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How Actors see our script

There have been many threads that talk about what producers and readers are looking for in a script. And why the are recommended or passed over. A lot of new writers I've worked with think that screenwriting is about taking a story idea and changing it into a script. What I try to emphasize is that anyone can write a script, however the intention is to write a script that is made into a movie. There is a difference.

I also recommend that screenwriters get experience acting and working behind the camera. Even if you don't intend to produce/direct your own script, that knowledge is invaluable in learning the craft side of writing scripts. Recently, I've been spending a bit of time in front of the camera. I found an article that I think is insightful for both actors and screenwriters. I emphasize that scripts are like blueprints for a movie. The director, actors and other creative professionals (MUA, SFX, Composer, etc.) who build from it to make the actual movie.

Actors bring our scripts to life. Often they live our characters and breathe life into them in ways we didn't even imagine by adding nuance and altering dialogue. While there have been arguments on this group as to the importance of "scene" and "character arcs", it's important to understand that's how our 'builders' use our script to create the movie. So take a moment to read "Scoring Your Script: An Actor’s Manual" written by an actress for other actors on the fine art of annotating a script. It will give you some insight into what acting school teaches actors to do to the script you've written.

As a quick overview, the author states: "There are many ways to score a script. Most modern American acting courses use a vernacular that breaks scripts into 'beats and units' and describes a character’s arc in terms of 'objectives, tactics and obstacles.' Even if this isn’t your speed when it comes to actor homework, it is helpful to know the basics of scoring a script. If nothing else, it is likely your director and scene partners will, and you don’t want to be left in the dust. Here is a quick rundown of terms and concepts it is helpful to know when scoring scripts."

If directors and actors are doing it, it should be important to you as the author of the script to also think in these terms. I use my experience in front and behind the camera to improve and inform my writing. Cheers!
 
To be honest it doesn't matter how actors see your script.

Just work your hardest to write the best script you possibly can. That's the most you can do.

Hopefully it will be good and the talent will recognize that. :)
 
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To be honest it doesn't matter how actors see your script.
Just work your hardest to write the best script you possibly can. That's the most you can do.
Hopefully it will be good and the talent will recognize that. :)
I appreciate your comment. If we're talking no/lo budget productions, I agree. Of course, these productions probably aren't paying talent except for food and credit. It could be with college buddies or aspiring actors looking to get their faces out there. Any script looks good.

For a budgeted or union contract feature, by the time an actor sees your script, it's already proven its worth to some producer. And to be honest, it does matter. As an actor, I recently turned down a role after I got a copy of the script. The dialogue and formating was horrible. Great story concept but horrible execution. To raise funds for features, a producer wants name talent. A good actor/director can provide the pull needed for backing. And to attract name talent, you need a strong script.

Does it matter how an actor sees your script? I've worked with a couple actors who see the scripts as 'unimportant'. They will improv the scene in character with the 'gist' of the dialogue. And some directors are okay with that. Yes, it irks me as a writer but the actor side of me still has to respond creatively not by rote. They were taught that it's the action/dynamics/emotions of a scene that are important, not the actual words. As one actor told me, "It's film, not Shakespeare." They hit the beats the director wants. These are established actors, not newbies. Obviously it's not 'unimportant' rather their interpretations are 'more important' which is mostly true. The actors are "the film", the script a "collection of words nobody sees".

My point is that writers should take notes from how actors and directors use/read/interpret their scripts. If we write our characters keeping in mind the perspective of 'objectives, tactics, obstacles' then we bring to a script the elements a director and talent look for. I can honestly say, having read many scripts, the greatest failing is poor character development. The characters are flat, stereotypical and uninteresting. They do things, sometimes without logic, because the plot doesn't work if they didn't. Most new writers have never stood in front of a camera. If they had, they'd never have written the verbose, mind numbing dialogue that appears in some scripts. That's when I'm brought in as a script consultant and asked to clean up scripts. Not because the stories are bad but because the characters, dialogue, pacing and structure are off. The producer wants a script they can use to attract actors and directors and market to financial backers.

