I have decided that it would be very worth my time investigating other scripts that have been written in a similar genre to my own. This would allow for a deeper understanding of exactly how I should lay out my own script. I have found that one of my weaknesses throughout this course in terms of script-writing has been the fact that I seem to include a lot of detail in my scripts-something that isn't particularly necessary.
I need to remember that details that are self explanatory need not be written about in the script (for example, if the setting is a kitchen, it would make sense for there to be food utensils dotted around and chairs, maybe a kitchen table etc) and as such I need to condense what I am writing about into a format that will best allow the director (Charlie) to quickly and effectively read the script and direct the actors to what is going on without having to read through a lot of description.
Of course, SOME description is important in a script in order to get my ideas across and emphasise certain details that are important to the story-telling form, but I must be careful when doing so to not place TOO much un-needed description on things that may not be particularly important to the storytelling. This will make the Director's job easier, and also condense my script into a much more manageable form.
A script I made sure to pay careful attention to was the script for "I am Legend" written by Mark Protosevich. Comparisons between my idea and "I am Legend" have been made before by others that have heard my idea, and so I decided to check out the script for the movie in order to see if there were any obvious script-writing styles that I should investigate to improve my own script.
Something I noticed was that the entire situation about what has happened to the world thus far in "I Am Legend" was explained in the films introduction via voiceover, but it wasn't simply a retelling or exposition dialogue. It was a voiceover used in conjunction with what was being shown on-screen in order to subtly show that the world was post-apocalyptic, and that Neville (played by Will Smith) was the last remaining survivor of some kind of huge disaster.
Several key facts are stated throughout the introduction, including the date, and the main protagonists name. However, the main character states these facts while recording a video diary, which then changes into a voiceover of a montage of the main character going about his day, which adds a sense of realism to the story, as someone would usually state these facts anyway when creating a video blog.
Small details like this are something I think I should pay special attention to. How can I show key facts and what is happening, without it seeming like forced information to the viewer? This is something I need to consider during my writing process in order for the situations in my own film to appear more natural and organic.
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