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How to analyze a script? The professionals method

** Note: the following script analysis process is ideal for when an actor

has difficulty connecting to a script. Sometimes you come across scenes/

scripts that you totally identify with and may not need to complete the

following process. It is entirely up to you.

I’ve spent years collecting valuable tips and information from various

casting directors, actors, directors and schools on how to analyze a script.

So here is my method of script analysis which is a combination of themall. It’s very thorough, so if you have doubts about your character and

scene objective after this process then you need to take another look.

This script analysis process helps you make clear choices and stick to

them as well as completely understand your scene objective. It’s intense

but will increase your emotional tool box and flexibility.

A huge tip I’m a big fan of is ONLY USE PENCIL on your script (no pen). In

case you need to erase a comment and pencil is lighter so doesn’t draw

your eye away from your dialogue.

What you need:

– your script

– pencil– highlighter

– notepad

THE FACTS

1. Highlight your dialogue: literally the lines your character speaks only.

Don’t highlight other characters dialogue nor the names of a character.

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This helps you see the amount of dialogue you have at a quick glance. It

also helps you see the other characters dialogue and what’s left for

direction.

2. Underline the facts: this literally means indisputable direction or

dialogue. Information that is not questionable. E.g. he wanders out of

the alley. Either he does or he doesn’t. Totally indisputable. This step

highlights very quickly what information is left for interpretation. That’s

where the fun begins! You cannot play around with facts. If you do,

you’re messing with the writing (tut tut!).

3. The 5 W’s: following on from underlining the facts write on a separate

piece of paper (or the script, whatever you prefer) WHO is in the scene,

WHERE you are (many actors tend to forget to play the where), WHAT you

are doing, and WHEN is it (WHY is totally interpretative, we’ll come to

that later). Again, this is more basic indisputable information. E.g. Ben

and Cherry are standing in an alley having a conversation and it is night

time. Notice I didn’t say they’re having a ‘heated’ conversation as this is

interpretative. This step open doors of what is possible. It could be a cold

night outside a noisy nightclub. This would totally affect your choices.

THE FUN (INTERPRETATION)

4. Decide truth or lie: each line of dialogue needs to be determined

whether you think the character is speaking the truth or telling a lie. You

need to do this for ALL characters in the scene, not just yours. This helps

give you an overall comprehension of what’s going on in the scene and

potentially what you think the other character’s objective may be.

Whatever you decide can alter scene objectives and obstacles. Basically it

can totally change the dynamic of a scene.

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5. Interpret: go through your dialogue and re-write it in your own words

(beside the lines on the script). This helps with understanding the sub-

text and what’s not written in the scene (this is the exciting bit). As a

writer myself I always look forward to seeing how actors interpret my

words.

6. Emotions: choose one emotion that best describes what your character

is feeling in the whole scene. Yes their emotions and choices may

change throughout the scene but usually there is always one underlyingemotion that drives us through an entire conversation. Then go through

your dialogue line by line and again choose one emotion that sums up

your characters feelings in that moment. This helps understand mini-

objectives (as in the Ivana Chubbuck technique) as we have a goal with

each line.

7. What if: Geoffrey Rush is big on this. Put yourself in your character’s

shoes or hat and really imagine what if that happened to me…

CHOICES

8. Objective: if you’re analyzing an entire script then what is your overall

objective? The one goal that you wish to achieve throughout the wholestory. In other words what is your life goal? Then what is your objective

scene by scene? Each scene objective must contribute to the overall

objective. Choose three objectives and play around with each. You’re

looking for the objective that has the most effect on you. This is your

truth. Remember we are all uniquely individual so your truth may vary

from another actors. This is also the WHY in a scene. Why are you doing/

saying what you are? Probably the most important step.

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9. Obstacles: identify the obstacles scene by scene. If you’re not sure how

to do this then please read my other post on How to identify obstacles?

This is an important step because they raise the stakes of the scene.

