstacle — something formidable has to stand in the way. If you're writing a story about finding a job — explain why you want a job (you desperately need cash) and tell why you can’t find one (the coronavirus pandemic crashed the economy). If you're writing about your trip to Europe with a loved one, tell us how you wanted to spend time on the beach, but ended up sleeping at the airport because your flights got delayed. How did you manage to overcome that Obstacle? Did you go back home? It’s those questions that keep the reader interested and going forward 36. Elaborate on the passive protagonist screenp! Active protagonists take action, while passive protagonists wait for things to happen and then Teact to them. But there are main characters who are deceptive, seemingly passive on the surface but fundamentally active at their core. Plenty of protagonists are passive until something happens that forces them into action. 37. What is a sympathetic antagonist screenplay? A sympathetic villain is an antagonist in a story who has redeemable qualities. Even when performing terrible acts or standing in the way of a beloved main character’s mission, the audience sympathizes with their motivations, often due to their redeemable qualities or tragic backstory. This type of complex character may be a tragic villain or an anti-villain. A tragic villain is a character who becomes evil in the face of uncontrollable traumatic circumstances; this type of villain often despises their wicked nature. On the other hand, anti-villains believe themselves to be the story's hero, seeing their evil actions as noble. These villainous characters are the opposite of anti-heroes, who perform good deeds despite having questionable motives or a cloudy moral compass. 35. Elaborate on pacing and rhythm in creating a script? Narrative pacing is the speed at which a story unfolds. Pacing can be thought of as the tempo of a narrative. Narrative pacing may result in a story being called slow or fast-paced. Pacing may alsobe referred to as an indicator of quality, as in “that film was perfectly paced” or “that story had awful Pacing”. The pacing of a story typically fluctuates throughout its entire duration and may be fast in certain moments while slowing down in other moments. Rhythm in ai captivating. The audience’: too fast make: 'S often synonymous with music. Tempo, measures, and beat are critical to feners and building a great song. Rhythm in film editing works in the same way. S engagement is largely dependent on the pacing of a film. Too slow is boring and i 's it hard to connect to the characters and narrative overall. Pacing is created from ythm and the rhythm in a film is created by the editor. 38. Elaborate on proper screenwriting format? Scene Heading A scene heading is a one-line description of the location and time of day of.a scene, also known as a"slugline.” It should always be in CAPS. Example: EXT. WRITERS STORE - DAY reveals that the action takes place outside The Writers Store during the daytime Subheader When a new scene heading is not necessary, bu subheader. But be sure to use thes ‘ome distinction needs to be made in the action, sparingly, as a script full of subheaders is generally frowned upon. A good example is when there are a series of quick cuts between two ou would use the term INTERCUT and the scene locations you can u: locations, Action The narrative description of the events of a scene, written in the present tense. Also less commonly known as direction, visual exposition, blackstuff, description or scene direction. Character When a character is introduced, his name should be capitalized within the action. For example: The door opens and in walks LIAM, a thirty-something hipster with attitude to spare. Dialogue : _ Lines of speech for each character. Dialogue format is used anytime a character is heard speaking, even for off-screen and voice-overs. Parenthetical ; ; eet A parenthetical is direction for the character, that is either attitude or action-oriente Extension Placed after the character's name, in parentheses a aa An abbreviated technical note placed after the character's name to indicate how the voice will be heard onscreen, for example, if the character is speaking as a voice-over, it would appear as LIAM (V.O.). Transition Transitions are film editin; Transition verbiage includes: instructions, and generally only appear in a shooting script»* CUTTO: * DISSOLVE TO: * SMASH CUT: * QUICK CUT: © FADETO: Asa spec script writer, you should avoid using a transition unless there is no other way to indicate a story element. For example, you might need to use DISSOLVE TO: to indicate that a large amount of time has passed. Shot A shot tells the reader the focal point within a scene has changed. Like a transition, there's rarely a time when a spec screenwriter should insert shot directions. Once again, that’s the director's job. Examples of Shots: * ANGLE ON -- * EXTREME CLOSE UP -- * PANTO-— * LIAM'S POV — 39. Discuss the importance of rewri in perfecting a script? going through and strengthening a rough draft by altering what's in need of improvement. This can range from changing a few words to cutting out entire unnecessary sections: Rewriting