Screenplay - Lucky Dip

Lucky Dip Presentation

Lucky Dip Presentation 

Full presentation:





Shortened version:

Research Dossier

Research Dossier 

http://ukfilmfestival.com/10-minute-screenplay-competition.html

Feature Script Competition guidance from the UK Film Festival

UK Film Festival holds annual competitions which allows young people to enter with the chance of winning the UK Film Festival Winner's Laurels. Not only this but the script you write will also be sent to different production companies which could potentially become a reality. 

Even runners up will get subscription to a website called InkTip which links producers and writers together to make productions. 

The fee is up to £35 to enter into the competitions. 

"The Rules and Guidelines are:

The script should be in English.

The script should be around 5 to 10 pages long in the recommended industry format.

The winner is obliged to agree to grant first option choice for production to the UK Film Festival.

Should there be a need to alter any small aspect of the script when it goes into production the winner should be willing to work with the script editor and/or director to develop the idea. If this should occur the rights to the script still remain with the writer."

Source - http://ukfilmfestival.com/10-minute-screenplay-competition.html

Another example of a competition that runs is BAFTA Rocliffe New Writing Competition. 

This is when aspiring writers are able to enter and showcase work which could be seen by professionals. The competition runs once a year with four different segments which include film, television drama, children's media and comedy scripts. 

The competition is blind judged by a range of people in the industry so they are unbiased with reviews. 

If you become one of the finalists you will be able to work with BAFTA award winning actors and directors alongside having access to events and workshops which BAFTA provide for a year. From this it will give you a large amount of exposure into the industry working with different companies. 

Below is the full terms and conditions from the BAFTA website.

Commissioning body

One of the main UK based commissioning bodies that will accept unsolicited scripts are BBC Writer's Drama Room.
This is a scheme set up by the BBC to encourage writers to get scripts made.
Last year they had over 3800 scripts sent in which was then narrowed down to under 20 writers who then get taught development and training skills. They have windows of around one month long where people can enter the work which comes under certain categories.

How to submit? -
To submit to the writers room you will need to be signed up to the E-Submissions

All the terms and conditions can be found online and part of it is also below.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/send-a-script/esubmission-faqs
https://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/send-a-script/terms-and-conditions




2. Background Material

Link to the screenplay layout post -
https://lottiesmediabtecblog.blogspot.com/2018/11/screenplay-layout-conventions.html


3. Research
books, news, real life, ideas in your head (or dreams) are all different ways that you can find inspiration for creating new screenplays.

Books -
The Hunger Games was originally written by Suzanne Collins. From an early age her father was part of the American Air Force fighting in Vietnam so had always heard stories about the battlefield in depth. When he was home he would also go hunting too so knew lots about wilderness survival.
It was one day that she was sat watching TV and witnessed stories on the news about the Iraq War. This is when the idea for a new book came to her head and was also heavily influenced by Greek Mythology. This combination is what then became The Hunger Games.

Source - https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/9161107/The-Hunger-Games-Who-is-author-Suzanne-Collins.html

Real life events -
One of the biggest films released last year on the 26th December was the Greatest Showman.
This film is based on the real life P.T. Barnum who is played by Hugh Jackman.
Barnum ran one of the first travelling circuses after his museum burnt down in 1868. In 1871 the circus traveled around the world with weird and wonderful acts. he was married to his wife for 44 years however, due to strong working commitments would often leave the children and wife for months at a time.
Considering the film was realeased in December it was still taking £1 million in the cinemas every week until March 2018.

Sources - https://people.com/movies/the-true-story-behind-hugh-jackmans-the-greatest-showman/
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2018/05/15/box-office-hit-greatest-showman-heading-broadway/

3. Research - 

3 primary sources to gather script information - 

- Online Surveys, these ask questions relating to the topic to collect data and responses. It's also a free way of collecting data which only requires you to come up with questions especially if it is online as most companies will then sort the data for you. This applies to websites like Survey Monkey.

- Focus groups are also a way for small groups to come together to talk about the topics and conflicts of other peoples ideas and thoughts. This is a way to get more detailed responses as you can ask further questions.

- Observations are another way of gaining information as you can show snippets of films or script to small audiences and see how they react to certain things.

When creating my screenplay I intend to do primary research into the police force and try and interview someone who has worked on cases previously who could give me insights on how to make my cases more accurate.

Another thing I will do is create a survey to learn more about what audiences want to watch this show and who may not have any interest. This means I can almost tailor the show to what the audience wants meaning they would have more interest. From the responses to the survey I may then create a more specific focus group to find out more detail which could help with character development.

Secondary Sources - 

- Looking online to find information in regards to films that may have similar themes or characters as well as seeing what topics are popular and keep audiences interested.

