Unit 19: Learning Aim A

21/09/21

What is Scriptwriting?

Scriptwriting is the art and craft of writing scripts for mass media such as feature films, poems, television productions or video games. The script is the core of the production for a movie as it has all the information on the props and the roles of the characters and their voice lines

The roles and responsibilities of a scriptwriters

A script is the most important part of production for movies as it dictates what props can be used and verifies the lines needed for the actor to voice their characters and their stage actions. It also allows the reader, audience to visualise the piece of media and mediate information and visualization to whatever they want

Why scriptwriters have different roles

Scriptwriters have different roles depending on the scene in question, an action scene would normally be written by a scriptwriter that specialises in action scenes whereas someone who specialises in sentimental scenes would not normally be given the role of action scene. Which is why each different genre of scenes would have different screenwriters working on it. possible version of the movie that they make they need specific scriptwriters for specific characters and scenes as scriptwriters are all specialised in different things. For example, they might be an action scene in

Obtaining work as a scriptwriter

At first becoming a scriptwriter is like being an entrepreneur you need to find work yourself in order to become well known enough to be accepted into a firm, you need to create a reputation for yourself creating your own poems, scripts, mini stories ect. For a client to see potential in you then further down the line be accepted into a big company

the first section of a movie but then later leads to a sentimental part of the story, an action scriptwriters wouldn’t be suited for the sentimental part as well as someone who does so, they are all assigned to different roles

3 ways to get hired as a Scriptwriter

(Freshman screenplay) 

 

House ideas

A Lot of companies have their own executives that study the market and decide what would be good based on their past success. Sometimes they have ideas for what would work. These decisions might be based on money, but they bring in a creative writer or a team of writers to take their idea further.

 

Pitching

Once a writer has a good relationship with a company or gets a chance to pitch in meeting with their representation. The producers might ask the writer what else they are working on or have written. This is a good opportunity for the writer to pitch the company on one of their other projects.  

 

Adaptions

Big companies like Netflix and Hollywood hire writers to create the best fit stories, you are more likely to be asked from these companies if they have a high status in the screenwriting industry or a good relationship with the company in questions  

https://freshmenscreenplay.com/the-secret-how-97-of-screenwriters-are-hired/

 

Media sectors

 

Film: In the film industry we constantly refer to these six components: Development, production, facilities, distribution, exhibition, and export.

Music: The music industry consists of companies and individuals that make money by creating and distributing music.

Radio: creating a script for a radio intercom allows the audience to understand the current sounds and music playing, it serves as the core for your creation. The screenwriters mediate the parts they find important for the audience allowing the audience to recognise the significance of the interview and its content

 

Film: https://online.maryville.edu/blog/how-to-write-a-screenplay/

Music: https://thescriptlab.com/features/screenwriting-101/7401-screenwriting-101-incorporate-music-screenplay/

Radio:  https://mediahelpingmedia.org/2011/12/05/tips-for-writing-radio-news-scripts/Film

Real world scriptwriters

Spike Lee produced the movie which won a student academy award, he achieved his work through going to film making skills at Clark Atlanta University. After graduating from Morehouse, Lee attended the Tisch School of Arts graduate film program he began his work as a film writer, His first piece of work was a controversial short called the ‘The Answer’ (1980) which was a reworking of ‘D.Ws the Birth of a Nation’ (1915)

Spike Lee produced the movie which won a student academy award, later he produced the movie ‘Joe bed-stuy Barbershop: We cut heads’ (1983) which won a student academy award. Then he made the movie; Shes gotta have it’ (1986). The movie was made for $175,000, and earned $7 million at the box office, which launched his career and allowed him to find his own production company, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks.

 How screenwriters improve their skills

-Screenwriters develop their skills through help from other screenwriters

-practicing a specific technique

-Starting projects by preparing drafts

-Learn to understand what the medias targeted audience would be

Sectors and what they demand

The music media sector demands writers who are experienced in creating a song that is captivating which will keep the listeners hooked unlike with newspaper media

The newspaper media sector demands writers who are experienced in creating papers that cover the most recent information through research skills which a gaming writer would not need

 

Some ethical considerations are:

Obscenity laws are concerned with prohibiting lewd, filthy, or disgusting words or pictures. Indecent materials or depictions, normally speech or artistic expressions, may be restricted in terms of time, place, and manner, but are still protected by the First Amendment.

Before the release of a piece of media it needs to be checked for copyright infringement as if it leads under being copyrighted it is no longer yours.

Another consideration for scriptwriters is watershed, this is when programmes that are regarded as unsuitable for children are broadcast on television.

The game mode known as hot coffee for GTA San andreas was not released to the public due to the explicit scene where it would encourage the player to please Cj's girlfriend. The game’s publisher,

Take-Two Interactive, were sued by the City of Los Angeles for failing to disclose sexual content. The FTC also launched a suit, along with several massive class-action lawsuits from consumers. All told, accidently leaving in some crude code cost the company well over $20 million

Scriptwriters need to consider its audience into account and that games overall should not have sex scenes if it is not 18+

Evaluation

Each scriptwriter has different roles and responsibility, screenwriters who are in the action movie scene for example need to be good at creating fight choreographies. Scriptwriters obtain work through different media companies who hire them. Scriptwriters need to have a wide array of skills to meet demands. Scriptwriters need to understand possible legal troubles which is why the need to ensure they meet the expectations to not get into legal situations like getting copyrighted

Bibliography

 

Freshmenscreenplay.com. 2021. The Secret How 97% of Screenwriters are Hired. [online] Available at: <https://freshmenscreenplay.com/the-secret-how-97-of-screenwriters-are-hired/> [Accessed 20 September 2021].

IMDb. 2021. Spike Lee - IMDb. [online] Available at: <https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000490/bio> [Accessed 20 September 2021].

IMDb. 2021. Spike Lee - IMDb. [online] Available at: <https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000490/bio> [Accessed 20 September 2021].

IMDb. 2021. Spike Lee - IMDb. [online] Available at: <https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000490/bio> [Accessed 24 September 2021].