Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Mark Grindle Script Writing Lecture Notes

Mark Grindle on Script Writing and Storytelling 12/10/10

The 2 things that a scriptwriter has to be able to tell their story is Sound and Image.

Each character in a script has and needs to have a story.
The Protagonists story is the main story while all other characters support the main story with their own stories.

Narrative – Story telling or the story told.
Story – The way in which the audience understands the characters
Plot – The sequence of events leading to a conclusion


Narrative Elements to consider while writing a script.
Events
Time Scale/Timeline
Story
Characters
Conflict

Character and Story
What character dominates the story?
Who do you empathise with?
A character needs motivation and an objective
Ask active questions .

Who are the characters?
Is there a Clear Protagonist?
Is there a Clear Antagonist?
An antagonist could be another character who is the opposite of the protagonist, nature or the protagonist themselves.
What do the characters want and do they get what they want?

Subject Matter
Theme – The overall meaning

Themes
Love
War
Good vs Evil
Justice/Revenge
Validation
Fear of the Unknown
Fear of Death
Chaos to Order

Themes can also be subverteed.

Tone
The Tonal Scale
Comedy - Drama - Tragedy

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