Effective Scripts and Improvements

An effective script is one a whole production team could pick up and work from without asking questions. It follows the same layout conventions all the way through, and every scene contains everything that scene needs: its characters, dialogue, locations, directions, camera shots, camera movements and sounds. Nothing is left for anyone to guess.

Every part has a user

A well-written script splits its content into three kinds of information - directions, speech and technical notes - so each reader can go straight to the part that belongs to their job.

Improving a script

To improve a script, first name what it already does well, then find a gap and suggest the change that fills it - and always say which user the change helps. Take a scene set in a school corridor where the line is clear, but the scene gives the crew little to work with: JAMAL: We should go back. Adding a direction such as (nervously, eyes wide) gives the actor the emotion, intonation and facial expression to perform. Adding - LATE AFTERNOON to the setting tells the lighting crew to plan for fading, low light. Adding the sound of a door slamming somewhere behind them tells the sound editor exactly what to record. Each change is tiny, but each one stops a crew member having to invent an answer.

Improvements should make the script work better as a document, not add extra plot or new characters - a longer story is not the same as a clearer script.

Why conventions matter

Using the same conventions consistently reduces confusion: because directions, speech and technical notes each sit in a predictable place, parts are quick to find, changes of setting stand out as someone scans down the page, and the director can give clearer guidance to the team.