It's harder when an actor receives a bad script from a writer/director. As mentioned, sometimes actors pass and won't say why to avoid burning bridges. If you're a new writer/director and intend to invest your hard earned money into producing a feature length film, it's truly in your best interest to budget a professional to review of your script as a pre-production expense.

The script 'as written' is seldom the script 'as shot'. It's not about how an actor 'sees a script' but how an actor/director 'translates your script to live action'. Once the script is in the hands of the actor and director, they will change it to match their visions of the story in their heads. And since they are talking a similar language of units, beats, etc., they are more likely to come to an agreement. The closer your writing style matches their language/process, the more likely you are to see the script as you wrote it on the screen. Screenwriters are a part of the creative team and should get a feel for how their work will be used. Screenwriting is not isolated from the rest of the production.
 
To be honest it doesn't matter how actors see your script.

Just work your hardest to write the best script you possibly can. That's the most you can do.

Hopefully it will be good and the talent will recognize that. :)
That's a big "hopefully".

Like FantasySciFi, I agree this might be good advice for someone
writing a project they will produce and direct. However, for all
screenwriters writing to sell writing the best script you
possibly can is not the most you can do. Agents are looking for
great characters for their clients to play. Actors a looking for great
characters to play. Studios are looking for scripts that will attract
top actors.
 
All add that the dude from deliverance that got raped said he can't go out in public anymore without people telling him to squeal like a pig…

There are certain parts an actor really should not take :lol:
 
I'm sure many agents turned down that part for their clients. However,
one agent saw it as a career making part. And that's exactly what it was.

We'll never know but I wonder what happened to the actors who did not
take that role...
 
I'm sure many agents turned down that part for their clients. However,
one agent saw it as a career making part. And that's exactly what it was.

We'll never know but I wonder what happened to the actors who did not
take that role...

I'm guessing they lived their lives without being harassed at every turn :no:
Doesn't sound like the actor enjoyed the experience

http://www.pajiba.com/seriously_ran...-deliverance-thatll-make-youwell-you-know.php

Ned has felt all his life, he’s had to endure this. Every time someone sees him, they say ‘Squeal like a pig.” He wrote a very interesting piece for the New York Times many years ago—they were doing a feature about rape—he felt like a rape victim.
 
All add that the dude from deliverance that got raped said he can't go out in public anymore without people telling him to squeal like a pig…

There are certain parts an actor really should not take :lol:

That was Ned Beatty.

Code:
                    PRODUCER
     You've been reading the script for the character
     named, "Bobby."  What do you think so far?

                    NED BEATTY
     The script looks really good!  Uhhh... w-w-where's
     the missing pages where we meet up with those
     crazy mountain men?

                    PRODUCER
     Oh, don't worry about that part, Ned.  We'll fill
     all that in later.

                    NED BEATTY
     Well, okay then... count me in!

                    PRODUCER
     Great!  Just sign right here.

Back to the thread topic, ...It obviously makes sense that the more you're involved in the industry the better you would be able to construct a screenplay. I would LOVE to do a small acting role in a movie or short, but the odds of that happening are probably worse than my screenplay being made into a movie.

-Birdman
 
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I would LOVE to do a small acting role in a movie or short, but the odds of that happening are probably worse than my screenplay being made into a movie.
-Birdman
There are ALWAYS opportunities to act. Louisville, Lexington, and Covington/Greater Cincinnati area often have listings for short films as well as non-union feature films. It doesn't require an agent. Of course, Nashville often has postings for extras and actors also, if you're willing to drive down. Getting into a film is easy. ;) Getting paid to be in the film is harder. :lol: But especially as the summer goes along, there will be more casting calls.

