language and angle of the article:
The script for the new film Baby Driver is written in a peer to peer mode of address using colloquial abbreviations for words such as 'I'm Gonna Break , I'm Gonna Break!' and 'I'm Gonna Daaaancee' - this kind of restricted coding can be acknowledged and understood by many meaning it doesn't rely upon the audience being sufficiently educated in the genre.
These restricted language choices allow those reading the script or watching the final film to understand and follow the narrative without being distracted by technical term etc , this follows convention for this genre of film. By using language that we use in society in our every day conversations, the audience will readily relate to the thoughts and feelings of that character as they feel an underlying informal bond. The mode of address suits the young 16-24 predominantly male target audience, in the C2DE social grading as this kind of slang language is generally used by this demographic of person. We often associate those who use colloquial language with those from a lower social economic group therefore it is fair to say that a film using similar language choices will relate to those with a lower spending power.
Likewise, the Radio script for The Things We Never Said by Ming Ho has a similar peer to peer mode of address as the main female narrator begins to tell the audience about herself. The appearance of this piece is chatty, 'I drive a car, A metallic red Hatch-back' as we get an introduction into the characters life. As mentioned before this mode of address allows the reader of the script or the listener of the final product, to relate to the person talking and begin to understand them on a personal level which is the intention of a drama - to immerse you in the storyline.
At the beginning of the script the soundscape includes the sound of a busy coffee shop, this creates a sense of warmth and welcome therefore once the narrator starts speaking, it will resonate with those possibly aged between 30 - 60 in the ABC1 social grading ( mainly female) who often socialise in this kind of environment with friends. The purpose of this script is to entertain the audience therefore using restricted coding widens the target audience and makes the narrative easier to understand and follow throughout.
In contrast to this, the script for the Tv show Casualty has a completely different mode of address. Due to the nature of the show, they use elaborate coding to truly depict the hospital environment - 'Stable now, but needs a PCI urgently' and the use of technical medical terms such as Femoral restrict the coding and in turn narrows the target audience to those who understand the language or who are old enough to infer it's meaning in context to what is happening on screen. The use of this script is to entertain hence the more elaborate coding in scenes which are of a dramatic nature, this is to ensure that the entertainment value of the show isn't lost and refined simply to those in the ABC1 social grading (affluent achievers) who have a medical career. The balance of both restricted and elaborate coding is a result of the ethos of the BBC, ensuring that all programmes are in someway to educate and entertain.
The gaming script differs from all the other scripts I have looked at as it focusses more on the actions and responses of the in game characters rather than their dialogue. The purpose of this type of script is to entertain a younger target audience aged between 13-24 who will be familiar with the restricted coding used within these types of games - this would likely be more popular with a male dominant target audience due to the combat style theme. phrases like 'Initialising game' are common within this genre of game to signify the loading of content and are frequently used in market leaders productions such as Activision's Call Of Duty. The flow chart shows the basic interactions between the characters and the movements they make, this follows conventions in terms of showing the players which directions they can run and how best to complete the objectives.
Format and layout
The format for a traditional script is in size 12 and courier font as to resemble the earliest way of documenting drama being on a typewriter. This is the most convenient way of presenting a script to those who use it as the format and layout is easily readable - should the scripts be handwritten there is a likelihood that someone may be unable to read and therefore misunderstand the context or scene. The film script for Baby Driver and Tv script for casualty follow this convention as the majority of personnel will have to follow this script including lighting, camera and props department therefore it is key that it can be understood by many.
In contrast to this both the radio and game scripts do not follow this aesthetic, using the courier font and size 12 however are still effective for their usage. The scripts used for radio from the BBC are not written in this traditional manner however can be excused on the premise that the production team and those who need to see this type of script (specifically radio) are more intimate. For example the voice actors, producers and Foley artists may be the only ones to see these scripts before the production takes place therefore using a different style/size font shouldn't cause too much complication. The gaming script doesn't follow the traditional layout (justified to the centre) of a script due to the nature of the content however due to the vast amount of personnel who work on gaming productions, it is likely that there would be many other scripts including narrative ones which follow a similar format to that of a Tv drama.
The flowchart layout is the most effective way to present a gaming script as this can be then used by the technical team such as coders to understand the movements etc of the characters within the gameplay and how this corresponds to the objective/dialogue.
The Baby Driver and Casualty scripts are examples of screenplays and show how the script will be used by a variety of personnel throughout the production process of the film/tv programme. The baby driver script in particular does this well, describing the scene and props such as 'an iPod classic', 'Cheap gas station shades' and 'Black business clothes'. This will have helped both with the financing of the film and then further along the production line - the gathering of props and even sourcing of actors and locations. The casualty script also does this describing the scene and the use of an 'Ambulance trolley' - this shows how the script writers envisage a scene whilst writing and how in turn this is then brought to life on screen.
Both the radio scripts from the BBC are not screenplays therefore do not need this type of in depth description as they do not need to supplement any onscreen action. That being said, the radio drama 'The things we never said' relies upon the description of the characters and items which they possess to set the scene therefore it isn't unusual for the voice actors to describe their 'red Hatch-Back' or 'small flat' as this creates a sense of intimacy and trust between the actors and listeners as you solely rely upon their description. At the beginning of the radio drama there is a brief description of a soundscape - 'Gulls, coffee shop (the clatter of crockery)this helps set the scene for the listener effectively without there being any supplementary visuals.
scripts are used my many different personnel on set to be able to effectively execute the ideas of the scriptwriter/production team. Scripts are traditionally written in the size 12 courier font in order for them to be read and understood by all (however most commonly because it resembles the earliest way of writing scripts),this is one of many examples of how scripts are written for the people they are intended for. Another example of this which can be seen on the baby driver and casualty scripts is location information justified to the left of the page - this helps both costume, set and location designers decide on where is best to film certain scenes, how these scenes should look and what special effects would be used to create an effective soundscape. When scripts have specific instructions which relate to the shooting of the film/programme or editing , it becomes a shooting script - this then becomes a point of reference for all the personnel on set and shows them how the producer and director intend the final product to look like.
