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Sample Screenplay Page
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What is a Screenplay?
inner monologue may work well for a novel, but is the kiss
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of death in a script. The very nature of screenwriting is
standards.
spaced.
The very first item on the first page should be the words
corner, 0.5" from the top of the page, flush right to the
margin.
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Screenplay Elements
Scene Heading
Subheader
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example is when there are a series of quick cuts between
two locations, you would use the term INTERCUT and the
scene locations.
Action
scene direction.
Character
to spare.
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Dialogue
and voice-overs.
Parenthetical
Extension
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example, if the character is speaking as a voice-over, it
Transition
includes:
CUT TO:
DISSOLVE TO:
SMASH CUT:
QUICK CUT:
FADE TO:
Shot
A shot tells the reader the focal point within a scene has
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spec screenwriter should insert shot directions. Once
Examples of Shots:
ANGLE ON --
EXTREME CLOSE UP --
PAN TO --
LIAM'S POV --
cuts and the like. All the scenes are numbered, and
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then arrange the order in which the scenes will be shot for
resources.
your script. After all, it's your story and you see it in a
spacing.
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together before you begin writing. Popular story
proven methods.
requirement.
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Sample Title Page
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Below is a list of items you need to prepare your script to
be sent out:
Script Mailers
2. Insert the title page and the script into the script
4. Flip the script over, and slide the brass washers over
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fasteners flat against the script. Use a Script
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Motivation - why it's essential to a compelling script
Robin Taylor
Character Motivation
Let’s talk about motivation. Not your personal motivation to write, which should
improve the world (or at least have a job where you don’t have to commute
anymore). Rather we’re talking about character motivation. Just as you have a
powerful desire to become the next Jed Mercurio, your characters need evident
element and a powerful tool in story telling, and your characters truly benefit
from having clear, pressing goals and desires in order to give the plot purpose
and momentum. Reading scripts for the BBC Writersroom, a common concern
is that there is no real sense of purpose, that the story is ambling along rather
think “I’ve got some characters, a location, and something resembling a story if
you squint, let’s go!” But if none of your characters want and pursue anything
sure your story has a clear direction and point. In this article we’re going to
break down types of motivation into the long term, the medium term, the
immediate and the emotional, and how each of these help to focus and add
One of the most common concepts you’ll hear around story structure is the idea
of the quest. In its most traditional form it’s essentially the story of a hero who
goes on a journey to rescue the fair princess (though we’re progressive here, so
achieve it. It’s essentially the human condition, wanting or needing something
and doing our best to overcome whatever obstacles stand in our way. Obviously
stories can be more complex than this, but if you remember that the
fundamental aspect of every tale is the pursuit of a goal, this will put you in good
standing.
The quest is effectively your lead character’s long term motivation, their ultimate
desire and the big significant goal that the script is heading towards. It is really
sense of focus, particularly in scripts which are thirty minutes or less as you
have less time to tell a story. This requires exposition, which is often used as a
dirty word, but is a necessary part of creating clarity about what’s occurring, and
scene our protagonist states “I need to win that dance competition!” you are
establishing a clear motivation, and it is far better to do this then than have them
eventually happen to end up at a dance contest while the audience has no idea
if it matters or why it’s important. Ideally you can find subtle, natural but effective
We don't have a picture of Star Wars so here's one of Dawn French as Tobi Jug
Kanobi instead
A precise aim can be great for a focussed, simple story, but you don’t need to
spell out the exact outcome. In Star Wars, Luke Skywalker wants to fight for the
Rebels - he does not want to destroy the Death Star in the first quarter of the
film because he doesn’t even know it exists. When the information of that threat
emerges, stopping it does become the new goal, but it is part of the early
established desire Luke has to be a hero. Setting up this kind of aim early on is
a real help for giving your script a sense of purpose and destination, which is
particularly useful if you are going to be judged by the first ten to twenty pages.
