Scripting
Present each part of the lesson in the following order:
KEY VOCABULARY (15 min.):
Script: the written text of a movie, play, or broadcast. [New Oxford American Dictionary]
Slug line: also called a master scene heading, occurs at the start of every scene, and is usually made up of three parts. Part one states whether the scene is set inside (interior/INT.), outside (exterior/EXT.) or both. Part two states the location of the scene. Part three, separated from part two by a hyphen, refers to the time of the scene. Each slug line begins a new scene. In a shooting script the slug lines are numbered consecutively. [Wikipedia] For example, “EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD ROAD – AFTERNOON” could be the slug line for the AT&T “The Unseen – It Can Wait” PSA.
Scene: usually a shot (or series of shots) that together comprise a single, complete, and unified dramatic event, action, unit, or element of film narration, or block (segment) of storytelling within a film, much like a scene in a play. The end of a scene is often indicated by a change in time, action, and/or location [Film Site Film Terms Glossary from AMC, Written and Edited by Tom Dirks] *students’ PSAs will likely have no more than three scenes.
Narration: a commentary delivered to accompany a movie, broadcast, etc. [New Oxford American Dictionary]
Blocking: originally a theater term that refers to the positioning and movement of the actors on the stage. In cinema, camera and lights are added to the equation. [The Elements of Cinema Blog & Podcast]
Title card: A printed narration or portion of dialogue flashed on the screen between the scenes of a film. [American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language]
Attention-getter (5 min.):
Play the Youth for Human Rights PSA, “Don’t Discriminate.” Afterwards, show them the script for this PSA. Ensure they understand the terminology used in this script (especially those words covered in Key Vocabulary). Once they have read the script, replay the PSA so they can follow along.
KEY VOCABULARY (5 min.):
Dialogue: refers to the spoken words assigned to a single performer; also refers to the full complement of spoken words in a film or stage script; also known as lines. [Film Site Film Terms Glossary from AMC, Written and Edited by Tom Dirks]
Sound: refers to everything we hear in a movie—words, sound effects, and music. Sound is used in a film to heighten a mood, provide us with information about the location of a scene, advance the plot and tell us about characters in the story. [The Cinematheque] When referenced on a script, “Sound” lines do not include spoken dialogue but other components, such as ambient noise, sound effects, and music.
Dialogue example (5 min.):
Show students the sample script page from Jurassic World. Ask them why dialogue could be important to a script. Have them come up with examples of PSAs that would require dialogue and PSAs that would not need it (such as “Don’t Discriminate”).
Activity (30 min.):
Play the Drug Free World PSA, “E.”
Have students write a script for this PSA in reverse. Explain that their script needs to include a title, a slug line and blocking. If appropriate, their reverse script should also include dialogue and title cards.
Ask them what was most interesting, most helpful and most challenging about this process.
Activity (30 min.):
Using their list of facts from Lesson Two and treatment from Lesson Three, have the students draft scripts for their PSAs. Once they have a rough idea of their scripts, have them exchange with another team and give each other constructive feedback. If only one team is participating, have each student in the team write an individual script, and then have the team work together to find the best parts of each student’s script and create a cohesive one.
Assignment (5 min. in class, 25 min. at home):
Instruct students to complete a polished first draft of their PSA scripts which they will need to bring to class for Lesson Four. Remind students that if they complete their scripts by the deadline, they can send them to the judges and mentors for feedback.
∞ End of Lesson ∞