P1 Script Comparison

Script Comparison

Film Script

This is a script from The Truman Show (Peter Weir, 1998) along with the finalised, on screen version. This scene takes place during the beginning of the film where Truman is seen leaving his house and driving to work before noticing a large object falls from the sky. In both the script and the finalised film, Truman is presented wearing 'a business suit' and the setting is 'idyllic' and 'suburban'. However, the script differs as it describes Truman 'petting the dog' whilst in the film he is pushed against the car by the dog, seeming afraid and taken back by Pluto's jumping. After Pluto and Spencer leave, he has a sigh of relieve which was also up to the actors interpretation rather than in the script. 

A significant line of dialogue that remains between the transition from script to screen is one of Truman's famous catch phrases: 'And in case i don't see you, good afternoon, good evening and goodnight.'. It's not a surprise that this phrase was taken through into the film as it is repeated and referenced throughout the film so has significance. On the other hand, Truman says "Good Morning' to the family across the street as well as to Spencer which is not in the script. This adds a more friendly first impression to the character and was likely included in the film for this reason.

The script as a whole follows a typical format and layout, using slug lines, actions blocks and characters names and dialogue following the procedure of a normal script.
This script includes a slugline, or the scene heading, which allows the production company to know that the scene is set externally (outside), the location 'Truman's House' and that it is set during the day. This gives members of the production company an easy way to identify some key information about the scene.

Following this is an action block which has a narrative description of events happening in the scene. This gives the camera crew, director and cast members a brief overview of the scene and the context so actors can understand the context of the scene for their character. For example, the actor can quickly identify that 'Truman gives exchanges a polite nod with the WASHINGTON's' as he reaches his car. In this action block, the characters' names, 'Truman' and 'Spencer', are in capital letters for ensuring the actors can easily skim and find important information so they can deliver their lines and act in an appropriate way to fit the scene.
Before dialogue, the characters name are printed in 12 point courier, similarly to the rest of the script, central and capped. All scripts are created in this font and size and it equates to approximately one minute screen time so is useful for universally identifying the length of a film from the number of pages in the script. Underneath the characters' name is the dialogue which is indented for ease of reading. Often before the dialogue, the screenwriter will include a centralised parenthetical, such as '(Petting the dog)', which includes an action or attitude direction for the actor. These are only used when vital so the screenwriter can leave it up to the actors interpretation.

Within the script, Truman's dialogue includes language which supports and reflects his character. The formal language mirrors his middle class social stance which would be expected from growing up on an 'idyllic suburban street'. Similarly, Truman works as an insurance sales man and this high powered job is supported through the script with his polite and formal language when he greets his neighbours with 'good afternoon' and 'Good evening'. 

The Truman Show retains a 3 Act script, with the extract being based at the start. 

In Act one, Truman is introduced along with his fear of water and he begins to grow suspicious off the world he grew up in when Lauren Garland tries to warn him that everything is fake. Act 2 is when Truman investigates his suspicions and he has a breakdown following everyone dismissing his ideas and calling him crazy. By the final act, the director has an interview revealing how Truman was chosen as a baby to be part of the TV show. After this, Truman runs away and the director realises he is in a boat on the water so create a storm to prevent his escape. As the film ends, Truman overcomes his fear of water and makes an escape.

Additionally, The story of the film is followed from Truman's, the protagonist's, perspective which gives a typical angle of article. This is to ensures the viewers follow Truman's perspective and gain a strong likely towards his character due to his bubbly and innocent personality. Furthermore, this will guarantee and a more emotional response from the viewers when Truman realises how he has been mistreated and when he finally escapes.

The Truman Show follows a non-linear narrative as there are various flashbacks to different parts of Truman's younger life. This allows viewers to engage with Truman's character as they feel like they understand him better from learning things he experienced in the past. Along with this, the script is able to build up more tension to when Truman finally escapes as the audience can understand his fear of water on a more intense level as they have experienced it through the screen.