- Books are also a cheap way of finding resources as you could go to somewhere like a library or access archives to gain information.

- Journals or the news is a way to gain secondary sources from someone who has already done the research before you have.


For my secondary research I have watched more films and TV shows relating to murder mysteries to gain more knowledge on shots that work well and more about the settings they use and what they look like.
Relating to this I also turned to Netflix documentaries which are stories told from people that have gone through a traumatic experience to gain insight on how the character can develop. Two documentaries which helped me the most were the Ted Bundy Tapes and also Abducted in plain sight. Both have interviews with the people who were directly involved in the incidents. It also showed other members of the family and what they felt at the time. I used these to have a more accurate script. As I have never been in a horrific situation like this I wanted to know how the person being abducted felt and reacted.

4. Preparing Material

Primary Research -
This is research that you conduct yourself.

Advantages -
- More effective as it is completed by yourself
- More based on what you actually need information wise

Disadvantages -
-Takes longer to complete as you have to do it all
- Could be expensive

Secondary research -
Research which has already been undertaken by someone else.

Advantages -
- Is quicker to find and cheaper too as it has already been done
- Can be more extensive as others may have had more of a budget and time to gain information

Disadvantages -
 - You can never tell if it's real
- Won't necessarily relate to what your project is about


Personally I found the most useful information has been reading books which has bought all concepts of my ideas to life. It helped me to write my treatment and learn how certain characters develop when they find certain things out like new evidence.
Also TV shows like Killing Eve has helped me to vision more of what I want in terms of having strong female roles.

For my research I have looked at screenplay layouts to know how to write my own and know what all the jargon means such as log line, parenthetical, continuous and slug line. I have also looked at other scripts which have been commissioned and made into popular TV shows like Sherlock. Reading crime novels has also been a good way to research how the writer conveys emotion and action as when people read my script I want them to be able to see in there head what is happening. 
All of my research is on my blog under the screenplay label.

Screenplay layout conventions

1. What is a spec script?
A spec script is usually what writers who are starting out in the industry will make or the professionals with high concept ideas that would struggle to pitch it verbally. This will then get sent out to many different companies who then have the potential to either ditch the idea or take it on to be made. Although when making spec scripts you wont be getting paid until the idea gets taken up which can be a big downfall for those who are freelance and wanting to do it solely as a career.
A typical spec would be around 110-120 pages long and this would also acquaint to one minute of screen time. This would all depend on whether the script is for a 30 minute tv drama or a full length film.


What is a shooting script?
A shooting script is a script which has been developed specifically for being on screen which can be followed by cast, crew etc when filming. It includes more details and will be written by the director alongside crucial members of the team like the cinematographer. They have to collaborate to be able to have the best outcomes of what is possible with the budget. They can also play off each others ideas.
When on set different departments will use this shooting script to know what scenes need to be set up, the costumes and makeup that the cast need and also if anything specific filming wise is needed such as equipment like a green screen or jibs/tracks to get shots to look certain ways.
Although this is in place it can still be changed and if pages need to be added they can do so. For example, page 3a rather than having to print what could be hundreds of new scripts it will just be the new pages which can be printed and added to the existing scripts.


For any screenplay that you want to have taken seriously you need to have it in font Courier and size 12. This is to give the effect of a typewriter and keeps everyone's the same so no change in formats etc which means it is easier to follow and read. Also if you choose to use a different font chances are that your script will not be looked at as many company's will only look at scripts which have the Courier with size 12 font.

Screenplay presentation

Battle Royale

Q3. What is the genre and what themes does the film exemplify? The genre of Battle Royale is a cross between drama and adventure but also a thriller as it creates high tension in some places (eg. when the girls are in the lighthouse and end up killing each other after one poisons the soup for the male to eat but the friend ends up eating it instead). It also shows some futuristic features such as, the collars being tracked from the school base by the army and also the boys hacking the computer to make bombs. Many themes run throughout the film such as friendship. We see many group together to help each other to survive like the main characters Nanahara and Nakagawa. Along side the 3 boys who come together to create a bomb. We also see love. Many come out and as they know they are going to die they want to tell the other person that they love them so they can die happy.

The Crazies (Eisner, 2010), narrative

The Crazies

Responses to the questions 

1. Give two examples of events that caused later events in the film, but which occur before the film 'starts'.

Infected waterways is one event which happens just before the film begins. We know and see evidence of the plane which was carrying the contained virus which was supposed to go to Texas to be incinerated but actually crashed in the towns marshes. 

Later in the film we then find that it is the disease in the water which got into the systems which people then drank.

