Screenwriting Flashcards
1
Q
what is screenwriting?
A
- Art of writing scripts for mass media (ie. commercials, TV shows, music videos, movies, etc.)
- most screenplays written in present tense
2
Q
3 parts of a screenplay
A
- headings/sluglines
- narrative description
- dialogue
3
Q
Headings/sluglines
A
- written in ALLCAPS
- reveal camera location
- reveal scene location (must be physical)
- reveal time (day or night)
- screenplays usually start with FADE IN
4
Q
Narrative description
A
- action
- setting and character (be specific and use concrete details… also put name in ALLCAPS and age in brackets when first introduced)
- sounds (capitalized)
- don’t write shot descriptions - that’s up to director*
5
Q
Dialogue
A
- the character cue, or name of person speaking
- parenthetical (optional - use sparingly)
- speech
6
Q
Page-to-time ratio
A
1 page = 1 minute
7
Q
voiceover and off-camera voice
A
- V.O.
- O.C.
8
Q
why is capitalization used in screenplays
A
- to draw attention to the thing, sound, etc.
9
Q
Logline
A
- 1-3 sentences that encapsulate your story
- ex. “My film is a (genre/subgenre) called (title) about (hero) who seeks (goal) despite (obstacle)
10
Q
what is the basis of a screenplay?
A
character + goal + obstacle
11
Q
What does William Goldman tell us about screenwriting?
A
- get in, get out
- jump right into action (“starting each scene as late as possible”)
12
Q
what are the 3 acts
A
- Act 1: set-up
- Act 2: rising action leading to final crisis
- Act 3: final crisis, climax, and resolution
13
Q
Act 1 (the set-up)
A
- establish characters, introduce them and ordinary world
- inciting incident
- goals and stakes
- needs vs. wants (wanting and needing different things -> more interesting)
14
Q
Act 2 (rising action)
A
- escalating conflicts
- complications, obstacles
- antagonist
- midpoint
- things are dark… everything seems lost
15
Q
Act 3 (climax)
A
- final crisis
- ultimate obstacle
- twist or reversal
- resolution