is an essential part of editing. It includ Ultimately, the rewriting process will polish subsequent drafts and evolve your project to the best place it can be. Become the Reader © Go through your work intensively. © Make comments on the document, or jot it down on paper. If you can print out the full script, sometimes having a physical copy can help. focus your mind (it also makes you less likely to accidentally skim read!), Breaking Down Each Scene© Check that the overarching plot in its simplest form is clear. © Ensure the premise is easily established early on. A ere ifany scene orders should be tweaked. ¢ importance of effective screen description while writing a screenplay? aS four basic elements of screenwriting format are scene heading, scene description, character e, and dialogue. Anything else — camera directions, transitions, and parentheticals — rarely do anything beyond creating more for the reader to read and process, which slows down the read of the script. Those elements can be utilized, but only sparingly so and only when completely necessary. Use Scene Description for Times, Dates, and Specific Locations Scene description is all about setting the stage. Part of that is sharing the specific times, and locations if necessary. dates, 41. What is non-linear storytelling? A non-linear plot is a storytelling technique in which a narrative is told out of chronological order. Non-linear plots come in various forms. They can jump back and forward in time avoiding any linear pattern. Non-linear plots can weave multiple plot lines and time lines together to create a cohesive story Non-linear narrative examples: © Pulp Fiction @ Memento © Citizen Kane © Forrest Gump 42. Discuss how screenwriting differs in web series and feature films? The mechanics of writing for television and writing for film are much the same: Both television scripts and feature film scripts look the same on the page, both are typed up using screenwriting software, and both use location headings, character headings, scene descriptions, and dialogue. But the two processes have a lot of differences, too. What Is Television Writing? Television writing is the art of writing a TV show. Television writers develop stories, write scripts, make edits and revisions, and help determine what an episode looks like. In the TV world, writers are able to influence everything from the stories that are told to how the sets are built. What Is Film Writing?Film writing is the art of writing a movie. Much like television writers, film writers develop Stories, write scripts, and make edits and revisions. However, unlike television writers, film writers don’t typically help determine what the movie looks like; that’s the job of the director and cinematographer. 5 Differences Between Television Writing and Film Writing 1. TV scripts are shorter than movie scripts. Writing an episode of television takes less time and results in fewer pages. TV episodes are either 30 minutes or 60 minutes long with commercial breaks, while feature films are at least 90 minutes long. 2. TV shows have different narrative structures. A movie has a clear beginning, middle, and end, while TV shows are episodic and allow for multiple beginnings, middles, and ends. Each TV script is part of a larger narrative, with multiple character and story arcs divided across a number of episodes and seasons. 3. TV scripts don’t have to resolve every story right away. Every episode will come to its own conclusion, but they don’t have to be wrapped up neatly; the stories and characters will continue to grow into the next episode. TV writers can take things slow, play with clifthangers, and allow plots to develop over time. 4. TV scripts are dialogue-driven. TV shows typically focus on the writing rather than the visuals to drive the story. Movies are more cinematic than most TV shows and involve more considered cinematography 5. TV shows require more writing in the long-run. Individual episodes are shorter than movies, but require more writing over the course of a season or entire series. 41. What do you mean by ‘Dialogues’? Explain the qualities of good dialogues? Remember that dialogue is part of the action of fiction. Dialogue doesnt tell the readers about | the characters, it shows who characters are. Four key qualities of good dialogue are that it: 1) keeps the story or novel going; 2) reveals the characters; 3) is believable; 4) interests the readers. 42. Genres in scriptwriting? 1. Thriller. Thriller screenplays are dark, twisted, and engrossing. They expertly blend mystery, tension, and anticipation into one exciting story. Successful thrillers are well- paced, introducing red herrings, divulging plot twists, and revealing information at the ‘exact right moments to keep the audience intrigued. 2. Horror. Horror screenplays are shocking, suspenseful, and scary. Their main purpose is to leave people with an overwhelming sense of fear and dread. Audiences who love horror films enjoy being scared and seek them out specifically for the adrenaline rush Produced by ghosts, gore, monsters, and jump scares. Sub-genres include ghost stories, gothic horror movies, science fiction horror movies, supernatural movies, dark fantasy