10. Go for it: the most popular three words I ever use to direct actors.

You’ve done a lot of script analysis so now is the time to really test the

waters. After a performance I ask my actors from a scale of 1 to 10 (10

being the highest risk taking) what would you rate your performance? Be

honest. If it’s around 5 then you still have plenty of room to raise thestakes. If you come in at a 9 you’ve left very little room for the emotional

roller-coaster. However, sometimes a scene calls for high stakes right at

the beginning.

The next direction I would give if I wanted an actor to raise the stakes is to

imagine a gun being held at your head. This is a life and death situation

and you need to find a way or connection to raise the stakes.

Finally, which is usually the most effective, when an actor finishes a scene

I give them very little time to analyze it with their head as this is not

instinctive. I ask the actor to do the complete opposite of what they just

did and go straight back into the scene. Go! This puts an actor on the

spot and encourages them to go with their gut instinct as they have notime for anything else. It’s in this third take that I see miracles happen.

Beautiful performances that give me goose bumps! But to get to this

step it’s really important for actors to have done their preparation and

know their lines frontwards and backwards.

Don’t skip any of the previous steps. They all have validity in helping you

make choices. This script analysis process also increases your flexibility.

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So when you go to your audition you’re as ready as you’ll ever be for

whatever direction the casting director throws at you. And who knows?

You may introduce a new idea to the director or writer that they’d never

contemplated before. Very exciting!

One more thing…

PAGE ZERO

 John Jarratt is big on this one and with good reason. If you don’t have aprevious scene to the one you’re working on that clearly tells you what

your character just did you need to come up with page zero. More

interpretation, yay! What just happened to your character right before

the scene starts? This choice will determine the dynamic you enter the

scene with and drive it from there.

FINISH THE SCENE

Following on from page zero make a clear choice at the end of the scene

too. What happens to your character next? If you decide or are directed

to stay in the scene then make your choice, stick with what you’re feeling

and keep acting until you hear cut. IT IS NOT UP TO AN ACTOR TO DECIDE

WHEN TO CUT A SCENE! This may sound simple but I’ve seen manyactors finish their scene, fall out of character and say how was that?

Noooo! I was so into that moment and you’ve just cheated me!! If ever

I’ve learnt anything from interviewing many casting directors over the

years it’s that sometimes they see the most beautiful moment out of the

whole scene right at the end when an actor finishes their dialogue. Stay

in character until you hear cut!

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Script Breakdown: Script and Scene Analysis

by PETER D MARSHALL

A) Director as Story-Teller

There are many facets of a Director’s prep on any film or TV show – from

location scouts and creative meetings to casting and scheduling.

But the first, and most important part of your job, is to understand the

script – what the story is about; the themes; the story points; the

characters.

A director is a story-teller, and to be a good story-teller, you need to

understand every detail about the story you are telling. There’s an old

expression that says if it doesn’t work in the script, it won’t work on the

set – and boy is that true! Understanding the story requires a lot of work

on your part because you need to rip the script apart to find out what it is

about, what works and what doesn’t.

B) Script Structure

Here is the “traditional” Three Act Structure of any story:

ACT ONE – THE SET-UP (Boy Meets Girl)ACT TWO – CONFRONTATION (Boy Loses girl – fights to get her back)

ACT THREE – RESOLUTION (Boy Gets Girl)

NOTE: There has been a lot of debate lately on script structure – how

many acts there are in a script! Because this is not a writing course, (and

every story ALWAYS has a Beginning, Middle and End), I will refer to all

scripts as having the traditional Three Act Structure. Even Television

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1) what is the PLOT? (what is the story about)

2) what is the THEME? (what is the message)

3) what is the LOGIC? (does the story make sense)

4) what is the EXPOSITION? (what are the characters doing/thinking)

5) what is the COMPLICATION? (what is the drama in the story)

6) what creates the TENSION? (what will happen next)

7) what is the MAIN QUESTION? (what problem is to be solved)

8) what is the MAIN ACTION? (what event hooks the audience)

9) what is the CAUSE OF THE ACTION? (what happens to the maincharacter)

10) what is the RESULTING ACTION? (the answer to the main question)

11) what is the CONCLUSION? (how does the story end)

12) who is the PROTAGONIST? (the main character)

13) who is the ANTAGONIST? (could be one or more characters)

14) who is the MOST INTERESTING CHARACTER? (not always the main

character)

15) where does the story TAKE PLACE? (location, time period)

D) Scene Analysis

Once you have an understanding of what the story is about, you then

need to analyze each individual scene in the script.

