Research Dossier

Garlic Bread Final Draft

Garlic Bread Draft 2

The Journey Of A Script

Working as a writer:

Working as a writer can be an extremely difficult and time consuming job, every writer will have a different method of writing; some may be able to sit down whenever and wherever and start typing while others may treat it more like a traditional job working in set hours or in a certain place to help with concentration. Some writers prefer to work freelance so that they can work towards deadlines and work off of other peoples ideas, while others prefer to work entirely by themselves working at their own pace from their own ideas. A writer may finish his/her script and seek the help of a screenwriting agent, the agents job is to read through the script and tell the writer if it is acceptable if so they will work alongside the writer to get it produced. Earning money working as a writer is different from most other jobs, you can earn money through freelance work as I mentioned earlier or you can sell your script to studio and get paid a lump sum but even then you won't get the full amount, the example below shows how much you would get paid if you sold a script to a studio with a writing partner      

This doesn't apply to all writers of course but it still goes to show that screenwriters don't make as much money as people think they do. Another way screenwriters get paid is through royalties, if there script is produced they will be paid a small percent of what the film/TV series earns in royalty fees since they were the ones who came up with the idea and own it.

Legal and Ethical aspects of writing

When writing a script you have to be mindful of what you are writing, research beforehand to see if your idea has already been created or if any one is already in progress of creating it, this is important because if you release a script with the same or similar content as another legal difficulties can arise such as copyright infringement claims or plagiarism. As well as following legal guidelines it is also a necessity to ensure your script is not at all ethically or morally incorrect especially if you plan to have someone else help with the publishing aspect as a lot of agents/directors will immediately reject a script if it is too offensive. 

If your script is to be made into a film or television programme you must also be wary of regulatory bodies such as OFCOM ( More information on OFCOM and regulatory bodies can be found on my previous blog posts). If your script does make it into a TV programme or film you will have to take into account censorship, the watershed and libel laws. Censorship simply means that if your script is excessively violent or offensive it will have to be altered in order for it to be allowed to be shown which leads into the watershed. in the UK the watershed is 9pm and after, the watershed is simply the point in which more offensive or violent programmes or movies are allowed to be shown in order to prevent younger audiences from seeing them. [1] The Guardian states that the aim of Libel laws are to balance the right of free speech against protection for the reputation of an individual from unjustified attack." which put into terms of script writing means that if you create a script that follows a real person or a character that represents a real person to ensure that if they are to be shown in a negative light it is true and not just a made up fact. [2] An example of a Libel case is the defamation case for "Wolf Of Wall Street" in which a broker sued the producers of the film for "their right to free speech supersedes his wright to privacy." 

Script commissioning 

A commissioning body can be in the form of a corporation, independent production company, independent directors/producers, organizations, and competition etc. a commissioning body decides whether a script will progress further to go onto becoming a film or TV programme.

Company - BBC Writers room 

[3] The writers room is a site set up by the BBC to allow for anyone to send in a script for consideration to be developed further. The site allows for writers of any level of experience to send in their scripts, which will then be looked over by officials at the BBC who will then discuss whether or not the script has the potential to go any further if the writer of the script is contacted again within a couple of months this means that the script has been read and they want to further develop it. The script readers at the writers room normally read the first 10 pages of the script and if they are not interested by then the script is usually rejected. Companies like this can be very helpful for writers who don't want to be tethered by working with agents.

Competition - Script Pipeline

Script pipeline is a screenwriting competition much like the BBC writers room which tasks writers of any skill level to submit their script with a chance of it being developed further. The current script pipeline competition that is running has a deadline of March 1st 2016 and an entrance fee of $50 (£34) [4] The person who wins the competition gets:   

Winning this competition can be life changing for a writer as it allows for them to immediately gain contacts in the industry and begin to build up their profile as a writer or  get hired by a studio or elsewhere to continue developing scripts. Competitions can be useful for writers who want quick access to the industry but can also be a big risk since many other writers will take part.