I'm acting in a small role as a doctor in Louisville on the 19th ("The Hush"). The same day a film I acted in Columbus, OH ("Contrast") debuts at the Drexel. I have to miss the red carpet unfortunately. I'm acting in another horror film out of Louisville as a sheriff ("Apple Lane"). I've done a few projects in Kentucky as well as Ohio and Indiana. A couple are being submitted for the Heartland Film Festival.

Seriously, a good place to get a start is checking Craigslist in your area under three sections: TV/Film/Radio, Crew and Talent. Yes, I know you'll find a lot of porn listings there. However, you will often find a few nuggets as well. As a general rule, don't give out personal info to an anonymous CL posting. If the ad sounds too good to be true, it probably is. There is one group that keeps putting out ads of getting you into movies "and earn up to $845/day. Just call ..." It's a scam. A legitimate ad might read "Hey, this is Justin. I'm shooting a short and need some actors. If interested, send a headshot and a resume if you have one. No pay but IMDB credit and food will be provided." In this case the resume is not your job experience but what kind of acting you've done--stage, film, television, commercial, voiceover, etc. And a headshot will, for the purpose of a CL ad, be a clear recent picture of your face without sunglasses and a hat. While acting experience is desirable, it's often listed as optional if you find it posted on CL. I just saw a listing for a PA (production assistant) needed to help with a shoot at a golf course in Louisville for a videogame.

This is screenwriting so I won't go into the nitty gritties of finding acting and crew jobs here. There are lots of other places to go. But yes, getting on a film shoot as cast or crew is far simpler than getting a screenplay made into a movie. Being on a set, you never know what, where or who might provide an opportunity! Don't ignore the possibility that someone on IndieTalk needs a hand on one of their shoots. It's a great way to network too. Given your interest in Star Trek, you might want to get involved with a fan production there. A biopic on Miles Davis will be shot in Cincinnati. It is a SAG feature, so extras are paid. It's a good way to see how Hollywood movies are made. For application and more information click here.

There are opportunities out there. Good luck!
 
I heard many times that actors read scripts by searching the name of their role character, and only read what is related to them. In other words, they read only what THEY should do in the movie, not the whole story.

But that's what I heard, don't know how much is that real.
 
I heard many times that actors read scripts by searching the name of their role character, and only read what is related to them. In other words, they read only what THEY should do in the movie, not the whole story.

But that's what I heard, don't know how much is that real.
Actors think in terms of interaction and motivation. What put my character into this scene, what's their goal, who and what are they using to reach that goal and what are they feeling along the way. It's common to joke about actors asking "What's my motivation here?". While it is often exaggerated for effect, there is a kernel of truth. Those who think an actor just picks up a script and recites the lines are mistaken. It's not about memorization. When you are hired as an actor, your focus is to create a living, breathing version of the written character. So after the initial few passes to get the story, scene flow, dynamics, scene beats and motivations, yes, an actor will focus just on their role. What you've heard isn't totally wrong, it just reflects a snippet of the actor's process of preparation.

When writing a script, I establish for the actor what the intention of the scene is, what the framework for the dynamics is, who is involved and give a sense of the emotions. If you do that, not only will the actor (and director) like your script, but the character development is richer. A writer needs to trust the actor to do his/her job at portraying the character. The actor doesn't need to be micromanaged, but a general guide to what the character feels will help. Actors will often read a script through multiple times. Once to get the story, again to focus on their character, again to look at dynamics, then finally to focus on specific scenes and make notations. Since movie scenes are shot out of order, as an actor, I rely on the call sheet to tell me what scenes to focus on. I will then direct my attention to those scenes. In preparing for a shoot, I will go through a script to highlight my lines just so I can spot them easily.

