Transcript Documentary
Documentary How to Write a Script How to Use This PowerPoint • As a planning guide: • As you plan out your documentary, use these slides. • Answer any questions in detail right on the slide. (NOT in the notes section!) Story Elements – Plot Study the Basic Plot Structure Story Elements - Plot • On this slide, briefly summarize your plot. How will you present the story of your main idea? Story Elements – Plot - Backstory • What background that occurred before the start of your film might the audience need to know? Story Elements - Plot Subplot - smaller plots that make up different, simultaneous, and often contradictory parts of the larger plot. Adds to and extends main plot. Do you have ay subplots? Story Elements – Beginning – Thesis • The core assertion is the thesis or argument that the film is presenting. What is your thesis? Story Elements – Beginning – The Hook • Create a audiovisual “hook” – What will be your hook? Story Elements – Beginning – Promise of Change • Shows change or the promise of change. What change are you advocating? Story Elements - Beginning • Creates the element of consequence - cause and effect directs the audience and increases understanding. What cause & effect might you use? Story Elements - Inciting Incident • What will be your inciting incident? Story Elements – POV – Point of View • Who is telling the story to the audience? Will you use 1st person, 2nd person, or 3rd person for narration? Story Elements Character(s) • Anything that has the ability to take action or suffer consequences can be a character: locations, humans, animal, objects (EV1 in Who Killed the Electric Car). Will you have a main character? What will it be? Story Elements - Middle • Concept, idea, thought - each sequence is related through common issues. What is your common issue? Story Elements - Middle • Action - relate sequences through kinds of events and actions portrayed. List at least 3 actions, event you can use for sequences. Story Elements - Middle • Setting – What setting(s) will you use? Story Elements - Middle • Mood - can make sequences relate to each other - comparison OR contrast. How will you use mood in your script? Story Elements - The Middle: Pacing Tempo is level of activity within the sequence. Describe the tempo for each of the 3 sequences planned on slide 15. Story Elements - The Middle: Pacing Linear vs. non-linear time: Will you use linear or non-linear time? Describe progression: Story Elements - The Middle: Pacing Transitions: How might you transition your sequences? Story Elements - The Middle: Pacing Transitions: Describe how you will use any of these: – Character trait or situation – An action – An object – A word – A quality of light - IE: opposite moods – A sound – An idea Story Elements The End Must be inevitable and unexpected. • Which of the two types of endings will you use? 1. Closed end 2. Open end VISUAL ELEMENTS Visual Elements How will you stick to the idea of “show, don’t tell”? Visual Elements Describe a Continuity Sequence you can use: Visual Elements Describe a Compilation Sequence you can use: Visual Elements • Describe a Montage you could use: Visual Elements • Will there be Talking Heads? Visual Elements Describe ways you could use colors, textures or lines: Visual Elements • What Archival film footage or photographs could you use? Visual Elements Will you use Re-enactment? If yes, what would you re-enact? Visual Elements • Describe Graphics you might use: Sound Elements - what will you use? Give examples: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) Narrative commentary / Voice over Talking heads Music Ambiance sound Sound effects Silence