Independent producer(s) - Vertigo Films 

[5] Vertigo films describe themselves as a UK Film and Distribution company founded in 2002 by Allan Niblo and James Richardson. The following year Rupert Preston and Nick Love joined and became partners. The company’s mission is to create and distribute commercially driven independent cinema and since inception it has produced 28 films and distributed a further 35. The Films span a range of genres and audience taste and include the box office smash hit Streetdance 3D, the biggest independent UK DVD of all time The Football Factory, the multi award winning Monsters, Vertigo co-production Ajami (nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film), smash hit family film Horrid Henry The Movie, audience favourite The Sweeney, and the hottest director of the moment, Nicolas Winding Refn's first English-language film, Bronson.". The benefit of choosing an independent producer is that you will be working with a much smaller company than something like the BBC which means that your script will get more attention and you will have a bigger part in developing it. Independent producers can be better for writers who prefer to work with people who are not tied down by studios or executives. 

Jobs roles in the journey of a script

Writer:

The very beginning of the scripts journey, the writers job is to create a script which will go on to become a film, television programme or otherwise. Writers are almost always self employed working from home and are not employed by a company or individual meaning that they can work on their script in the times that suit them best rather than work hours (however some writers prefer to work only in certain time frames such as 9-5). [6] An example of a popular writer is Mark Gatiss a British writer known mainly for his work on Sherlock and Doctor Who.      

A broad role that covers more than just screenwriting a literary agent represents a screenwriter and their work to a director/producer helping to further the scripts journey. They ensure that the producer they pick is best suited to the writer and his/her material as well as ensuring that the writer is payed their royalties when their work is used. A literary agent knows the market very well and will ensure that the script the writer has written will find the correct place or producer to be further developed. [7] An example of a literary agency is David Higham Associates situated in the UK.


Script Editor:

Working alongside a producer it is the script editors job to give the writer feedback on their script. such as ensuring that the story is still competent, exciting and captivating and the characters are still interesting and developed enough. They will suggest changes to the script to make it better while ensuring they do not stray too far from the writers initial vision of how the script plays out. [8] An example of a script editor is Kate Leys a British woman who worked on Four Weddings And A Funeral and Trainspotting. [9] However script editors don't always intend to keep the script how the writer intended there have been accusations of script editors 'butchering' scripts by changing them so much from the original simply because they know it will make more money that way, and because of certain laws stating that when a writer has been paid a certain amount they cannot revoke their name from the project meaning that a lot of the time writers get blamed for a bad script when some times it's because they were muscled out by studio executives who just want to make easy money this story better explains this situation.




One of the final roles in the scripts journey the director oversees the visual aspects of creating the script making sure the product looks as close to how the writer describes.Often times the writer and director are the same person as it is much easier for the writer to develop his own vision rather than telling someone else what he/she wants this only if the writer has had experience with direction. An example of a director is Quentin Tarantino who also writes all of his movies, well known for Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Django Unchained and the upcoming Hateful 8.



The role of the writer in pre-production and production.
Now that the script has been commissioned the writer will have to write a few more drafts based on the feedback given from directors, producers, script editors etc. until they have a script that all parties are satisfied with. The writer will keep in contact with script editors and agents in order to meet deadlines. Writers have to do something called page lock-down which is simply when the writer chooses pages of the script which are completed, these pages can then be handed out to any one who will need to see them in order to further the production of the script. After this the director will enter and begin working on visualizing the script working alongside the script editor and producer he/she will try to replicate what the writer has described. script writers are often invited along to rehearsals to help pick actors that best fit the roles they have written. When the actors have been cast and the script is given the go ahead shooting will begin, at this point there isn't much the writer can do except sit back and watch their vision come to life.

In summary

Job roles in the commissioning process:

Commissioning editors: A commissioning editor decides which script(s) that he/she believes will be successful and helps to further there development.

Producers: Near the top of the film and TV hierarchy the producer overlooks projects and manages the people and funds for them.

Directors: In charge of the visual aspects of creating a film or TV programme the director will ensure that the writers mental image is replicated as closely as possible.

Script editors: Working alongside the writer the script editor reads through the writers script and suggests changes while still ensuring to not completely change the script.

Agents: Agents will help the writer to get his/her script commissioned by representing them and their work when talking to people in the industry.

Writers: The writer is the one that creates the script which will go on to be the TV shows or Films that you enjoy. they are the very start of the journey of the script. 

Commissioning bodies:

Corporations: Large groups of people with a wide variety of roles and professional film and television industry workers. 

