DESN3020 Cinematics Class 04

Welcome to Class 04!

This week brings us the topics of Story and Script.  Also to be discussed are ways to stay on top of the work load and strategies for a successful cinematic.

You can do it!!!

Share the Load! 

There are two sides to not wanting the work divided up evenly amongst the team:

• you want to do it all yourself
• you want to do the least amount of work possible

Lets assume that everyone in Cinematics 1 wants to participate fully in the team's endeavor.  In order to ensure this, we will work on a pre-production package for each group.  

SCRIPT:  DUE OCTOBER 9/10 (October 8 being a stat holiday) 

Submit a consistently-formatted script including:

• A title page
• Character Bios + Scene Description from assignment 1 on Page 2
• All dialogue
• As much description as necessary to communicate the action and look/feel of the scene.
• Major high-level camera direction
• All sound effects

Email PDF to cferadaymiller@georgebrown.ca

PRE-PRODUCTION PACKAGE: DUE OCTOBER 9/10

Each group must include:

• group roster - who is in your group?
• high level task designation - who is doing what?
• elevator pitch
• character sheets - who are your characters?
• environment description - where are your characters?
• rough storyboard - 1st pass
• visual development guide/reference material - 1st pass

 Not storyboarding or writing scripts? Character/Environment sheets DUE:

Sample Character Sheet

Some groups have been structured so that the script and storyboard has been given out to specific group members. Those in the group NOT tasked with storyboard and script duties must present a short character or environment sheet detailing a pertinent cinematic asset.  This gives everyone a chance to write and concept, even if it is not your strength.

In order to secure a passing grade, work must be divided up equitably amongst the group members. 

In a group of 5, if 2 members are writing the script and storyboarding, and another is creating concept art, then the remaining two should be responsible for assembling the animatics (storyboard animatic and primitive animatic) and rough camera animation. Once the modelling and animation assets start to get created the work load will even out.


Some more notes on how to plan for success:

• Animation work seeming more intensive than modelling
• While the final rigging and animating will be a considerable amount of work, modellers will also have to do their share
• Production design / refinement throughout pipeline could rest more on modellers
• Audio assets, editing and some post production could be taken on by modellers
• Always looking ahead, getting a head start on deadlines to come
• Don’t wait for the assigned deadline to get your work done. Working ahead of the course outline is ideal so long as communication is constant and you are agile enough to incorporate changes.
• Divide work to show your range of skills – organic, sets, props etc...
• Larger teams = More characters, more detailed sets, more props, higher expectations.

Writing your script, creating your storyboards:  The Scene, The Script

What is a scene?

• A single event
• An interaction between 2 characters
• Takes place during 1 period of time and in 1 place and moves story forward toward a climax and resolution.
• Your scene (for this course) should be part of a larger plot with its own climax and resolution, but could have its own subplot that unfolds entirely within your scene (or it could be a cliffhanger)

Some of the best scenes linger in your mind for the rest of your life.

Remember the Horse’s Head scene in The Godfather? Or the scene where Luke finds out that (*spoiler alert!*) Darth Vader is his father?

One event. One period of time. One place.
 

Scene-Planning Checklist

Now we want to take those beats or key points from our outline and write each scene with focus and polish. Flesh it out and consider:

• What will the scene accomplish?
• Where and when does it take place?
• Who’s in this scene?
• Which character is driving this scene?
• What do the characters want here? What’s their attitude? What’s at stake?
• Who’s putting up obstacles? Why? What do they want?
• Is there subtext? An underlying meaning with people talking around a problem or hiding it? Is there a “pink elephant”?
• Are people being direct or indirect in what they want?
• Where is the tension or conflict?
• Can be from a previous scene where it was established, or from what we anticipate might happen next.
• Does the audience know something the hero/villain doesn’t?
• Can you create curiosity? Ask a question, keep the answer for later?
• How does the scene move the story forward and add to the audience’s understanding?
• Are you revealing character and motivations through each characters’ behaviour?
• What makes us have empathy for the hero?
• Does the scene have a catalyst at the beginning? Scenes usually do.
• New info might come to light in the middle, spinning the scene off in another direction.
• Does the scene build to a climax?
• How are you going to make it funnier or more dramatic?
• Stay away from clichés or easy solutions. Do the unexpected! Add a twist! Use complications, obstacles, sudden reversals, relationships and subtext.... What’s happening under the mask?

