LO1 Task 3 - Analysis of Scripts

a)    STYLE and CONTENT

The language is influenced by the genre or form of the script. The short film script is more informal and chattier when it comes to the dialogue; because it doesn't have to be informative it has to be entertaining and engaging. "Are you sure you got my bag in?" "What do you think? I left it on the curb?" The dialogue can be seen as a peer to peer mode of address, therefore it is more informal and entertaining rather than informal and informative. Whereas the TV/ News Script is very formal and informative, and would be the teacher to pupil mode of  address, as the audience is being informed about current events and the information needs to be clear and informative. "France has passed a ban on the Burqas. Burqas are the head to toe covering's worn by Muslim women. This law will go into effect next spring and impose a $190 fine for violations. This law will affect a large portion of France's 3.5 million Muslims." The dialogue is very informative and full of facts and figures, again reinforcing the teacher to pupil mode of address. The radio script (Smooth mornings) is slightly more informal, but still formal and set out in an organised layout, but the style of writing and mode of address is slightly chattier and therefore can be seen as more of a peer to peer mode of address. "You're right Anne! So we are going to choose a certain local or international artist..." the speech is very chatty but can also be informative, so the mode of address switches between peer to peer and teacher to pupil.  The language in the game flow charts depends on the genre of the game, if the game is more serious it will be formal, RPG's can be both formal and informal. Whereas if the game is less serious and maybe less narrative driven it would be much more informal, such as Saints Row. For example the TV interview/ news report is very formal "You are the writer of the storyline, what inspired you to write this story?" asking questions and being formal.

The house style is written in the same font in all being Courier new size 12, this is because the text needs to be displayed clearly so it is easy to read. For most of the scripts the name is positioned in the centre of the page in capitals as a heading and their dialogue is displayed below. Where as in the radio script, the name is positioned to the left of the script with the dialogue following it to the centre and right hand side. Also the game flow chart is displayed differently because the text is displayed in the boxes, which are positioned around the page. Video games have flow charts to display all the different narrative options for the game and all the different paths that can be taken. Especially the TV/ News Report needs to be set out very clearly and be easily read, this is because it would be displayed on a tele-prompter. The short film is set out with the transitions and locations in justified to the right and dialogue in capital letters to signify importance, and the text is set out more central opposed to being justified to the left;      

"MISCHA

                      What do you think?  I left it on the

                      curb?"

The TV/ News script is set out in a more easily read font and therefore can be read more efficiently, which would make it easier for the presenter to read and make the speech more flowing and authentic. This specific radio script consists of mostly capitals and is set out with the name and details justified to the left and the dialogue justified to the centre. Location information is justified to the left:

"EXT. SOUTH DAKOTAN FARM - DAY"
"INT. FARMHOUSE - DAY"

EXT (Exterior) means that the location is outside where as INT (Interior) means that location is inside. Where as CW/ EDIT/ SFX/ GFX is in capitals and justified to the right. This is called a shooting script.

Screenplays being TV/ Film scripts have character descriptions also, this is for the benefit of the actors so they can more easily understand the character they are playing.

 Also the game flow chart is displayed differently because the text is displayed in the boxes, which are positioned around the page. This is because games can be used as a form of escapism (Dennis McQuail 1972) and therefore the different options need to be there for the player to be more immersed in the experience. The gaming script also has arrows and indications where to go next depending on the option you chose. Games contain a synopsis so the players are made more roughly aware of the type of game they are playing.

Since the scripts I have analysed are not for theatre they do not have acts. The layout conventions for dialogue are the name justified to the centre and then the actual dialogue itself justified to the centre also below the characters name, this makes it easier for the actors to read as it is central. For the film script I analysed it is a peer to peer mode of address, whereas the TV/ News script is teacher to pupil, the radio is more informal and more peer to peer; and since the gaming flow chart is informative it is teacher to pupil. But there are features of a script being; the standard font size used, character names justified to the left and being in capitals, location information positioned at the start of the script or at the beginning of a new scene, and also camerawork/ editing will be justified to the right, and that will turn it into a shooting script. All camera work and editing is displayed on the right side of the page. Depending on the type of sound effect, it can be abbreviated; e.g. sound effects/ SFX. This is to help direct the camera men and any helpers. The different features are justified to different places on the script page so it makes it easier to read, all the different features are set out in different places to separate them from each other and to make it not confusing.

TV/Film has stage directions, this is for the actors to understand where they need to be and what they need to be doing at a certain moment in time (which will be justified to the left.) The film script had the location justified to the centre followed by the dialogue/ setting descriptions. And also has stage directions positioned before the actual dialogue and set out between the location and transition information. The TV script I have analysed doesn't have character names as because there is only one person reading the script, the dialogue has been set out in paragraphs to be easily read for the report. The radio script also contains editing and camera work, which has its own name called SFX and the information is positioned where the dialogue would be.

b)    NARRATIVE  STRUCTURE

Single stranded consists of a narrative that centres around one character, being the protagonist. This allows us to learn more about the protagonist, and also allows us to learn more about their story and empathise with them. Multi-stranded is a script / screenplay that has multiple main characters which is called a "band of protagonists." This applies to my short film extract, as there are two main characters being Mischa and Marian. Multi-stranded can be more interesting as there are more characters to learn about, it allows us to empathise with characters in different ways; creates spectacle, and is able to reach out to a wider audience because of the diversity of the characters.

