Part of my job is to write for a kids TV series (also edit others scripts).
Best advice is to work out the story on paper first, before you start to write the script. Never start at scene one, and just see where it goes. Ut always makes for a bad film. Instead, work out the sequence of what has to happen and when. Think of it as planning a road journey. Its much easier to drive a long journey if you know you have to go via B and C to get to D. Make the trip without planning and you WILL get lost. Plan your route and there won't be any blind alleys or sudden surprises.
If you have a clear beginning, middle and end worked out on paper before you start, it leaves you free to concentrate on the fun part of writing the actual character words and interactions - you no longer have to think about where you are going.
If you write freestyle, you'll waste lots of time and usually end up being over-length. with a story that lacks structure and direction.
As a guide, an animation script runs 30 seconds to the page, not the usual 1 minute as per live action. That is because each shot is described - live action is described by scene and rarely by shot. Describing each shot means more words per page. A 5 minute film will be 10 pages long, with around 50 shots.
Usual Script Format (Font Courier):
Code: Select all
FADE UP
EXT. - RIVER BANK - DAY.
Daffy Duck is sitting on the river bank, fishing rod in hand. He looks
bored and downhearted.
DAFFY DUCK (v.o)
(pathetically)
I hate that Buggs Bunny, he's always picking
on me.
etc.
If you write this way, the actors/voice talent will love you. Makes it easier for them.
5 minute scripts are harder to write than 10 minuters ... this is because you have less time to develop the characters and sub-plots.
Best advise is to have 3 level conflict - think of a problem, then make it worse. Then make it really bad: Now you have an interesting film.
Example: Boy loves Girl - boring story, no conflict. Father hates the boy (now its going somewhere). Father forbids the girl and boy to see each otherl every again (now its getting interesting). Make it really bad - okay, the girl is pregnant (Are you going to switch off now? Didn't thinks so). This is classic 1-2-3 conflict. The rest of the film is how the hero resolves the problem.
If you can pose a question in the first scene with the principal character, it's usuakky good; From one script we used, featuring an accident-prone school boy:
Shot 1: "Guess what I've found? .... ".
Shot 2: "It's a bird nest, and there's an egg in it ....".
Shot 3: "I'm going to get it and start a bird's egg collection".
Just 3 shots into the film and you know he is going to mess up. You also know what the story is about and where we are going.
The other thing to remember is, if something doesn't move the story forward, take it out. This is easier to see when you do a script edit. Usually there is junk in the dialogue which can be ripped out without affecting the story. If the story feels slow, there is something in there which can come out. A good script 'flows'.
We use Final Draft to physically write the script - useful and fast in keeping the layout standard, generating actors recording scripts, planning backgrounds, characters etc. All of those reports can be automatically generated. Saves heaps of time (and money).
It would be easy to write pages on this subject and it wouldn't make you a good writer. At the end of the day, it is just bum on seat and practice.
Hope this helps just a little biit.
Rhoel.
THANK YOU!!!