Independent production companies: Similar to corporations but on a much smaller scale, and without the downside of being owned by a bigger corporation independent production companies have more control over what the want to produce.

Independent directors or producers: Individuals who have just started in the industry who are trying to make a name for themselves or people who have been in the industry for a while and want more free reign over what they can and can't create. Indie directors and producers can choose whoever they want to work with without worrying about someone higher up telling them otherwise.

Organizations: Much like a corporation an organization is a huge media outlet that can control where the writers work can be shown and advertised.

Competitions: Like the aforementioned Script Pipeline competition a writer of almost any level of skill can enter a script and have a chance of getting it commissioned and adapted without the need to seek agents/producers/directors etc.

The role of the writer throughout production:

Pre-production planning: during the pre-production phase the writer will work alongside producers, directors, script editors etc. in order to settle on a final version of the script that all parties are happy with.

Script editing: The script editor will look through the script pointing out anything that he/she believes could be changed or removed and then consults the writer.

Director or producer involvement: The director and producer will talk to the writer about adapting his/her script discussing whether it will be a television show or film, as well as how it will be shown and where etc. The director will also begin visualizing the script by making shot lists, looking into locations, and at actors 

Shooting script production: After consulting the script editor and creating a few extra drafts the writer will then create the shooting script which is the final draft that will be given out during production.

Page lock-down: When writing, the writer will choose pages to lock down which basically means pages of the script that the writer considers done, these pages can be sent out to producers and other officials to show them what the script will be like and how talented the writer is. 

Adjustment during shooting stage: While the film/show is being shot the writer may want to change the scene to better fit the pace or feel of the movie.

Working as a writer:

Agent representation: Choosing the right agent can be crucial in deciding whether the script will ever be commissioned or adapted, a good agent will have a good understanding of the market and any gaps that can be filled as well as many contacts in the industry.

Royalty payments/optioning: If the script gets adapted then every time it is shown either on television or at the cinema the writer will receive a percentage of the money as royalty. However if the writer needs money quickly then could option the script which means to sell the script and it's rights to a studio for a lump sum of money.

Professional presentation: The more professional looking the script the more likely it is for agents to accept it and take it further. 

Time management: A writer must be able to balance their time well because when the script is commissioned they will need to work to deadlines instead of on their own time.

Legal and ethical considerations: 

• Copyright: The writer must not steal content from already existing material.
• Bias: The script must not be overtly in favour of a certain person or belief etc.
• Censorship: If the script is too offensive or violent the studio or editor will censor it.
• Watersheds: If the script is too dark,violent,offensive etc. it will be shown later on television or have an age limit in cinemas. 
• Libel: If the script represents a real life person in a bad light it ha to be proven not just slander for the sake of it.
• Plagiarism: The writers material must only be his/her own or based on existing work it cannot be directly copied.

Bibliography

[1] http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2006/aug/31/news.politicsandthemedia

[2] http://www.thewrap.com/wolf-wall-street-defamation-case-producers-say-one-toupee-involved/

[3] http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/

[4] https://scriptpipeline.com/shop/screenwriting-contest

[5] http://www.vertigofilms.com/about.php#.Voxp6BWLSUl

[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Gatiss

[7] http://www.davidhigham.co.uk/

[8] http://www.kateleys.co.uk/biog/

[9] http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/jan/09/screenwriters-heavy-handed-script-editing-pushing-talent-out-of-film

Garlic Bread - Presentation Hand Out

Garlic Bread - Presentation

Screenplay - Garlic Bread First Draft

Research Dossier

Scripts that show good dialogue:

[1]Pulp fiction opening scene with annotations.

These are some scripts that show particularly well written dialogue and characters.