This approach makes a reader or audience curious about what will happen in
the story, rather than wondering what the story even is. It may be that your
hero’s desire doesn’t emerge until a seismic event - they won’t want to stop the
alien invasion until the aliens invade. But if that’s your story then you shouldn’t
spend too much time before the aliens do invade, and your hero should really
Otherwise you are spending vital time on a lead character with no drive or
agency.
The interesting thing about long term motivations is that they don’t have to be
fixed and unchangeable, what your character initially thinks they want can shift
and evolve due to changes in events or their own attitudes. It is a classic idea
that, in the pursuit of what they want, a character discovers what they actually
rescue Princess Fiona in the agreement he’ll be left alone, but in the process he
falls in love and realises being alone isn’t what he wants after all. His new goal
then becomes saving Fiona again so they can be together. However be aware
that there’s a difference between evolving motivations and dropped ones. If the
story leads your characters to change or reassess their needs, that’s fine. But if
they simply forget or move away from their original aim without explanation that
is really frustrating for your audience who will have become interested and
invested in the original aim but receive no resolution. This is often the result of
an unfocussed structure, where you throw in lots of ideas and strands and
potentially pinball between them. Often, particularly when starting out, simple is
better.
You may notice that a lot of these examples relate to films, as they are often
description in TV or radio listings, they will often include the words “Jenny
wants…” “Jenny needs…” “Jenny tries to…” (Please tune in to my new series
“Oh, Jenny!” airing November 2038) Within each episode there should be a
desire driving the story and that these differentiate the episodes from one
another. If the description for every episode says “Jenny spends some time
chatting with her friends” that’s not the most compelling plot that’s going to
descriptions are also known as log lines, and you can read an article here about
how to best compose these. Essentially a good log line should sum up the
quest of your lead character. If you struggle to summarise this then it may be an
Medium term motivations are useful to think of as a way of dividing the plot’s
progression into acts or episodes. These are like the different legs of the
journey towards the end point. Obstacles emerge which must be overcome in
order to progress. In the simple heroic quest framework it’s like defeating an
enemy, obtaining a key to a locked door, and so on. These kind of incidents
provide meat to the story and prevent it from being too thin. They are
particularly useful in a long series structure. You might believe that episodes are
simply part of a long running story, but this runs the risk of making things
uneventful.
Keep in mind that each episode should feel like a story that contributes to the
piece as a whole - there may be a long term goal for the series, then each
episode needs to offer medium term goals, and this same framework should be
replicated within the episode itself. This is particularly important when writing
sample scripts. A satisfying piece is one which not only sets up a concept and
its potential, but also allows your characters to have clear goals and go on a
journey to pursue it. It is less promising if you are just establishing your
the next episode. Consider Killing Eve, where the long term story is the pursuit
the core storyline while developing the characters, but making it possible to
distinguish between individual episodes and the self-contained stories they tell.
If you do not have medium term goals and events within an episode then the
script can feel like a long dull slog, even if it is heading towards a big
medium term goals if it gets to the point where it feels like you are simply
padding out the story. (Although a lot of 28 episode per season American
shows may disagree with that). Equally if these sub-stories veer too far from the
core plot they can come across as distractions. Detours can be valid,
particularly if they allow for more character development, but not if they feel like
well thought through structure which ensures all of your sections slot nicely
Short term or immediate motivations allow you to think much more in the
moment rather than the grand scheme. What is happening right now, and what
is required? These are the micro level needs which make up the individual
scenes and moments of the story. In the medium term your hero needs to get to
the lair of the dragon, in the immediate he needs a horse to get there, which
requires going to the stable master who expects payment, so the hero must find
a way to arrange this deal despite having no money. This boils down to the
fundamental idea that every scene should have a purpose in moving the story
forwards. These short term considerations are most relevant to that opening
idea of a luvvie actor asking what their motivation is. Essentially they are asking
what is my character doing in this scene? Why are they having this
the actor playing a character can’t understand what they are meant to be doing
One really useful thing to consider is that in a production the script supervisor