 

Where to start and end 

• Scenes can be as long or as short as needed to tell a story and fit into the pacing of the whole.
• Although scenes usually have a beginning, middle and end, you can cut off any 1 or 2 if it will make your scene more effective.
• You want only the essence. Never the unnecessary!
• Once you’ve made your point, the scene is over. Nothing should be extraneous!
• Next we’ll look at how an opening scene may differ from those within the story...

 

The Opening Scene

• Grab the audience with the opening, or they won’t stay for the rest!
• A teaser, or action opening keeps the audience glued to their seats.
• Get into the story right away. Missing pieces can be filled in later
• Generally opening scenes are:
• A “gag” scene in a comedy
• A thrilling action scene in a mystery/adventure
• Character development in a feature
• Opening and closing of a script will have some relationship to one another
• We must like your hero enough / know enough about them to take their journey and root for them.

Every scene

• Must be visually interesting and rarely “talky” unless it’s of vital importance to the development of the story.
• Keep descriptions to a line or 2.
• Make plot points visually
• Cut anything that won’t keep us ROTFL-ing, sobbing into our hankies, or gripping the edges of our seats in an.....tici......PATION!
• Know where it is appropriate to have high drama, and when a laugh is appropriate (if your piece is more serious... Even serious dramas have humor)

Put in the motivations.

• What’s the motivation of the story?
• What are the hero’s/villain’s motivations?
• Why?

Add complications

• Why does the planet have to be destroyed now? How is the cadaver brought back to life?
• Give your hero difficult choices
• Viewers and teammates working with the script should be able to clearly understand each scene.

Adding complications to the plot doesn’t mean confusing the viewer.

Be clear.

Avoid complicated visual ideas, subtleties, or unknown actions where explanation is necessary.

Fitting scenes together 

When constructing your cinematic, think of each scene as part of a whole story:

• Each scene fits into the rhythm of the whole.
• For pacing, action scenes may need to be broken up with quieter, character-building scenes, or comedy.
• Vary scenes and sequences. Vary location. Vary shots
• Cut between lengths. Vary pace.
• Would your scenes be more effective arranged differently?
• At the end of a scene you want your audience eager to find out what will happen next!

Checklist

Once you’ve created your scene. Ask yourself the following to check:

• Does your scene accomplish everything you think it should?
• Does it stay focused on the plot and characters?
• Is the scene clear? Is it easy to understand? Will the audience believe it?
• Be sure the scene is visual. Is there enough to animate? (I’m sure you won’t run into THIS problem!)
• Is it too long? Does it repeat itself unnecessarily? We may need to repeat things for effect or to ensure comprehension but don’t overdo it!
• Does the scene make us want to know what happens next?
• Is it entertaining? Funny? Emotional? Tense? Can these be heightened?

Dialogue

The Purpose of Dialogue

You want to show your story, not tell it!

• Exciting scenes can be all about action and movement, though sometimes words are necessary to create a mood as well.
• Animation explores space, experiments with time.
• Fast-paced action sometimes uses the rule of 3 dialogue blocks at once, with no more than 3 short sentences per block...for example:
• Action...
• Character 1: "whitty quip"
• Character 2: "smart-alec response"
• Character 1: "pointed retort that shuts character 2 down"
• More action...

In features, or longer games, more dialogue might be necessary, but we don’t want too much!

Dialogue does have it’s place: 

• To reveal the characters
• provides direction
• move the story along
• disclose info
• provide conflict
• sets up spirit or mood of the story.

Basically, words should be used only after you’ve tried all other methods of communication.

Silence might accompany discoveries, revelations and deep emotions.

Absence of dialogue can give audience time to assimilate what just happened.

Dialogue use for Revealing Character

• Sometimes dialogue is the only way to reveal motivations and secrets
• Good when it exposes a character in an entirely new way from what we expected
• Establish relationships with dialogue
• Be sure to really know your characters when writing dialogue!
• Who’s driving the scene? Characters can drive directly or indirectly
• Direct dialogue drives people apart: “You’re always late!”
• Indirect dialogue draws people together: “I know you had to help your sister before you could come.”
• Characters might talk around a problem as we do in real life.
• Make dialogue unique to each character, never interchangeable.
• Specify rhythm, pacing, length of dialogue. Give a character a speech “fingerprint”

Moving the story along

• Dialogue should serve the plot.
• You have to keep things moving
• Don’t let the words slow it down (any Aaron Sorkin fans out there?...)
• Conversation should always disclose tidbits that the characters must tell each other, not just info that the writer wants the audience in on.
• Characters make discoveries about what’s happening and unearth secrets about each other.
• But remember... Characters don’t always listen to each other, just like people in real life! 

