Literary Latitude

Keywords

Script Writing, Characters, Dialogues, Idea Generation, Dialogue Development, Technical Formatting, film structure, film production, Instructions, Imperative Sentences, filmmaking, cultural differences, Gestures, Color Symbolism, Budgeting, Organic Plot, Camera Instructions, Descriptions, Warm Colors, Storytelling, Mechanical Plot, Character Development, Blur effect, Writing Conventions, Filmmaking Techniques, Character Building, Camera Focus, Plot Interconnectedness

Summary

Script Writing Basics

– Script writing requires an idea, characters, and dialogues.

– Without any of these elements, it’s challenging to start writing a script.

– Characters and dialogues should align with the central idea of the script.

Idea Generation and Dialogue Development

– Requesting team members to propose project ideas for writing.

– Focusing on character development and dialogue creation.

– Emphasizing the importance of distinguishing between instructions and dialogue in technical formatting.

Guidelines for Writing Instructions

– Instructions should be concise and use imperative sentences.

– Convey maximum meaning in minimum words.

– Use technical formatting for scripts and videos.

Film Production

– Information needed to produce a film in one page one minute basis, including background and dialogues.

– Some films have too much description and dialogue, while others have a good balance.

– An example of a recent film with bad balance is Bramhastra (2023).

Film Structure and Dialogue

– This film has more descriptions and less dialogue, which can make it boring for some viewers.

– The dialogues and background information are not well-connected.

– Descriptions should be focused, relevant, and not too lengthy.

Filmmaking Technicalities

– Filmmaking involves various technical aspects, including budget management.

– Longer films require more budget, hence Hollywood films are usually shorter, ranging from 90 to 120 minutes.

– Indian films tend to be longer.

Cultural Differences in Film Production

– Indian films are longer than Hollywood films due to cultural differences and  labour and production costs.

– Hollywood films have a higher budget, while Indian films can be produced for a fraction of the cost.

Budgeting in Film Production

– Film productions are generally more expensive.

– To maintain the standard, a page of the script should be equivalent to a minute of the film.

– Lengthy scripts make it difficult for producers to adjust their budget.

Distinguishing Descriptions and Character Dialogues

– Capitalizing character names indicates their speech.

– Some writers capitalize character names while others don’t.

– Character names should be written in all capital letters, while dialogue should be in lowercase.

– Additional information, such as the time and location of a scene, can also be written in capital letters, but it is not part of the dialogue.

– These conventions help to differentiate between characters and their speech, and to provide additional context for the reader.

Importance of Gestures in Writing Scripts

– Gestures create emotional impact and engage the audience.

– Gestures convey the state of mind of characters in a scene.

Challenges in Interpreting and Adapting Screenplays

– Understanding screenplays can be challenging due to lack of context and clear clues.

– Different directors and producers interpret meanings differently, leading to variations in film adaptations.

– Providing emotional and mental states of characters can enhance the adaptation process.

Writing Effective Dialogue

– When writing dialogue, ensure that the tone and temperament of the characters change gradually and realistically.

– Avoid frequent changes in mood and temperament within a short time frame.

– Consider the time it takes for a character to transition between different emotional states.

Tips for Writing Dialogue

– When writing dialogue, give angry characters time to understand their anger and other characters time to calm them down.

– Characters’ temperaments should not change frequently.

– If a character’s temperament changes, it should happen gradually.

Creating Effective Dialogues

– Messy scripts can lead to confusion when writing dialogues.

– Characters should have distinct identities and emotions.

– Creating at least three types of characters with unique traits is recommended.

Character Development in Scriptwriting

– Creating diverse characters enhances the script’s beauty.

– Variety in characters, such as a villain and a hero, evokes various emotions from the audience.

– Characters can be portrayed as motherly, funny, or indifferent to add depth to the story.

Creating Distinct Character Identities in a Script

– Humorous and wise characters make a good script.

– Characters should have independent identities to be distinguishable.

– Character building through dialogue is crucial for creating a compelling story.

Organic and Mechanical Plots in Films

– A good film has multiple interconnected characters, each playing a significant role.

– Organic plots are interdependent and cannot have characters removed without affecting the story.

– Examples of organic plots include stories with humour, emotions, sorrows, pain, adventure, and excitement joined in the main plot of the story.

Organic Plot in Script Writing

– Organic plot is a writing technique that interlinks different character stories into one main plot.

– In a script, there are two types of plots: the main plot and the subplot.

– Organic plot mixes up the stories of multiple characters in a way that they cannot be separated.

Understanding Mechanical Plot Structure

– Mechanical plot involves parallel stories that can be removed, while tangled and mixed stories cannot.

– Devdas’s (2002) film exemplifies an organic plot with a main story about a hero’s love for a prostitute and a destined marriage to the daughter of a rich family.

– The simple plot revolves around a rich person’s marriage to another rich woman, complicated by the presence of a prostitute in his life.

Love Triangle in the Main Plot

– The main plot of the story involves a love triangle between the main characters.

– Other characters complement the main story and build upon it.

– The main plot is the love relationship between the main characters.

The Significance of Characters in the Story

– The story revolves around four main characters: Bluntschli, Louka, Sergius, and Raina in GB Shaw’s Arms and the Man.

– Without Nicola, the story can still be complete with minor adjustments.

– Removing Luca, Catherine, or Major Petcoff allows the story to continue, but excluding any of the four main characters makes the plot incomplete.

The Significance of Characters in Storytelling

– The importance of characters in a story, and how they contribute to the main plot.

– The need to limit the number of characters to those essential to the story.

– Other aspects of storytelling, such as the use of color, can also be important.

Understanding Warm Colors and Their Impact

– Warm colors, such as red and yellow, evoke feelings of energy, enthusiasm, positivity, optimism, and adventure.

– They are often associated with sunlight and can create a sense of warmth and comfort.

– Warm colors are commonly used in films to convey specific emotions and set the tone of a scene.

Color Usage in Filmmaking

– Blue is used for romantic and night scenes, red for evenings and mornings, and yellow for day scenes.

– Daylight is not denied, but cameras capture so much light that it appears white.

– When writing a script, include instructions on using a camera, which can be complicated.

Understanding Blur Effect in Videos

– Blur effect in videos keeps the focus on the subject by blurring the background.

– Cinematic recording allows filmmakers to control the focus and blur in videos.

– In cinematic videos, the focus can be shifted between multiple subjects in the frame.

Camera Instructions in Filmmaking

– Camera instructions are crucial in filmmaking to convey the intended meaning.

– Focusing on specific characters and avoiding unnecessary distractions ensures clarity.

– Blurring or removing characters from the screen can alter the meaning of the scene.

Evolution of Filmmaking Techniques

– Discusses the evolution of filmmaking techniques, particularly the use of blurred effects and editing technology.

– In the past, due to limitations in camera technology and video editing, films often featured a single character speaking in the frame.

– Modern filmmaking techniques allow for more dynamic and engaging storytelling with multiple characters and seamless transitions.

Camera Focus and Its Effects

– Camera focus has changed, now both the listener and speaker are in the frame.

– Different camera varieties allow for different effects, such as wide angle, main focus, and telephoto.

– Wide angle captures more in the frame, main camera focuses on important people, and telephoto captures very targeted subjects.

Camera Focus and Script Writing

– Camera focus can be adjusted to capture smaller or larger areas.

– The amount of detail in a frame depends on the focus and the subject.

– A scriptwriter provides instructions on how to use the camera effectively.