UNIT III:UNIT III:ADVANCED APPLICATIONSADVANCED APPLICATIONSCHAPTER 9:CHAPTER 9: Features and Long Features and Long FormForm

CHAPTER 10:CHAPTER 10: Directing Directing

CHAPTER 11:CHAPTER 11: Marketing and Marketing and DistributionDistribution

CHAPTER 12:CHAPTER 12: Professional and Professional and

Career Opportunities Career Opportunities

CHAPTER 9CHAPTER 9

FEATURES ANDFEATURES ANDLONG FORMLONG FORM

CHAPTER OBJECTIVESCHAPTER OBJECTIVES• • Examine various approaches to Examine various approaches to

Feature-length ProductionFeature-length Production;;

• • Introduce the structure and format of Introduce the structure and format of Professional ScreenwritingProfessional Screenwriting;;

• • Explore Explore Budgeting and FinancingBudgeting and Financing;;

• • ReviewReview Crew Positions Crew Positions and and Elements Elements of the Production Processof the Production Process for for features.features.

THE STUDIO SYSTEMTHE STUDIO SYSTEM First First Full-length FeatureFull-length Feature was was

The Story of the Kelly Gang The Story of the Kelly Gang (1906)(1906)

First half of 20th Century studios First half of 20th Century studios Vertically IntegratedVertically Integrated

Rise of Rise of TelevisionTelevision in the 1950s in the 1950s created created More CompetitionMore Competition

THE STUDIO SYSTEMTHE STUDIO SYSTEM 1960s through the 1980s, 1960s through the 1980s,

Independent ProducerIndependent Producer powerful powerful force in TVforce in TV

1990s1990s Consolidation of Ownership Consolidation of Ownership

Video capture for Video capture for Long FormLong Form: :

Attack of the ClonesAttack of the Clones (2002) (2002)

TELEVISION FORMATSTELEVISION FORMATS 30-minute Episodes30-minute Episodes

(22 min. of programming)(22 min. of programming) 60-minute Episodes60-minute Episodes

(44 min. of programming)(44 min. of programming) Made-for-television MoviesMade-for-television Movies

(90 min. of programming in 2 hr. slot)(90 min. of programming in 2 hr. slot) Executive ProducerExecutive Producer - “showrunner” - “showrunner” PilotsPilots SyndicationSyndication

SCREENPLAY STRUCTURESCREENPLAY STRUCTURE Act I:Act I:

Story established; Characters developed Story established; Characters developed (30 pages)(30 pages)

Act II:Act II: Introduces a Major Complication Introduces a Major Complication (60 pages)(60 pages)

Act III:Act III: Resolves the Story (30 pages)Resolves the Story (30 pages)

SCREENPLAY STRUCTURESCREENPLAY STRUCTURE One Page Per MinuteOne Page Per Minute Plot PointsPlot Points First 10 MinutesFirst 10 Minutes: self-contained : self-contained

Dramatic UnitDramatic Unit

TELEVISION WRITINGTELEVISION WRITING

Act structure defined by Act structure defined by

Commercial BreaksCommercial Breaks

60-minute episode: 60-minute episode:

Four ActsFour Acts plus plus Teaser and TagTeaser and Tag

30-minute episode: 30-minute episode:

Two ActsTwo Acts plus plus Teaser and TagTeaser and Tag

TELEVISION WRITINGTELEVISION WRITING The The A-storyA-story is the is the Main StoryMain Story The The B-storyB-story is a is a Sub-plotSub-plot, ,

focusing on supporting charactersfocusing on supporting characters The The C-storyC-story is usually lighter in tone, is usually lighter in tone,

called the called the RunnerRunner

WRITING TIPSWRITING TIPS

BackstoryBackstory

Every scene should move the story Every scene should move the story ForwardForward

Try writing a scene by Try writing a scene by Starting at Starting at the End – the End – you willyou will know where you know where you are going are going

SCREENPLAY FORMATSCREENPLAY FORMAT Title of the ProjectTitle of the Project

NameName of the Authorof the Author

““SCENE 1.” SCENE 1.”

““EXT.” or “INT.”EXT.” or “INT.”

Identify the LocationIdentify the Location

Example: “EXT. PARKING DECK – NIGHT.” Example: “EXT. PARKING DECK – NIGHT.”

SCREENPLAY FORMATSCREENPLAY FORMAT Descriptive information Descriptive information Single-spacedSingle-spaced, ,

Block LeftBlock Left or or Indented Five SpacesIndented Five Spaces

Put a new character’s name in Put a new character’s name in All-capsAll-caps – – First Time Used!First Time Used!

