- It took me 4 pages to script out 5 written pages. Since my ms. is 386 pages, that translates to a ~300 page script, the equivalent of a 5-hour movie (miniseries?).
- My novel has 97 scenes. A movie script is ~40. I’d have to cut over half my scenes…which may also help figuring out how to reduce my novel down to 100K words. Still, it’s a lot of story to leave out.
- I’ve been reading some scripts for major motion pictures. These are available online through sites like http://www.simplyscripts.com, http://www.imsdb.com, http://www.scifiscripts.com. I’ve found that scripts aren’t the dry, emotionless set of directions I thought they were. Here’s an example from Jurassic Park:
- I felt I needed to add something to the scene. In my original scene, I don’t include Dunstan, the evil Duke. But from studying movies for the last few weeks, I realize that it’s critical that the “enemy” be introduced as early as possible. The audience needs to be able to identify the conflict and stakes right away. I also thought it might be a good way to show the audience the significance of Thomas’ act in saving the Queen.
- It was actually pretty fun picturing the scene as a movie scene. I think it also helps by showing me what’s truly important in a scene. I don’t plan to script the entire novel, but just to use some scenes as practice.
Lodged in the cracked earth are the partially-exposed fossilized remains
of A VELOCIRAPTER, a carnivorous dinosaur. WIDEN OUT to a SWEEPING
PANORAMA of a dinosaur dig, a major excavation filled with workers
shoveling earth and stone, making measurements, taking photographs,
scribbling notes, and conferring with each other.
The center of all this activity is one man. In a roped-off area that
circumscribes the exposed bones of the raptor, is DR. ALAN GRANT, head
paleontologist. Good-looking, late 30's, with a think beard.
Grant lies on his belly, completely absorbed in a small piece of bone.
A GROUP OF TWELVE STUDENTS, notebooks in hand, await his next sentence.
So here is the script I came up with. Sorry for the horrible formatting.
EXT. HIGH ABOVE GROUND- DAY
AIRMAN peers through a scope from the bow of a gondola. A
white dirigible balloon suspends the gondola. He takes notes.
WE ZOOM THROUGH SCOPE to focus on second airship just above
the horizon.
The second airship dissolves in a burst of flames and drops
to the forest below. A boom sounds many seconds later.
RETURN BACK TO AIRMAN's face. He is horrified
AIRMAN pulls levers and we hear a loud mechanical hum.
CUT TO:
FOREST CLEARING
PAN OVER burning wreckage and mangled bodies.
We hear a hum then an airship descends. AIRMAN jumps out and
examines bodies, all dead. Many are burned or dismembered. He
finds two bodies with throats cut, obviously not from crash.
He pulls out his weapon and assumes a defensive posture. He
examines grass with bloodstains and trots off.
CUT TO:
DEEP FOREST
AIRMAN finds an 8-legged crawling war-machine with mounted
cannon pointing toward smoking wreckage. Machine carries Nazi
like markings.
In the distance we hear tortured screams.
AIRMAN turns and advances toward a black hole in ground.
MALE VOICE (O.S., EUROPEAN ACCENT)
You will provide us the location of
the Sea Key. We know the Southland
hides it.
FEMALE VOICE (O.S., SOUTHERN ACCENT)
(tortured)
There ain't no such thing. It's a
myth.
2.
FOLLOW AIRMAN
INTO:
INT. DARK CAVE
Visible are: QUEEN MAGNOLIA, a black woman impaled by a
infernal torture device with spikes and with her clothing in
bloody remnants; REICHLAND CAPTAIN wearing Nazi-like uniform
operates device; and REICHLAND DOCTOR tends two wounded men
on the floor. Flickering torches provide light. AIRMAN hides
and watches.
Quietly AIRMAN checks his weapon. He winces at the screams of
the woman. His breath quickens, his hand tightens. His head
nods as if rehearsing his moves.