[2] 1. Inglourious Basterds: The introductory scene shows a conversation between a Nazi officer nicknamed "the Jew hunter" and a French farmer who is hiding Jewish refugees in his home. this scene stands out in terms of dialogue mainly due to the tension that is created throughout the scene. The back and forth between the farmer and the Nazi officer serves to create a constant tense atmosphere due to the characters conflicting beliefs and morals. The farmer starts with a calm and collected mentality but slowly loses control as the Nazi gets closer to finding out where the refugees are hiding.  [3] 2. Pulp fiction: The famous bible scene, where the two hitmen Jules and Vincent invade the apartment of some people who have gone against the wishes of Marcellus Wallace the hitmen's boss. This scene has some stand out dialogue because of the chemistry that is generated between the characters it is clear these two have some shared history, the lack of awkward pauses and friendly banter allows these two characters to seem more realistic and fleshes them out for the remainder of the movie.  [4] 3. No Country For Old Men: Gas station scene. Hitman Anton Chigurh visits a gas station and engages in a tense conversation with the proprietor eventually leading in to a coin toss for the mans life. This is a stand out scene in the movie because of the way it sets up the villain for the rest of the movie as well as the tension the scene creates. The conversation is almost uncomfortable to watch and shows how dangerous and unpredictable the villain can be. 
Short Films analysis.

[5] The Most Beautiful Thing: 


A short film about a lonely high school student who meets a deaf girl and falls in love with her. I enjoyed this short film because the concept was a twist on the typical love story and because one of the characters was deaf dialogue was limited but when it was used it had a larger impact.

[6] Time Trap:



A Sci-fi short about a lone traveler who gets stranded on a planet and needs to find a way to repair his ship. The character uses a device called the time trap to create 'time bubbles'  and step back into the past. I enjoyed this short because of the dark comedy and sci-fi elements it also presented a post apocalyptic earth (or earth like planet) without specifically stating what happened adding a level of ambiguity that allows for the audience to establish their own narrative to some extent.


Other media texts similar to my proposed idea:

Spaced: A British television series that follows a flat of quirky and unique characters, I took inspiration from Spaced in the way they create comedic situations in the limitations of a flat/apartment. 

What We Do In The Shadows: A comedy movie following the lives of a group of vampires living in the modern day. I took inspiration from the way they derived comedic elements from a vampire living in a modern world as well as the style of dialogue they use throughout the movie.



Audience research:

Survey Results:

Based on the survey results I feel like my movie could be a success with my audience as long as the comedy and supernatural elements are correctly established and balanced.

I have pitched my idea to multiple people and all of them have said it is interesting but I will need to further explore which kind of audience will best enjoy my idea.

Theme, Location and Characters:

Theme: As I previously mentioned a lot of inspiration comes from the movie 'What We Do In The Shadows' because of the similarities my idea shares with it. I want to employ the same theme and tone that is used in What We Do In The Shadows such as the dark comedy and sitcom esque moments that happen between the characters, on top of the horror undertones.

Location: Spaced gave me inspiration for the type of setting I want to use for my screenplay, because using a smaller more confined space allows for alot of the comedy to come from the interactions between the characters rather than things happening around them.

Characters: The two main characters in my screenplay draw inspiration from different sources stated below.

Scott: The inspiration for this character came mostly from Scott Pilgrim Vs The World to the point that the characters share a name. Scott is a lazy, awkward, typical teenager who spends most of his time watching TV.

Bryan: This character is not inspired by one particular person or character but instead draws from typical characters that are seen in the same genres, Bryan is a man who has only recently became a vampire so he is still adjusting to it's limitations. Bryan is also a big fan of horror movies and thus employs what he thinks a 'real' vampire should be like into his lifestyle.  

Bibliography:

[1] Pulp fiction script pdf downloaded from http://nxnwstudios.com/index_files/PDF/Scripts/Pulp%20Fiction.pdf

[2] Inglorious basterds script pdf downloaded from  http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~ina22/splaylib/Screenplay-Inglourious_Bastards.pdf

[3] Pulp fiction script pdf from same source as [1]

[4] No Country for old men script pdf downloaded from http://raindance.org/site/picture/upload/image/scripts/No_Country%20_(Shooting).pdf

[5] The Most Beautiful Thing, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IP8psM4LWXk

[6] Time Trap, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpmkpCK3ysg

Writing Practice - Finding A Story

1. Story from the news.

Which of these stories sounds interesting?
The picture above is the story I chose from the BBC news world news page this story is interesting simply because the story can fit into a serious and comedic setting.