Furthermore, The Truman Show isn't multi-stranded as, although the film follows the narrative of the Director, acting as an antagonist, and Truman, they are based around the same plot. This is because, unlike a TV series, a film doesn't have long enough to create more than understandable story line. As well as this, the screenwriter created a type of script called a shooting script that would be used on set whilst filming and very few changes would be made between this script and the finalised film.

The genre is hard to establish but could be argued a number of ways. With the absurd plot and funny facial expression and movement of Jim Carey, The Truman Show could easily be labelled a comedy. However, it could be argued that the film is a drama, due to the intense escape and realisation Truman faces, or a fantasy, due to the usually setting. 

Due to this, the playwright also wrote in a descriptive style in order to ensure the actions and circumstances of the characters and events came across clearly on screen whilst not intruding on the actors own interpretation of the character. Despite the details within the action block, the sentences remain simple and not too complex to ensure ensure the actors and production company could skim the script and understand what was going on without wasting anytime on set.

TV Script 

This script is from How I Met Your Mother (Pamela Fryman, 2005 - 2014). This scene is taken from the first episode of the first season when the main character Ted is introduced through a narrating voice over and his two kids can be seen sat on the sofa, desperate not to her the story of how their Dad met their Mother. The theme tune plays whilst pictures of the characters and the corresponding actors' names pop up on screen to the song 'Hey Beautiful' as played in every episode. After this, there is a a flashback, where the majority of the series is set, to a Manhattan apartment where Ted and Marshall are excitedly discussing how Marshall will prepose to his girlfriend, Lily.

Differences:

-All the scenes numbered

-Scene scriptures at the start of the script so all locations are known 

-Although not all TV show scripts do this, many highlight their action blocks with bold text

-Character list at the beginning of the script

The format and layout of this script begins by establishing the beginning of the episode with 'ACT 1' in caps above 'INT.' to highlight that the scene is set inside (internally). Following this, the location, '2029 LIVING ROOM' and the time of day 'EVENING' are stated. This is similar to film scripts and ensures, not only the actors understand where and when the scene is set, but also the production company so they can create the right time of day with lighting, create the correct set and follow to script with ease. This is made easier by having these crucial pieces of information highlighted with capital letters. Below this is a list of characters present within the scene in brackets which allows actors to quickly establish if they will need to be on set whilst filming this part of the episode. Costume designers will also find this useful as they are able to prepare specific outfits efficiently. The action block introduces the settings in more detail, 'suburban home', and the characters' appearance is establish, 'a 14 year old daughter and a 16 year old son'. The narrator has the first line and is '(O.S)' meaning he is not on screen. This is important to include as it means the character's voice may be heard from another room, or in this case, heard from a voice over. The characters' names are capitalised for ease of the actors and are indented, along with their lines of dialogue, for the same reason.

Similarly to film scripts, this TV scripts follow a 3 Act Script as this creates a rise in tension and a resolution within a 20 minute episode to engage viewers. Within this episode, Ted asks Robin out on a date but then accidentally tells her he loves her resulting in Robin freaking out and making him leave. This is resolved by him going back to her apartment whilst Ted tells his kids that 'That was how i met your Aunt', leaving the viewers wanting to watch the episode to find out how that has significance to the story. 

The language used is casual as although Ted is an Architect, during the series he is presented mostly around his close friends and children so has no need to be formal. However, the language reflects the New York/American accent all the characters have. For example Marshall says "Geez, i'm so nervous' to create a colloquial and comedic effect within the sit-com. 

Within this script, the angle of article switches between the group of friends but focuses mainly on Ted as every episode is based on a story he is telling his kids. However, not every aspect of the stories are told from his perspective if, for example, he was not there when a certain event happens. In this case, although told from Ted's point of view, he reminds the kids that 'I wasn't there but Marshall swear it happened like this' in a later episode. 

All episodes of How I Met Your Mother, including this script, follow a non-linear narrative as the majority of episodes, if not all in some cases, are set in the past in relation to when he is telling his kids the story, 2029. These flashbacks create and display the life of Ted Mosby and all of his friends whilst exploring the journey he went on to meet his wife. All 'TED AND MARSHALL APARTMENT' scenes are set in 2005, a flashback, so in this script the two friends are seen practicing Marshall's proposal to Lily. 