AIRMAN jumps into room, fires at: CAPTAIN, DOCTOR, then two
wounded men. CAPTAIN and DOCTOR slide to floor. QUEEN
MAGNOLIA gasps in pain, unable to speak. AIRMAN holsters
weapon and examines the torture device. He pulls a lever to
release her and QUEEN MAGNOLIA stumbles forward. He catches
her in his arms. They embrace as she sobs.
AIRMAN
Please, Your Majesty, I must wrap
your wounds.
QUEEN MAGNOLIA nods and releases him. AIRMAN finds a medical
bag and pulls out supplies. QUEEN MAGNOLIA stumbles into a
chair, fighting for calm. He wraps her bleeding torso with
infinite care and respect. He stops when her reaches her
breasts, but she cringes and nods. He finishes.
AIRMAN (CONT'D)
I must protect your modesty.
He pulls off his jacket and helps her into it.
QUEEN MAGNOLIA
Thank you kindly.
AIRMAN
My Queen, pardon my insolence, but
I must inform you--I intend to hold
you prisoner in the name of my lord
Duke Killingworth.
Her face turns to rage.
QUEEN MAGNOLIA
You rescued me only to go capture
me yourself? What kinda soldier are
you? Where's your loyalty?
3.
AIRMAN
(solicitiously)
My deepest apologies. The Duke
would have my head if I lost this
opportunity.
She spits blood on the ground.
QUEEN MAGNOLIA
And what would your King do to you
when he discovers this here
treachery?
AIRMAN blinks.
ZOOM AWAY DOWN TO ENEMY SOLDIER.
WOUNDED ENEMY on the ground shakily lifts up a revolver and
shoots. Blood explodes from AIRMAN's knee. He falls. QUEEN
MAGNOLIA pulls gun from AIRMAN's holster and dispatches
WOUNDED ENEMY. She turns the gun back to AIRMAN.
QUEEN MAGNOLIA (CONT'D)
Oh lord, oh lord.
AIRMAN holds out hand to her in self-defense. He gasps in
pain.
AIRMAN
Please. Take my flyer. Can you
pilot?
QUEEN MAGNOLIA nods.
AIRMAN (CONT'D)
It is back where you crashed. Fly
west to the river and then south to
New York. Hurry, the Duke is en
route. I swear if you do this, you
can evade him and return to the
king.
QUEEN MAGNOLIA hesitates, then stumbles from the cave. AIRMAN
wraps his knee. Something glistens in the corner. He slides
over and grasps it. It is a blue pendant in the shape of a
swan. He stashes it in his clothes and then appears to sleep.
FADE TO BLACK.
EXT. OUTSIDE OF CAVE
Two men in the same uniform as the AIRMAN hold him on his
feet.
4.
AIRMAN is in obvious pain and cannot put weight on his
injured left leg. A man in a regal uniform approaches him-
the Duke (DUNSTAN). DUNSTAN slaps AIRMAN in the face. A
trickle of blood seeps from the AIRMAN's mouth.
DUNSTAN
(enraged)
How could you? How could you allow
the Demon Queen to escape? The very
witch who seduced our King? Did she
use her witchcraft upon you?
AIRMAN's shakes head and cringes, fearing another blow.
DUNSTAN (CONT'D)
Captain Thomas Putnam, you are a
disgrace to your uniform. You are
hereby stripped of your commission
and discharged from the Aivy. That
Demon Queen has obviously corrupted
you and you are of no further use
to me.
The men throw THOMAS to the ground. THOMAS holds his knee.
The men walk off.
THOMAS
(defiant)
She is no demon! She is a flesh and
blood woman! We cannot continue
this persecution!
DUNSTAN
(pointing)
We will continue it until that
Demon lies dead at my feet and I
take my rightful place on the
throne of New Britannia.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. MILKING STATION ON FARM
I find scripting so hard to do. I tried it for a suspense thriller I wrote a few years back and nearly went batty. You have to give up so much of your vision to the director. Loved what you did with yours. Great job.
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