1) what is the INTENT of the scene? (what is the scene used for

dramatically)

2) what are the PLOT POINTS? (points that move the story forward)

3) what is the CLIMAX of each scene? (what is the turning point)

4) what is the RESOLUTION? (how is the theme resolved)

5) what is the CONCLUSION? (how does the scene end)

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4) what are the important LINES OF DIALOGUE? (contain story points)

5) which character CONTROLS the scene? (who pushes the story forward)

6) what are the BEATS/UNIT CHANGES? (where does the story change

directions)

E) Other Structural Elements

Here is a partial list of some other elements you need to look for during

your script breakdown:

1) foreshadowing

2) recurring motifs

3) scene transitions

4) counterpoint

5) repetition

6) contrast

7) clarity of information

8) action and stunts

9) comedy scenes

10) special effects (explosions etc)

11) visual effects (CGI, green screen etc)

12) locations

F) In Conclusion

Your script breakdown will be a never-ending process. Each time you read

the script, you find out something different about the story or the

characters.

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The script will constantly evolve. It will change because of the your

creative notes – writer changes – actor changes – producer changes –

network changes – location availability and on and on and on…

As long as you know what the story is about and where the story is going,

you can adjust to all the changes.

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The "Basic" Plots in Literature

Example Questions That Can Be Answered Using This FAQ

I’ve heard there are only 7 (or 5, 20, 36…) basic plots (or themes) in all of

literature. What are they?

People often say that there are only a certain number of basic plots in all

of literature, and that any story is really just a variation on these plots.

Depending on how detailed they want to make a "basic" plot, different

writers have offered a variety of solutions. Here are some of the oneswe’ve found:

1 Plot | 3 Plots | 7 Plots | 20 Plots | 36 Plots

1 Plot:

Attempts to find the number of basic plots in literature cannot be

resolved any more tightly than to describe a single basic plot. Foster-

Harris claims that all plots stem from conflict. He describes this in terms

of what the main character feels: "I have an inner conflict of emotions,

feelings.... What, in any case, can I do to resolve the inner problems?" (p.

30-31) This is in accord with the canonical view that the basic elements of

plot revolve around a problem dealt with in sequence: "Exposition -Rising Action - Climax - Falling Action - Denouement". (Such description

of plot can be found in many places, including: Holman, C. Hugh and

William Harmon. A Handbook to Literature. 6th ed. New York: Macmillan

Publishing Co, 1992.) Foster-Harris’ main argument is for 3 Plots (which

are contained within this one), described below.

3 Plots:

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Foster-Harris. The Basic Patterns of Plot. Norman: University of Oklahoma

Press, 1959. Foster-Harris contends that there are three basic patterns of

plot (p. 66):

"’Type A, happy ending’"; Foster-Harris argues that the "Type A" pattern

results when the central character (which he calls the "I-nitial" character)

makes a sacrifice (a decision that seems logically "wrong") for the sake of

another.

"’Type B, unhappy ending’"; this pattern follows when the "I-nitial"character does what seems logically "right" and thus fails to make the

needed sacrifice.

"’Type C,’ the literary plot, in which, no matter whether we start from the

happy or the unhappy fork, proceeding backwards we arrive inevitably at

the question, where we stop to wail." This pattern requires more

explanation (Foster-Harris devotes a chapter to the literary plot.) In short,

the "literary plot" is one that does not hinge upon decision, but fate; in it,

the critical event takes place at the beginning of the story rather than the

end. What follows from that event is inevitable, often tragedy. (This in fact

coincides with the classical Greek notion of tragedy, which is that such

events are fated and inexorable.)