Additionally, this script, and all other episodes, are multi-stranded as they often follow at least 2 different characters through a story. For example, in this script Ted goes on a date a pursues Robin whilst Marshall pops the champagne cork into Lily's eye and she has rte wear an eyepatch. This keeps the viewer engaged and also gives satisfaction as the two areas of narrative come together in the end.

This type of script is a shooting script and would be used on set whilst filming as it is the finalised version. Furthermore, the style of this script is very detailed as this is the pilot episode so the description of the setting, 'a warm looking couch in a family room', must be precise in order for the production company to accurately imitate the the screenwriter's vision. In addition, How i Met Your Mother is a sit-com and the script ensures the dialogue and action blocks create the on screen action to meet the needs of this genre. This is created through comedic lines such as: 'Are we being punished for something?',  along with creating a comedic tone through the action block: 'NERVOUSLY PRESENTS TED WITH A DIAMOND RING'.

Radio Script

Claire in the community is a British comic strip in The Guardian newspaper, written by Harry Venning. The title is a play on words relating to care in the community. This strip has been successfully adapted fro radio on BBC Radio 4, starring Sally Phillips as Claire. 

Claire is s asocial worker will all the right jargon who likes to sort out other people's problems whilst ignoring her own. She is white, middle class and heterosexual, but she dense like to be reminded of it.  She is a control freak but both her personal and professional lives are out of control.

Differences:
-Each dialogue line is numbered from one at the start of each scene 
-'ATMOS' used to describe the location and time instead of a slug line and is underlined, bold and indented
-Characters' names are found to the left of the dialogue rather than above it
-The font used isn't 12 point courier
-There is no action block as there is no visuals. Instead, sound effects are identified by a bold, indented, underlined text which follow 'F/X'

The format and layout this script begins by introducing the scene number in a bold, underline type face at the top of the page to establish where about in the radio drama this part of the script takes place. Below this, is 'ATMOS:' which begins to explains the atmosphere of the scene. The is, once again, bold and underlined along with 'INT', to let the producers and actors know the scene is set inside, the location, 'THE FLAT' and the time of day, 'EARLY EVENING' so the actors can understand where and when the scene takes place. Similarly to in a TV and film script, the characters names are in capital letters for ease of identifying for the actors, but the radio script differs as the names aren't placed centrally above the dialogue. Another similarity is that the dialogue and action blocks, such as later in the script when ' ', are indented on the page, making them easier to read. All actions and sound effects ('F/X') are bold and indented, and sound effects are underlined as well. TV and film scripts don't include 'F/X' as sound effects are less of a necessity because visuals help with the understanding of a story whereas on radio dramas, sound effects are required to help aid the listeners understanding. Another contrast from TV and Film scripts is the use of numbering all cues starting from one at the start of a new scene.

Clare In The Community follows a 3 Act Script as this engages and satisfies listeners in a short 30 minute time period. A problem arises at the beginning when the Family Centre's refurbishment is cancelled due to 'budgetary pressures'. However, Clare remains determines and proclaims that she is 'not prepared to stand back and let this family centre collapse into despair.' From here, Clare, Irene, Megan and Helen campaign and the radio drama ends with a resolution when Irene relieves that they have made it 'impossible for there council to ignore how desperate the conditions are'.

The radio drama follows a linear narration as the story line of the radio drama continues to move forward in time, collecting information from various multi-stranded areas of the story. Although the majority of the plot focuses around Clare and her desperation to raise awareness from the council of the horrendous state of the family centre, Simon's crush on the nanny, Nali, and Brian's desperation to spend time with his son, Thomas, is followed. All these strands comes together by the end of the radio drama, giving the listener satisfaction and pleasure. Incorporating flashback into a radio drama would likely make is difficult for the listener to follow and they may grow uninterested. However, focusing solely on just one plot through out the 30 minute drama may have the same effect so it is very important for a radio drama to engage listeners without confusing them with a storyline that's too complex.