The game flow chart can be seen as multi-stranded because there are different the character can take and therefore different storylines and characters that the game can focus on, this is because of Dennis McQuail (1972) theory of escapism being that the player is meant to be invested in the game and it is a way to escape their own reality. The radio script can be seen as multi-stranded because it focuses on two protagonists being the two radio presenters being; DJ Anne and Angel.

Linear consists of a beginning, middle and end in that order; this is known as chronological order. This applies to Todorov's theory of films having a equilibrium, enigma and then a resolution. Non-Linear is where these events are not in order, this creates spectacle and means that the events are not in chronological order. This applies to the film script "My mother dreams the Satan's disciples in New York."

TV new reports don't apply to any of these narrative structures, they have a running order with important headlines first; "France has passed a ban on Burqas" and then delivering the rest of the new in order of relevance and importance. News reports are very informative and will be very descriptive and analytical.

c)    GENRE

Within genre there are two aspects to consider, fiction or non - fiction and whether it is informal or formal, but these directly influence each other. Barry Keith (1995) defines genre as "type or kind" and therefore in this case it is the type of TV/News/Film. The short film I analysed was an extract from a fictional story, meaning that the script was fiction and therefore made up, usually fiction is less formal and non - fiction is more formal. "A paint-chipped truck rounds the corner on a dirt road leading into the farm." the very detailed setting description implies that the film is fictional and made up. The TV/ News Script is non - fiction and therefore more formal and can be considered a teacher to pupil or parent to child mode of address. The radio script is also non - fiction but also slightly more chatty and informal and can be seen as a peer to peer mode of address. Generally games are fiction and are therefore more informal, but as seen as it is displayed as a flow chart it needs to be formal and therefore connotes a teacher to pupil mode of address.

d)    TARGET AUDIENCE

The short film script in terms of age is for many audiences including: affluent achievers, thriving greys, senior citizens,  producers. The short film is generally aimed at a female audience and could relate to Carl Rodgers "Ideal Self" theory since the women can aspire to be the two protagonists. For the short film the spending power and demographic may come under ABC1 with disposable income and comfortable managerial jobs and wages. Since the short film is set on a farm, the interests of the audience may be to look after and raise animals, or even work on a farm themselves. Denis McQuail (1972) theory of uses and gratifications, relates to the short film in the sense that it is used for escapism and personal identity, the short film could be used as a talking point to build relationships. This specific short film is aimed at a niche audience rather than mass, because it isn't well known and not especially relevant and entertaining. But normally films are aimed at a mass audience.

The TV/ news script in terms of age is for many audiences such as the last including: affluent achievers, thriving greys, senior citizens, producers, nest builders, settled suburban's, country life and hard pressed families. The news is aimed at both genders as it can relate to many different topics and issues, but some issues or news reports may relate to a specific gender. Generally news is aimed at a ABC1 audience, they have disposable income and have managerial or comfortable jobs, but also aimed at the hard workers in such jobs as builders. This relates to Denis McQuail (1972) theory of "uses and gratifications" which specifically relates to the sections of surveillance and personal identity. TV / news reports are aimed at mass audiences, because the information is relevant to everyone and therefore needs to be aimed towards a mass audience.

The radio script in terms of age is aimed at all the ages being: affluent achievers, settled suburban's, nest builders, urban ventures, country life, senior citizens, producers, producers, hard pressed families, and have-nots. This radio extract is aimed at both genders, it isn't aimed at one particular gender. The radio show is aimed at ABC1 audience, and relates to Denis McQuail's theory of "uses and gratifications" and it relates to all of them being: escapism, surveillance and personal identity. It relates to them all because escapism because it can be used to escape from reality and become distracted by the presenters and the music, it can be surveillance because sometimes there are news stories broadcasted, and it can be personal identity because it can be used as talking points to build relationships. Radio shows are also aimed towards a mass audience.

In terms of age for the video game flow chart it mainly consists of urban ventures and unclassifiable, because they are the ages that video games are aimed at. Video games aren't aimed at a specific gender, sometimes it can be argued that they are more aimed towards the male audience, but they are equally targeted towards both genders. The spending power of the audience is ABC1 audience having lots of disposable income, this spending power analysis is based upon the parents jobs and wages not the children's/ teenagers they would rely on their parents for money. This relates to Denis McQuail's theory of "uses and gratifications" specifically being escapism, because video games are there to escape from reality and become invested in someone's else's life rather than your own. Video games are aimed towards a mass audience.