in each scene. With that in mind, look at every scene in your script and think
do with the central stories already in motion, then what the heck is it doing
there? This is a great way of identifying and cutting superfluous moments from
your script to make sure you only have scenes which matter and contribute to
the piece as a whole. This is even better if you plan ahead and storyline your
plot before you begin writing, as you can evaluate what the purpose of each
Ah, emotional motivation, now we get to the really juicy bit. Up until now we’ve
mainly looked at what your characters want. Emotional motivations deal with
why it is they want those things. Your hero could just rescue their imperilled
opportunity to explore why the hero decides to do this, that is far more
engaging. Is it simply for love, or for glory? Was the hero’s town destroyed by
that nasty dragon, and now they want vengeance? Or did their cowardly father
run away from fighting the beast and now the hero yearns to restore the family’s
honour? Delving into your character’s psychological desires not only gives them
depth but also justifies their behaviour, so they are not simply doing things for
the sake of the story, increasing the feeling of realistic, three dimensional
someone wishes to be a hero then they will potentially approach everything with
noble and virtuous intentions. A character who wants to achieve their goals by
any means necessary will be inclined towards a more ruthless path. (And it can
your lead character gives a lengthy speech about how their mother never loved
them and that’s why they need to bring down this terrorist cell, not only is that
dissatisfying for an audience. You can hint at these kind of issues, perhaps the
affectionate or emotionally open, and you can even show their troubled
interactions with their mother. The audience can then take the initiative to join
up the dots and understand their behaviour. Equally, be wary of being so subtle
that important aspects of your character are difficult to pick up on. Think of your
nor do they want it so complicated and obscure that they cannot comprehend
layers and added complexity. With practical motivations, having too many
desires is likely to make the story muddled. Additional emotional aspects though
can really help to solidify your character and give them more depth. Walter
becoming a drug dealer. His primary practical goal is to earn money to provide
for his family as he is dying of cancer. This is also emotional, not only in his love
for his family, but also his impending mortality and desire for a legacy. We see
he earns so little he takes humiliating part time work at a carwash, and he was
him. This creates a desire to prove himself and obtain money, power and
respect. All of these details give the audience a real sense of why he is taking
the route that he is, and his ruthless approach, so we never question why he
doesn’t choose a different, safer path. This is what makes a character satisfying
and compelling, not just what they are doing but why they are doing it.
Mmmmm, Motivations
While we’ve mainly focussed on the idea of the lead character’s goals, the
stemming from an alternative world view. If all of your characters want the exact
same things in the exact same ways then that simply isn’t very interesting. Even
if you have a group with a shared mission it is the different ways they wish to
achieve their goal which gives them personality and makes for more story. And
of course any villain or antagonist earns their pivotal status on the basis of their
competing for the same thing but with a very different emotional attitude
Now you may have read all of this article and thought, “This is all well and good
piece, this isn’t relevant to me.” Well let’s think about The Royle Family, a show
very much recognised for not being action-packed, and in particular focussing
on grumpy patriarch, Jim Royle. His short term motivation is that he basically
wants to watch TV in peace. His long term goal is for his kids to stop relying on
their mother and taking advantage. His emotional motivation is that he wants his
these motivations explain his attitudes and responses, but also allow for those
interesting and moving moments when his emotional attachment to his children
is shown, such as when he comforts Denise as she goes into labour. All of the
characters have similar wants and emotional needs. They may be subtle, but
they are there, and they are what makes the ‘uneventful’ story so engaging. It is
not just people talking, but individual characters with wants, within a family
functioning as a unit.
but it is unlikely this will be a high level piece of work. If you can find ways to
create and present interesting goals and desires it will demonstrate strength
and understanding of your characters and story telling, which will hopefully
excite people reading your scripts. Thinking about your characters' journeys
towards the things they want will allow you to imagine the map that will guide
their story, in terms of plotting and structure, with a desired destination and
twists and turns along the route. If you begin to think in these terms and develop
your instincts for a strong sense of motivation, then this will really help you with
strengthening your writing and giving your scripts promising foundations which
will encourage people reading them. And hopefully that is some good motivation
for you!