Conflict can reveal information

• Conflict in dialogue or tension between views is a good way to get info out and keep it interesting.
• Allows the audience to choose sides!
• Personal agendas come out in conflict during the course of a scene
• Who has control? Who has the most status? Who is telling the truth?
• All exposition doesn’t have to come out right away.
• We want to know what happened before the story that’s motivating the characters now
• Info can leak out throughout the scene and story.
• Be clear but not obvious! Don't reveal everything!
• Leave enough unsaid to engage the audience, so they want to watch and learn more!

The mood of the story

Type of dialogue must be appropriate for the genre of your game, film, series, etc...

• Set the tone and style of the story right away!
• Characteristics of Dialogue
• Essence of real talk + thematic content + ongoing exchange of power.
• Good dialogue has beat, rhythm, melody. It’s affected by time, place, weather etc...
• It’s intangible like mist and depends on characters, who they are, relationships, situations, genre, world, age of target audience length etc...
• Sounds like real talk, but isn’t! It is carefully constructed by YOU!
• In real dialogue, we interrupt each other, repeat ourselves, use jargon, speak differently to different people.

Characteristics of Dialogue

• Emotions change dialogue
• Keep it simple! Less is more!
• The words should be easily understandable and clear to everyone.
• When you need to repeat things, repeat them with a twist!

Writing the Dialogue

If your character exists, listen to recordings of them speaking.

• The story should be set up in the first few words of dialogue.
• Keep the endpoint in mind from the start. Build towards the climax.
• Write less than you think you’ll need.
• Act it out, see it, hear it as you write. If it doesn't sound natural to you, it will sound worse to the audience.

When writing Dialogue

• Add a new dimension to your character, but don’t make it too different so it doesn’t sound believable.
• Write the words so the “actor” can contribute something with their voice.
• Give attitude, emotion, special phrasing to your characters.
• Sneezes, sighs, ANYTHING vocal should be written into the dialogue so they’re not missed!
• If an incidental character only gets one line, make it a JEWEL!
• Keep your language and vocabulary appropriate for the series (and I’m not just talking about avoiding swears!)
• Current slang + language trends date the dialogue. If you want longer shelf-life, consider using more classic language.
• Be original and clever!

Common Problems with Dialogue

• Too much dialogue!
• Not enough conflict, or the dialogue doesn’t grab us emotionally.
• Talking heads. Be sure there’s something to “animate” (even though dialogue requires rigging and animation... make sure there’s movement!)
• Filler, repetition, unneccessary dialogue (would the action be better with no dialogue)?
• Preaching! – Don’t verbalize the story’s moral in ONE line of dialogue!!!
• Feeding info to the audience. Can the dialogue have another reason?
• Dialogue that is unnatural or hard to read out loud
• Bad dialect. Actors may have a hard time reading an accent from your script. Let them add their own to your words. Still give lines appropriate phrasing with the flavour of the language of the setting / time.
• Overdone puns, alliteration. If you want your piece to have a global appeal, puns are difficult to translate (Ever read a joke in another language after reading it in it’s native language?...NOT funny!)
• Clichés. Keep away from them unless you’re giving them a twist!
• No variation in tone, pace.
• Dialogue should not be too predictable!

The Rewrite

• Read and re-read your dialogue (out loud helps)
• Read your script (once it’s written) without other directions to really make sure your dialogue is tight!
• Read each character’s dialogue separately.
• Is it as clever as it can be?
• Can it be funnier?
• Can you hear people in the future quoting it?...

Tips + Excercises

To help you develop the dialogue that will be part of the Script for your next assignment, you could start in the following ways:

• Try improvising scenes from your project using other team mates, friends, or play all the characters yourself
• Create a scene between 2 of your characters focusing on smart, witty banter and quick comebacks to generate some great one-liners!
• Script a scene in your project that uses conflict. Who has the power or control? Does the same character have the control at the end? Has the balance of power shifted?

The Script in movies and cutscenes:

Writing a script for animation or a cut-scene is like being the director of a film, but there are some differences:

• You CONTROL your actors! No worry of them going Diva on you!
• In films, we shoot a lot more than what the script or storyboard calls for, then it is all edited down.
• There should no need for any extraneous footage when creating an animated short, feature or cinematic for a game.

So animation scripts tend to include the camera shots, as if the writer is directing the story - which you will be!
The script is still a work in progress for the storyboarder, but the director has deeply thought out and visualized each shot!
 