The language used is colloquial to reflect the middle class status of Clare and the informal nature of her vocabulary can be heard when she questions 'Err... yeah, why not?'. This not only portrays the status of Clare but also, through the lack of complex vocabulary, the radio drama is easy to listen to and would likely lend itself to wider range of people. As there are no visual aids, sophisticated language would make the radio drama confusing and hard to follow, leaving listeners bored and uninterested. Similarly, the reflective language allows listeners to relate to Clare and the situations she finds herself in.

Within this script, the angle of article remains solely from Clare's perspective despite the fact she inset involved in all the sub-plots. In this radio drama, it is important that the listener is always sympathetic with Clare and hears the story from her point of in order to do this, so they can relate to her. The listeners are therefore influenced to be biased towards Clare in every circumstance as they grow to love her character and want her to be happy.

Video Game Script

The Last Of Us is an action-adventure survival horror video game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was released for Play Station 3, worldwide, on June 14 2013. Players control Joel, a smuggler, tasked with escorting a teenage girl, Ellie, across a post apocalyptic United States. Players use firearms and improvised weapons and can use stealth to defend against hostile humans and cannibalistic creatures that have been infected by a mutated strain of Cordyceps fungus.

Differences:

-Script divided into chapters rather than acts 

-No slug line - the chapter number, location and chapter name is identified at the top of the page, sectioned off by a line

-Characters' names parent's capitalised or central

-Dialogue isn't indented

-Action blocks aren't intended and are instead enclosed in square brackets

The format and layout this script begins with the first chapters name which is number in the left corner in a divided section at the top of the page, '01) HOMETOWN'.  In this same section, the scene is defined as a 'PROLOGUE'. This establishes the location of the scene and where it is in reference to the whole video game so the voice over actors get a feeling for where their character is and what their experiencing. To add to this, these significant texts are highlighted through using capital letters so they can be easily identified. Below this, in square brackets, the setting is established, 'Texas', along with the actions of Joel, walking into his house 'on the phone' and the time of day, 'late at night'. Unlike the previous scripts, the video game script doesn't have the typical slug line or action block as they are merged together and terms such as 'EXT' and 'INT' are removed.  All 'action blocks' are replaced with square bracketed texts and important actions aren't highlighted using capital letters as the actors don't need to do any physical actions. To contrast the previous scripts further, lines of dialogue aren't centralised and are next to the characters name rather than below it. Also, the character's name isn't capitalised.

The Last Of Us follows a 3 Act Script as this engages the player as they feel as if they are working towards a goal. In this video game, Joel, the character controlled by the player, is given a mission to find Ellie and smuggle her to the Fireflies in return for a reward. After he finds her, he discovers she is immune to the infection and when they are captured by the Fireflies, he learns they want to kill her in order to find a cure for the infection. The video game ends with Joel escaping with Ellie and lying to her about the Fireflies not needing her anymore. The story is left on a cliffhanger in that the player doesn't know what becomes are the pair after but is satisfied with the ending as Ellie has survived.

Throughout the video game, the narrative is mostly linear, despite a few flashbacks, as the story would become complex and confusing to follow due to the length of the game which can take weeks to complete. However, the non-linear flashbacks that can be seen, are ones of the leading character's daughter, Sarah, who is killed at the beginning of the game, 20 years ago. The close connection between Joel and his daughter helps the player to understand his close bond with Ellie and allows the player to have a deeper insight into his character.

Although The Last Of Us is from the perspective of Joel, it is multi-stranded in some sections when Ellie is the focus of the game and the player controls her. This happens when Joel is on the brink of death in winter and they are sheltered in the mountains. Ellie, the player, must hunt and she finds David who is willing to trade medicine for food. David reveals he is part of a group that Joel killed members of so Ellie must redirect the group away from Joel and escape as David captures her.

The language used is colloquial, as seen in the line: ' Fun day at work, huh?'.  The informal nature of the dialogue reflects the post apocalyptic situation that the characters are in and possibly creates a more tense experience for the players as they can relate to the characters more. It is likely that this makes the situation that the characters are in even more believable, as players can begin to put themselves in the characters position which will make the experience more frightening.