Post 7; Creating your own script

LESSON 1
When writing our scripts we need to know the difference between a story and the narrative.
"Story is the irreducible substance of a story ( A meets B, something happens, order returns), while narrative is the way the story is related. (Once upon a time there was a princess...) (Key concepts in communication-Fiske et al (1983)
Web definitions are:
Story- a. A usually fictional prose or verse narrative intended to interest or amuse the hearer or reader; a tale.
b. A short story.
3. The plot of a narrative or dramatic work.
Link to story definition
Narrative-a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program; "his narrative was interesting"; "Disney's stories entertain adults as well as children"consisting of or characterized by the telling of a story; "narrative poetry" 
Link to narrative definition

My own opinion on the difference between story and narrative are, the story is the basic line, which needs to be followed. e.g: Boy meets girl, they get married, happily ever after.
Narrative is the way the story is told.

Julian McDoughall warns us not to "clumsily apply a formalist model" as it "does little in terms of understanding our roles in constructing narratives, and how narratives carry discourse that appear natural".

He is trying to get the audience active in our narrative, and so we can interpret narrative in a different way. The audiences have their part to play in interpreting narrative.
Narratives can also have certain readings based on personal interpretation. The "Natural process of discourse"As seen on the other posts it is important that we know how to make a good script, and the elements needed to make one.

The last activity we did in class was watch the short film signs. Our teacher would stop the film at relevant points where we would have to guess what would happen next.
We also needed to ask our self, what makes this such a good film?
We started watching the film, and immediately we notice that the main character is a man who is lonely, scared, shy and bored e.t.c.
Our teacher asked us to write down the characters want, need, and obligation when watching the film.
We came up with:

• Want- Love. We know the character wants love because of the way he acts around the woman in the other office. His dads phone calls also contribute as it implies the character is lonely and needs a woman in his life.
• Need- Company. The characters need is company due to his loneliness. He has moved to a City where he knows no one and it is clear that he is secluded from society.
• Obligation- The characters obligation is to go to work, and sleep. He has to work, and he tries to live up to his parents expectations. He does not answer his parents phone calls, he listens to their answerphone messages which suggests he wants to be left alone.

LESSON 2
In Lessons we have been preparing and getting ready to write our own script. We have been doing small tasks to help our thought process, which will enable us to create a good quality script.
Our teacher set us a small starter task where we had to identify what sources can serve as a basis for a dramatic/documentary project. We had 5 minutes to write down some ideas, then we would go through and share each others idea's. I came up with 6 ideas:

• imagination /idea's and fantasy's- Depending on how imaginative we are, a good quality script could come out of our fantasy's and dreams we may have. For example: I have a dream of becoming a singer, so i would write a script about me becoming famous in the music industry.
• Personal experiences /memories- Often the best scripts cam come out of our personal experiences, and certain memories we have. For example: someone could have experienced a car crash, therefore they would create a script involving their experience of this car crash.
• Other short films- With this idea, we have to make sure we do not copy the complete storyline of another short film which has been made, it must be original, therefore be your own work.
• Books/TV/film- These elements Can help develop and further your story idea, and also help create different points of view for each of the characters.
• Friends and Family- You can make a script about the different relationships you have with your friends and family, and how they affect you as a person.
• Social issues/issues within society- Issues within society is very common fore the basis of what people want their story to be about. Many people want their stories to have a message about the factors affecting today's society, For example: crime and vandalism, social class issues/dominance, Racism e.t.c.

After discussing our ideas as a class, many more was added to my list such as:
-Abuse
-News/magazines- People may want to base their stories on things they see and hear in the news and in magazines. They may want to base it on a particular story in a magazine for example: Katie Price and Peter Andre's break up.
-Places- Places would usually be based for documentary purposes, telling a story where the main idea is based on a particular place: For example, a train station and its journey throughout the day.
-Poems
-Religion- Stories can be based on a certain religion, which can also be linked to personal experiences. Showing the values of religion an be effectively shown through a short story.
-Dreams and nightmares- Linking to personal experiences, certain dreams or nightmares that people can remember can be the basis for a story.

Historical events- Certain events that take place could influence the basis for a good script. For example: a film could be based on war, houses of Parliament, the army e.t.c


We were then given a handout which was a step-to step guide on how to help us get a storyline for our short story. We were asked to read it in our head and were asked for homework, to come up with an idea for our short story, and relate it to 8 key elements. These were:

• Introduce the main character; (set the scene)
• Give the character a problem, obstacle, obsession or addiction.
• Let the character work out a plan to overcome the problem.
• Before setting out to solve the problem, there may be a moment of doubt that will require the hero to seek advice from a mentor; teacher; best friend. This is an opportunity to let the audience know more about the problem and weigh it up in their own minds. What would they do?
• With new resolve, the hero sets out to overcome the problem, obstacle, obsession or addiction.
• Overcoming the problem or challenge will be met by extreme opposition from the rival, who will usually have greater but different strengths and will in some ways bear similarities to the hero: the nemesis of the hero's dark side
• The hero will appear to fail in his quest. He will glimpse defeat, even death, and will require superhuman effort to overcome his final task
• The hero wins the final battle, with an opponent, or enemy, or with himself, and returns to his natural state, wiser, or stronger, or cured, but not necessarily happier. The journey have made him a different person.

The following day, i was struggling to get a good storyline and was stressful knowing we had to have an idea for our next lesson. In the library i was with my friend doing some homework, and asked her if she would know of any idea's for a story. She said i should base it on her, as i thought she was only joking i didn't take any notice of it until half an hour after i realised i could base my story on her, so i did.
Our teacher also said we should come to lesson with a beginning, 2 turning points and an ending. I knew my story would be based on a female football player, but couldn't quite think of a turning point. My friend often tells me she gets injured playing football on Sunday's, and always tells us how "good" she is and how she can make it into the FA cup one day.
It then clicked. I thought My character could have huge dreams to be in the FA cup, but something bad would happen to her, so her dreams would be shattered.
I then applied my story to the 8 point guide.

• Introduce Molly, with her watching a football match, cheering when her favourite team score.
• Her dream is to play in the FA cup (Addiction)
• Her plan is to train really hard to get into the team ( before/after school) no time for school work. She wants to impress the cleaner at her football club.
• Her parents say she is not good enough (moment of doubt) and that she needs to concentrate more on school work. Her coach is very encouraging and supportive, and tells her to pursue her dreams.
• She practices one to one sessions with her coach every day after school.
• She is now at the trials for the FA cup team, where they will be picked.
• She then falls over tackling someone, and breaks her leg, her dreams are shattered.
• The cleaner of her football club, rushes over to help her and calls an ambulance. The next scene shows her watching the FA cup, cheering on her team, wearing an engagement ring.

My characters want is to be a success full football player
My characters need is to be notices/ acknowledged.
My characters obligation is to live up to her coaches expectations, and please the cleaner at her football club.