Format

You can download script templates and examples to get an idea of technical requirements. Some examples:

• http://www.simplyscripts.com/genre/animation-scripts.html
• http://www.cvisual.com/film-techniques/film-script-templates.asp
• http://www.finaldraft.com/support/software/templates/

You can also download software like Final Draft – an industry standard for script writing.

• http://www.finaldraft.com/

General rules:

• 8 ½ x 11 white page.
• Courrier 12-point font.
• Lines per page: around 52.

Following standards makes it easier to gauge the length of your script.

If you’re not using Screenwriting software, here are some basics:

• Adjust the top and bottom margins to 1”, left to 1½” and right to ¾”
• Body includes FADE IN, FADE OUT, scene headings and scene descriptions. Body is widest.
• Character names centered
• Dialogue indented substantially
• All Caps for Character identifiers in dialogue

If you’re not using Screenwriting software, here are some basics:

• Seeting and camera directions in ALL CAPS
• Sound effects in ALL CAPS
• Title page to start all scripts – contains title (1/3rd of the way down the page, centered in ALL CAPS, bold or underlined), names of writers further down, with contact info and copyright info below that.
• Cast list or speaking characters with brief 1 sentence bios for each on second page.
• Include many camera shots (CLOSE SHOT OF BATMAN, or LOW-ANGLE ON JOKER).
• Some more suggestions:
• Don’t break dialogue blocks, starting on one page and finishing on the next. Skip a few lines and start on the new page if it won’t fit.
• Include props in ALL CAPS

More formatting tips:

Here are some camera directions written in traditional animation format:

CLOSE SHOT ON JADE

Jade smiles.

WIDER - TO INCLUDE JACKIE AND THE SHADOWKHAN

As Jackie does a flying kick into the Shadowkhan, Jade flips out of the way as a chair comes hurling into the shot

Break up your dialogue with action!

The First Draft

• Write your first attempt straight through. Think about length and pacing as you go.
• The first page has to hook your audience!
• Write with magic and wonder. Set a mood. Write with passion!
• Provide an emotional experience putting the senses into play.
• Know what can be done economically and within your team’s budget (of time and abilities)
• Is there stock content/assets you can use to save time on less important aspects?
• Add camera direction with words, start to choreograph your action and camera movement
• Can we simplify some complicated elements and let our imaginations do the work (like close-ups on rocks falling and hitting characters instead of a wide-shot of an entire mountainside coming down)?
• Don’t go too far though. Maybe we can pick a few key big pieces to put animation and modelling effort into and let others be handled imaginatively)
• Know the space, make the most of the props, add sound effects, special transitions and music as needed

Keep up the Pace!

• Use the essence. Break up the action and increase the pace with cuts.
• Cuts keep the story moving.
• Action. Reaction. Keep the sentences short, use strong verbs, make it flow.
• Timing is everything.
• Revisit what you have written and edit, edit, edit!

Use the following checklist to help you refine your script:

• Did you make all changes from subsequent passes over your script?
• Is the structure all there? (Hero with motivation, villain to thwart...)
• Do you start with action? Plenty of suspense and intrigue throughout?
• Will it work well as a storyboard? As a cinematic?
• Will it be perfectly clear to everyone?
• Are your characters acting and speaking “in characters”?
• Is your villain really bad? Is your hero relatable?
• Are the relationships believable?
• Is the dialogue as sharp and witty as it could be?
• Smooth the transitions
• Be sure nothing is too subtle to animate or be seen on smaller screens.
• If something bothers you, trust your instinct and cut it / rework it!
• Is your script format correct and consistent?
• Check spelling and grammar.
• Check for typos!

Take a look over the following sample scripts for formatting pointers.

You can also take a look at examples online for inspiration (though not all scripts follow the same formatting rules).

Some examples include:

• http://www.horrorlair.com/scripts/alien.html
• http://www.dailyscript.com/scripts/blade.html
• http://www.dailyscript.com/scripts/RaidersoftheLostArk.pdf

And more here:

• http://www.filmscriptwriting.com/samplescripts.html

 

Take a look at a cinematic (in-engine or pre-rendered) from a game

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko9xC6TMdiw (Killzone 2 “trailer” for example)
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LY6YbxodkU (Killzone 2 – Intro + gameplay)
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyYbvVAtlWk (Star Wars Old Republic – Intro)
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94-4c0eJikk (The Force Unleashed 2 - Betrayal cinematic)

Or find your favourite

Critique the structure.

How could you improve the storytelling?