It depends on the production. In some cases, you don't receive a full script, only the scenes in which you appear. This isn't necessarily due to secrecy as with "Star Wars" but due to printing costs. Printing 120 page scripts for 20 people can quickly get expensive, especially when there are revisions. In my case, I'm acting in four different films over the next two months. After reading the whole script (if I get the whole script) to get the story, dynamics and motivation for my character, it is no longer important for me to focus on scenes in which I don't appear. In some cases, my characterization can be more authentic if I don't know what happened in the prior scenes. Directors like to use this technique a lot. Giving actors the script for the scenes that are being shot or excluding information from the script for various purposes. The exploding chest scene in "Alien" is an example, as is the scene where Darth Vader reveals that he's Luke's father.

It is important to realize that the script is just a launching pad. Once it goes into production, its use changes. The script is not the movie, anymore than a blueprint is the house. Do the electricians, plumbers and carpenters need to know how understand the blueprint? Sure. But in the construction, each needs to focus on their own work. The same is true in films. If I'm an electrician (actor) and told to wire the kitchen (scene), then I'm not going to spend lots of time on the blueprint of another electrician wiring the bedroom. However, I will look over the whole blueprint to see where my wiring has to go to join into the circuit box for the house. The construction manager (director) and code inspector (producer) will oversee and give feedback when necessary.

Anyway, Inarius, you should act. Being a good director and writer means having some experience on the other side. Firsthand experience is the best teacher. That's a benefit of film school, you are exposed and participate in the many facets of the film process. It can be acquired without going to film school though. Even Spielberg had an acting role. ;)
 
In addition to co-directing, I've just got the co-production and coordinator's duties on my head, for extra-credits and extra-payment. I'm gonna be busy for the next 1-2 months :)

I'm ready to try anything new, including 3D modelling, which I'm doing as a hobby. But I'm not sure I'm ready to show my face on screen. I'm not of those people used to stand in front the crowd, having all eyes on me.
 
In addition to co-directing, I've just got the co-production and coordinator's duties on my head, for extra-credits and extra-payment. I'm gonna be busy for the next 1-2 months :)

I'm ready to try anything new, including 3D modelling, which I'm doing as a hobby. But I'm not sure I'm ready to show my face on screen. I'm not of those people used to stand in front the crowd, having all eyes on me.
 
In addition to co-directing, I've just got the co-production and coordinator's duties on my head, for extra-credits and extra-payment. I'm gonna be busy for the next 1-2 months :)

I'm ready to try anything new, including 3D modelling, which I'm doing as a hobby. But I'm not sure I'm ready to show my face on screen. I'm not of those people used to stand in front the crowd, having all eyes on me.
Congrats on the additional duties! Use that experience!

The nice thing about film acting is that it's usually isolated with no audience, just the director and crew. And unlike the stage, if you make a mistake you can re-shoot. Digital video is much nicer than film in that regard. As an extra, you don't need to say a word! :) A lot of directors have their families and friends appear in non-speaking roles. Hitchcock always managed to get into his films, as does Stan Lee. As you know from your own scripts, only the main characters have the bulk of the dialogue though there's still the need for the occasional bit parts to move along the action. And as a new actor, you'll probably only need to learn one or two lines. Anyway, it can and should be fun. Even being a non-speaking extra is a great opportunity of which I believe writers should avail themselves if they can't be on the crew. Best wishes.
 
Congrats on the additional duties! Use that experience!

The nice thing about film acting is that it's usually isolated with no audience, just the director and crew. And unlike the stage, if you make a mistake you can re-shoot. Digital video is much nicer than film in that regard. As an extra, you don't need to say a word! :) A lot of directors have their families and friends appear in non-speaking roles. Hitchcock always managed to get into his films, as does Stan Lee. As you know from your own scripts, only the main characters have the bulk of the dialogue though there's still the need for the occasional bit parts to move along the action. And as a new actor, you'll probably only need to learn one or two lines. Anyway, it can and should be fun. Even being a non-speaking extra is a great opportunity of which I believe writers should avail themselves if they can't be on the crew. Best wishes.

Thanks :)
We got enough actors. I'm gonna be a "testing" actor, to see that the 3D modelling calibrates with the actors' movements.:) lol
 
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