Also another example of this is Judy being pregnant before the film begins. If she hadn't of been pregnant then she wouldn't have been segregated and captured in the make shift hospital for having a high temperature. 

Also the fact that she was taken away meant that her and David survived as he was taken to be deported and 'saved'. However, we later find out that even those with the wristbands get incinerated in the large trucks. If he hadn't of gone to save his wife he would have been killed eventually.

2. List two events from the 92 minute film that happen in a different time and space to the one we are shown.

One example of this is when we hear Russel talking about how he tried to escape the town in his truck but when he got to a certain point the tyres were spiked by the army and he was taken back and put to the quarantine area. We also presume as viewers that he was quarantined because he knew what happened when the red truck came in and sent gun shots. The only way he could have seen this is if he was in the quarantined zone. 

Another example is that everyone with the green wristbands meaning they are safe from the disease got murdered by the army. We find this out towards the ending of the film when we see a shot of Judy on the floor picking up the shells of bullets which there are hundreds of scattered across the street. We then see a pan back into a large truck which is full of dead bodies which is where we see one wearing what was the safety wristband. 

3. Identify key plot points in the film that you would associate with the three-act structure 

Act 1 = setup / normality

Act 2 = confrontation / disruption 

Act 3 = resolution / restoration of normality

Act 1 = 

The film opens with the town being all friendly and going about their daily life. People are doing their jobs and farming. Becca even gets let off from work early so she can go and watch her boyfriend playing in the big game of baseball.

 It soon comes to an end when Rory is shot though and this is the main turning point in the film to it becoming act 2.

Act 2 =

Act two begins when we see Rory being shot at the baseball game. Suddenly the calm normal town becomes something of the opposite. We slowly see more people with strange behaviors and then finally killings take place and all hell breaks loose with the army coming in in force and trying to control the epidemic by containing everyone in one area. Bill also sets fire to his family home whilst the wife and son are inside. 

Act 3 =

This is towards the very ending of the film when they manage to get away in a truck stolen from a garage. They begin to drive away which is when they see that the town is being blown up. The truck crashes but they both come out of the vehicle unharmed. They continue the rest of the walk to the new city through the fields. 

Commissioning process

left to do -
Role of the writer

ask about -
optioning and payment (is this where they sell the script with all legal stuff??)
bias (what examples to use. ie news stories ok??)

Synopsis and treatment

Screenplay practice

Screenplay Research

Screenplay Research 
Task 1- 

Screenwriter- 

The key responsibilities of being a screenwriter is to be able to collaborate with other writers and accepting that their idea could be better than yours. Also the ability to produce high quality work to often short and strict deadline (partly why you need to be good at working with others as people can be drafted in).

The best way in to becoming a screenwriter is to gain as much experience as possible by writing your own screenplays and getting them out to the community for producers and agents to see.


Script Reader- 
The main job roles of a script reader is to evaluate the screenwriters work, to analyse screenplays and give recommendations to producers. 
In terms of qualifications something to enhance your options is to take a graduate script reading training course or to get a BA or MA degree. Also a way in is to send examples of the work you have written to places like production companies. This can lead you into script editing,script development and producing.
Key responsibilities include to be familiar with screenplay format and layout, understanding the different markets for films, being able to understand the art of synopsis and more.

Script Editor- 
Key responsibilities for becoming a script editor is to be able to provide a critical overview of the screenwriting process, liaising with the Producer, development executive and the screenwriter.
Skills needed for this role include having good analytical, communications and a strong understanding for how audiences respond to films. This means you are able to interpret and change parts of a script due to the responses of an audience.
To gain further qualifications towards becoming a script editor you could potentially take a script editing or screen writing course. 

Development Executive-
The main responsibilities of being a development executive is finding good and efficient screenwriters, finding stories and developing screenplays for production. 
For this role you would need to have a lot of in-depth knowledge in regards to the international film market because the audiences tastes are changing constantly. In regards to this you would also need to have a good creative vision which would enhance your ways of making a good film script.
For this job you would not need a specific qualification because it is more about your knowledge within the film industry. However, the majority of DE's have a higher education to gain more experience and understanding. Often these are courses like film production.


Task 2-
At the moment very popular programmes on platforms like Netflix include teen dramas. Since 2010 when programmes like Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl were released and gained popularity. They have relatable characters and gripping plotlines which gets people talking. However, now with social media people get more involved with the plot and characters such as Riverdale and 13 Reasons Why.
So a new story at the moment which would be popular would be some sort of teen crime drama. Based on Riverdales viewings it became the most watched teen drama after it recieved 2.3 million viewers aged between 18-49.
https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/riverdale-season-2-premiere-ratings-cw-1202588201/