Which would make a good visual story?
Sticking to the original story would make an interesting documentary on a town that can not use phones outside of their own homes and how their lives have changed by removing a small but important element. Alternatively it would also work as a 'mockumentary' in the style of Community or The Office which follows a policeman trying to stop people in the town from using electronic equipment. The policeman takes his job very seriously but in reality it is ridiculous.

Can you identify a protagonist?
The policeman Chuck Niday in the story can be the main focus for the film.

Can you Imagine what might drive this protagonist?
He takes his job way to seriously and will go to huge lengths to stop the local teenagers from texting outside.

2. Story from my own personal experience.

An event that was funny/shocking/scary/dramatic: Dealing with depression

How might this event form part of a story: A person who is really depressed meets a girl/guy who helps them over come it and the two become a couple.

Does an individual emerge as a central character: The depressed character.

Writing Practice

Screenplay Ideas

Possible genres:

Comedy

Drama

Ideas

1. FINAL IDEA: A new homeowner seeks a flatmate little does his know his only applicant is a vampire instead of being enemies the two become close friends and the vampire reveals his secret to his new friend and as it turns out the main character's high school girlfriend was also a vampire and he already had suspicions of his roommates quirky behaviour. The two get on incredibly well until the main character brings home a girl from a night out and she is mistaken for a snack.

2. An infinitely looping story about a person trying to write a screenplay. While trying to find inspiration they miss interesting story ideas that are happening all around them. They lack inspiration so decide to write a meta screenplay about writing a screenplay, the story begins and ends the same way.

3. A story of a man who is given a superpower while messing around with his microwave. He is given the power to step back in time but only by 5 seconds. He tries to use the power for his own personal gain but quickly realises how little he can do in 5 seconds.

Story outline:

Characters

Main character: Scott
Main character's one night stand: Kaylee
The vampire: Bryan

Beginning: The story begins late at night at Scott's apartment as the pale hand of Bryan the vampire knocks on the door. Scott answers the door and both of them look each other up and down Scott wears causal clothing i.e a sweatshirt and jeans whereas Bryan wears mostly black; black trousers, black waistcoat, white shirt, black dress shoes. A timer beeps in the background and Scott runs back into the kitchen while Bryan waits at the door, Bryan denies the food Scott offers him (garlic bread) our first clue to his true identity. Scott offers Bryan a beer and holds it out waiting for Bryan to come and get it but he cannot until he is invited in (another vampire clue). Scott gives Bryan 'The Tour' and leaves Bryan to get settled into his room while he sits to watch TV. We see Bryan in his new room, he glances at the bed dismissively puts his suit cases down, Scott is still watching TV while in the background we hear lots of crashing and scraping which Scott pays no attention to, Bryan leans out the door to tell Scott that he is turning in for night and returns to his room, we see that he has moved the wardrobe in the room on to the floor to mimic a coffin        

Middle: Bryan wakes up in the stereotypical vampire fashion i.e rising from the ‘coffin’ and leaves his room to find Scott sleeping on the couch, Bryan wakes Scott and the two share breakfast and have a conversation to get to know each other the conversation takes a turn and Scott finds out that Bryan is a vampire unexpectedly Scott is not phased by the news and the two end up realising that a person from their past forms a mutual connection between the two. Scott invites Bryan out for a night at a local club where the two share some drinks and Bryan tries to lure an unsuspecting victim outside to feed, however he is unsuccessful. Scott however left early with a girl without Bryan realising. Bryan leaves the club after a montage of failed attempts goes home and sleeps defeated.

End: Upon waking up in the morning Bryan finds the house empty except for the girl that Scott bought home the night before overcome by a raging blood-lust Bryan feeds on the girl, Realising his mistake Bryan tries to hide the body from Scott. Scott returns home to notice Bryan's suspicious behaviour as he tries to make excuses as to where the girl is, Scott finds the body which leads into an argument between the two and Scott vows that the two are done but first they need to find a place to dispose of the body they share an awkward conversation as they think of a plan, Bryan suggests that Scott finds a wheelchair so they can freely move the body under the assumption that the woman in the chair is disabled. The two awkwardly wait until night fall and take the body to a nearby ditch and bury it there. After the events of that night Scott and Bryan part ways and Scott looks for a new roommate. Later that night there is a knock at Scott’s door he opens it to see the girl who he bought home after the night at the club who then slaps him and leaves.