The baby driver script in particular shows in depth character description of a 'young, baby faced , short cropped hair' male wearing 'mostly cheap gas station shades' - this would be used by both costume designers and casting crew to find a suitable match for the described male and then dress him accordingly to the character he is to play. In the same section of script, there is also a line about the location of the first scene describing a parking sign at the curb saying 'short stay , five mins only' - this could be then taken by the props team to organise a sign to be made, or even possibly the finding of a similar sign in a chosen location.
A gaming flow chart script somewhat differs from this as they simply have interactions with other characters and how the game should unfurl - this could be then interpreted by the coders and digital artists to then begin to design characters, voices and sets for the production in line with the pre production documents such as a brief or visualisation diagram. A flow chart is a basic way to show the interactions between the characters, the set and the game with its user.
Three act script
A three act script is made up of three parts , the beginning, middle and end which relates to a media theory suggested by Tzvan Todorov in 1977 which suggests that the majority of media products follow this carefully thought out plan made up of 5 steps. The first of these steps is an equilibrium , where everything appears to be ok in the fictional world, this is reflected in the baby driver script as at the beginning, everything is going well within the main characters world as he is able to pull off a drive by robbery without getting caught that being said the script for casualty as they begin in a frantic scenario within the hospital where somebody is seriously injured - some writers like to inverse this theory as it keeps viewers engaged as they are aware an equilibrium is coming . Scripts such as Casualty's which don't follow these rules are known as non-linear which is something Todorov suggested keeps the viewer engaged and is conducive to a more interesting narrative.
The second part of this rule is the disequilibrium , where something happens within the narrative which causes problems for one of the main characters which is where the script for Casualty starts due to it following a non linear pathway. This is typical of this type of production as the drama needs to happen as soon as the show has started to engage the viewer and connote what is going to happen further on in the show/film. Usually a disequilibrium would follow the starting point of equilibrium to follow a linear narrative - although not shown in the extract of script shown in the first part of LO1 , I am aware that the disequilibrium which follows the extract from the Baby Driver script is that the main character , baby has his relationship with a young waitress put in jeopardy by the demand of another criminal job.
The third part of this theory is the recognition of the disequilibrium which in most cases would follow the first two steps following a linear pattern , however in the Casualty example is the second piece of the narrative where the doctors and nurses begin to identify the problems with the patient. This again is present in a more liner format in the Baby Driver script , where baby realises that he is going to loose his love Debbie if he continues to be a part of these criminal activities. This is generally the part within the script where the characters begin to work on the disequilibrium to get back to a resolved state of equilibrium.
The fourth part in this process is the resolution which ultimately leads to the end of the narrative , the best example of this is within the game flow chart where the player is presented with the options which can eventually lead to the ending of the game this is shown in the flow chart option 'continue moving in the same direction until blocked' which prompts the player to either go back on their move or end the game which results in either winning (equilibrium ) or changing the way they play to result in the equilibrium. The final part of this is the finding of a new equilibrium where the main characters reach a state of happiness once more , this is present within the ending of the Baby Driver script where Baby gets the chance to drive off with the love of his life - however this is met then by another disequilibrium where Baby is caught by the police , proving once more this is a script which challenges Todorov's Theory.
The majority of media products follow this sequence whether that be in a linear or non linear sequence however some , like Baby Driver like to challenge this in order to make the film more engaging for the viewer. Radio scripts are the most likely to follow this theory in a linear way as they have a set list of codes and conventions which need to be adhered to where the listener must be aware of what is going on at all times - likewise this is similar for games as they have to be easy enough for the player to understand the narrative.
Style
The selection of scripts I have chosen here all follow different narrative structures whether that be linear such as the BBC radio script or non linear like the Baby Driver script which starts with the equilibrium and then ends in disequilibrium therefore challenging Todorov's theory. The baby driver script in particular is multi stranded as it shows the narrative from different points of view from the different characters such as Baby and Debbie.
A great example of a linear script would be the radio script given by the BBC as it follows a set code as for it to be easy for the listeners to understand - should the show be non linear it would be more likely to be a radio drama which has an intentional narrative to it which listeners are given enough scope to understand. The reason for this script being linear is likely due to the ethos of the BBC being to inform and educate as it needs to be straight forward. An example of a single stranded script would be the radio drama script as it simply follows the life of the main character which is named as 'woman'. A single stranded script is often seen as easier to understand therefore more easily understood by the audience making it more popular. This is similar for the Casualty script as we are following the progression of the main casualty within the show and how they then find their equilibrium.
The script from BBC radio Sheffield which begins with an update on the local weather is known as a running order - this is the term used for the way the show should run in guidance with codes and conventions what with stories and features. This is often set out by the '5ws' (who,what,when,where,why)- this is reflected in the running of this radio show as the what is addressed straight away with the beast from the east segment and then the 'where' which is the local Sheffield area. Each presenter and interview is then introduced which is the 'who'.
Type
The script from baby driver does not follow a true story therefore is fictional although it does show some issues which a normal human from outside of the narrative world may encounter such as loss,love and hope. The script for BBC radio Sheffield is non fictional as it has real life events during the news features and is based on educating and informing the audience . Like the baby driver script , the casualty script and Gaming flowchart are fictional as they are not based on real events and follow a made up narrative.
No comments:
Post a Comment