Scripts
Users of a Script
A script is a working document for the whole production team, not only the people who speak. Most production staff use it at some point, including actors, narrators, the director, camera operators, audio technicians, sound and video editors, producers and continuity staff who check that details such as costume or props stay consistent between takes. Each user reads the same pages for a different reason.
| User | What they take from the script |
|---|---|
| Actors and narrators | Their dialogue and the emotion or delivery needed for each line |
| Director | The whole script, used throughout production to guide creative decisions and brief other staff |
| Camera operators | Notes on shots and framing so they know what to capture |
| Audio technicians and sound editors | Sound effects, music and dialogue information to record and mix |
| Storyboard artist | Creates a storyboard from the scenes and action |
| Lighting crew | Time of day and weather details that decide lighting and exterior shooting conditions |
The script also identifies props. If a scene describes someone unfolding a paper map by lantern light, the props team knows to source both before the shoot day.
One scene can serve several users at once. A school corridor scene set at night tells the actors the mood is tense and wary, tells the lighting crew to rig flickering strip lights as working lights in shot, and warns the director that the shoot must be scheduled after the building closes to students. Because every department works from one document, a clear script keeps the production joined up.
Advertising and radio
In advertising, the script is shared with the client and reviewed against the brief before production begins. Changing a line at this stage is cheap and quick; changing it after filming is expensive. A client who asked for a friendly 30-second advert can spot that the tone has drifted before production costs build up.
A radio advertisement script is used mainly by voice actors, who need the words, pauses and tone, and by sound editors, who plan music and effects. No camera or lighting information is needed because nothing is seen.
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OCR Creative iMedia · Scripts