Technical information in Technical information in All-capsAll-caps

SCREENPLAY FORMATSCREENPLAY FORMAT Dialogue indented Dialogue indented

25-30 spaces 25-30 spaces under the under the character’s namecharacter’s name

Character’s name Character’s name before dialogue before dialogue indented indented 10-15 10-15 spacesspaces

If a scene If a scene continues onto continues onto the next page, the next page, “(CONTINUED)”“(CONTINUED)”

BUDGETINGBUDGETING Script BreakdownScript Breakdown

Above-the-line ExpensesAbove-the-line Expenses

Below-the-line ExpensesBelow-the-line Expenses

The Producer’s MasterguideThe Producer’s Masterguide

Union and Non-Union ProjectsUnion and Non-Union Projects

Tax IncentivesTax Incentives

FINANCINGFINANCING

Private InvestorsPrivate Investors

Fundraising Fundraising

Shares Shares

High-risk and High-yield VentureHigh-risk and High-yield Venture

Trade Shares for ServicesTrade Shares for Services

FINANCINGFINANCING Control Cash FlowControl Cash Flow - service in kind - service in kind

DefermentsDeferments

Completion Guarantee Completion Guarantee

Retaining OwnershipRetaining Ownership

Product PlacementProduct Placement

THE PRODUCTION PROCESS THE PRODUCTION PROCESS FOR FEATURES AND LONG-FOR FEATURES AND LONG-

FORMFORMThe ProducerThe Producer

Financial producersFinancial producers

Practical producersPractical producers

Creative producers Creative producers

““Executive Producer” Executive Producer”

THE PRODUCTION PROCESS THE PRODUCTION PROCESS FOR FEATURES AND LONG-FOR FEATURES AND LONG-

FORMFORMPreproductionPreproduction Unit Production Manager (UPM)Unit Production Manager (UPM) Production scheduleProduction schedule StripboardStripboard Shooting scheduleShooting schedule Liability insuranceLiability insurance Replacement coverageReplacement coverage

THE PRODUCTION PROCESS THE PRODUCTION PROCESS FOR FEATURES AND LONG-FOR FEATURES AND LONG-

FORMFORMPreproductionPreproduction Purchase orders (P.O.) Purchase orders (P.O.) Studio spaceStudio space Location scoutingLocation scouting PermitsPermits Location releasesLocation releases Equipment reservationsEquipment reservations

THE PRODUCTION PROCESS THE PRODUCTION PROCESS FOR FEATURES AND LONG-FOR FEATURES AND LONG-

FORMFORMProductionProduction Principal actorsPrincipal actors Supporting actorsSupporting actors Bit playersBit players ExtrasExtras Stand-insStand-ins Stunt doublesStunt doubles

THE PRODUCTION PROCESS THE PRODUCTION PROCESS FOR FEATURES AND LONG-FOR FEATURES AND LONG-

FORMFORMProductionProduction Actor breakdown sheetActor breakdown sheet Extras breakdownExtras breakdown Line producerLine producer Daily production reportDaily production report Daily hot costDaily hot cost Script supervisor Script supervisor

THE PRODUCTION PROCESS THE PRODUCTION PROCESS FOR FEATURES AND LONG-FOR FEATURES AND LONG-

FORMFORMPostproductionPostproduction Locking the programLocking the program Spotting the programSpotting the program Composing the scoreComposing the score Automated dialogue replacement Automated dialogue replacement

(ADR)(ADR) Sound effectsSound effects Visual effectsVisual effects MasteringMastering

SAMPLE EXERCISESSAMPLE EXERCISES1. 1. You are given You are given One Million DollarsOne Million Dollars to create a to create a

feature. How will youfeature. How will you Budget Budget this money to get this money to get the job done?the job done?

2.2. Outline a Outline a Feature-length ProjectFeature-length Project. Make the . Make the first ten minutes of your feature a first ten minutes of your feature a Stand-alone Stand-alone Dramatic JourneyDramatic Journey as well as an introduction as well as an introduction to the larger questions of your story. Script the to the larger questions of your story. Script the First Ten MinutesFirst Ten Minutes of this feature using the of this feature using the Formal Screenwriting FormatFormal Screenwriting Format..

3.3. Produce a Produce a Short Test ProgramShort Test Program based on the based on the 10-minute Script10-minute Script you composed for Exercise you composed for Exercise #2.#2.

Copyright 2008 Taylor and FrancisCopyright 2008 Taylor and Francis