Scriptwriting Evaluation

My project

I was given the task to create to think and construct a script for a short fictional film in a genre of my choosing my script is a huge part of my films pre production. Along with the script I had to make sure that I had a good and intriguing proposal to go along with the script I had to show that my script matched with genre otherwise it wouldn't make much sense I've chosen to work on the thriller/war genre I'm going to be making a film about PTSD symptoms and it's effects on people and what war can do to people I'm aiming this towards older teens and adults.

The proposal

Firstly I had to write my proposal I gathered my own research I did this find out just how crucial the proposal was to the pre production and things that are included in a successful proposal.

https://filmlifestyle.com/write-powerful-film-proposal

Film lifestyle claims "Whether you are an aspiring film academy graduate or a passionate scriptwriter, getting your story to the big screen takes a lot of time and effort. Depending on where you live and what type of public and private film financiers you have access to, your film proposal will be shaped differently. After all, submitting a proposal for a film you know won’t get approved by a certain third party is like applying for a job position with a terrible resume".

A proposal isn't just about funding or explaining your script briefly it's included more smaller things you need to look at.

Synopsis

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-write-a-movie-synopsis-to-sell-your-screenplay#:~:text=In%20screenwriting%2C%20a%20movie%20synopsis,points%2C%20and%20main%20character%20arcs

Masterclass states "in screenwriting, a movie synopsis is a brief summary of a completed screenplay's core concept, major plot points, and main character arcs. A screenwriter primarily writes a script synopsis as a selling tool to convince film industry higher-ups to read the full screenplay. A film synopsis is also called a "one-pager" because it's ideally a single page long".

As masterclass says above we can see that the synopsis is extremely important to get your idea started off as it's explains what your plan is and it's used as the main selling tool and to persuade people to look closer into your project so this alone makes it crucial to get them intrigued into your project.

Logline

The logline is important as it is you explaining the basic story of your film to try and get some people interested In funding your film.

Screenplay structure

https://www.nyfa.edu/student-resources/how-to-master-the-structure-of-script-writing

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.coverfly.com/screenwriting-plot-and-story-structure/&ved=2ahUKEwjzlJ6R7JHwAhWF8LsIHav1AjQQFjAhegQIIRAC&usg=AOvVaw3ppeE67_3gnm820G6d2jBN&cshid=1619094576551

Scripts are structured into 3 specific acts being the setup the confrontation the resolution. The setup being where the story begins before something happens that will impact the main character/characters an example for this could be in back to the future where the main character Marty is living his normal life as a high school student and his life hasn't changed at all. The confrontation is where something happens and the character has to find out how to fix the problem sticking with back to the future this is where he becomes stranded in the year 1955 with no way back to the year 1985 as the time machine has run out of plutonium that powers it. Finally you have the resolution this where the problem gets fixed and life goes back to normal. In the finale of back to the future be gets back to the year 1985 in one piece and his life is back to normal with some minor changes he created in the past.

Characters

As it sounds in the name this is where you would describe the characters in your script and tell them their in intentions in the film.

Treatment

https://www.filmdaily.tv/funding/film-proposal-template

Film daily TV states below that

"This part of the film proposal should read like a short story and be written in the present tense. The film treatment presents the entire story including the ending, and use some key scenes and dialogue from the screenplay it is based on. It is more detailed than the synopsis and may include details of directorial style that an outline omits".

As film daily tells us the treatment is very important as it is explaining the film entirely to the potential investor however it has more detail in it and usually in the treatment it will include the key scenes to try and generate interest faster and more efficiently.

Target audience

Its extremely important to take who your target audience into account as you want to make sure that your making the correct film for the the correct audience for example you wouldn't make a horror movie then aim it towards children as that would be inappropriate and your film wouldn't do too well that's why right target audience is crucial.

When I was thinking of idea I realized that it would be a good idea to write within the thriller. According to an slide share I found the creator had found out that the most popular age range for thrillers would be 15 to the early 20s.

https://www.slideshare.net/JoeCFCDavies/who-watches-thrillers

people in this age range also go to the cinema to watch a variety of genres thriller is one of these popular genres alongside action and horror knowing this I was quite confident I could make a script that I could aim towards my audience which would be older teen-agers and young adults I took references from movies like platoon for the war scenes and the deer hunter for PTSD references as the characters in that film suffer from the condition as part of my movie is set in wooded area. My character is created in a way that I hope my audience will feel for my character and understand his suffering as I'm trying to create this film to gather understanding for the condition and to show people that it's a serious problem that needs to looked at more efficiently my main character is a young mercenary which I hope my audience will be able to attach themselves to and relate to them.

Formatting my script

To create a script that would be considered usable in industry I used master scene script and did this through a programme called Celt X which helped me out a ton with formatting the script correctly. My script has gone through two versions I completed my first and only draft I had a read through it and I realised it that i didn't really include much dialougue so I went back and added some extra dialougue in and changed the ending as I wasn't too happy with the ending I had created. Overall I'm pleased with my final script and happy with the changes I have made.