7 Plots

7 basic plots as remembered from second grade by IPL volunteer

librarian Jessamyn West:

[wo]man vs. nature

[wo]man vs. [wo]man

[wo]man vs. the environment

[wo]man vs. machines/technology

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[wo]man vs. the supernatural

[wo]man vs. self

[wo]man vs. god/religion

20 Plots:

 Tobias, Ronald B. 20 Master Plots. Cincinnati: Writer’s Digest Books,

1993. (ISBN 0-89879-595-8)

 This book proposes twenty basic plots:

QuestAdventure

Pursuit

Rescue

Escape

Revenge

The Riddle

Rivalry

Underdog

Temptation

Metamorphosis

Transformation

Maturation

LoveForbidden Love

Sacrifice

Discovery

Wretched Excess

Ascension

Descension.

36 Plots

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Polti, Georges. The Thirty-Six Dramatic Situations. trans. Lucille Ray.

Polti claims to be trying to reconstruct the 36 plots that Goethe

alleges someone named [Carlo] Gozzi came up with. (In the following list,

the words in parentheses are our annotations to try to explain some of

the less helpful titles.):

Supplication (in which the Supplicant must beg something from Power in

authority)Deliverance

Crime Pursued by Vengeance

Vengeance taken for kindred upon kindred

Pursuit

Disaster

Falling Prey to Cruelty of Misfortune

Revolt

Daring Enterprise

Abduction

The Enigma (temptation or a riddle)

Obtaining

Enmity of Kinsmen

Rivalry of KinsmenMurderous Adultery

Madness

Fatal Imprudence

Involuntary Crimes of Love (example: discovery that one has married

one’s mother, sister, etc.)

Slaying of a Kinsman Unrecognized

Self-Sacrificing for an Ideal

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Self-Sacrifice for Kindred

All Sacrificed for Passion

Necessity of Sacrificing Loved Ones

Rivalry of Superior and Inferior

Adultery

Crimes of Love

Discovery of the Dishonor of a Loved One

Obstacles to Love

An Enemy Loved

AmbitionConflict with a God

Mistaken Jealousy

Erroneous Judgement

Remorse

Recovery of a Lost One

Loss of Loved Ones.

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101 themes

Convention and rebellion Dangers of ignorance Darkness and light Death – inevitable or tragedy Desire to escape Destruction of beauty Disillusionment and dreams Displacement

 Empowerment Emptiness of attaining false dream Everlasting love Evils of racism Facing darkness Facing reality Fading beauty Faith versus doubt Family – blessing or curse Fate and free will Fear of failure Female roles Fulfillment Good versus bad Greed as downfall

 Growing up – pain or pleasure Hazards of passing judgment Heartbreak of betrayal Heroism – real and perceived Hierarchy in nature Identity crisis Illusion of power Immortality Individual versus society

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 Inner versus outer strength Injustice Isolation

 Isolationism - hazards Knowledge versus ignorance Loneliness as destructive force Losing hope Loss of innocence Lost honor Lost love

 Love and sacrifice Man against nature Manipulation Materialism as downfall Motherhood Names – power and significance Nationalism – complications Nature as beauty

 Necessity of work Oppression of women Optimism – power or folly Overcoming – fear, weakness, vice Patriotism – positive side or complications Power and corruption Power of silence

 Power of tradition Power of wealth Power of words Pride and downfall Progress – real or illusion Quest for discovery Quest for power Rebirth

 Reunion

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 Role of men Role of Religion – virtue or hypocrisy Role of women

 Self – inner and outer Self-awareness Self-preservation Self-reliance Social mobility Technology in society – good or bad Temporary nature of physical beauty

 Temptation and destruction Totalitarianism Vanity as downfall Vulnerability of the meek Vulnerability of the strong War – glory, necessity, pain, tragedy Will to survive Wisdom of experience

 Working class struggles Youth and beauty Beauty of simplicity Capitalism – effect on the individual Change of power - necessity Change versus tradition Chaos and order

Character – destruction, building up Circle of life Coming of age Communication – verbal and nonverbal Companionship as salvation