Screenplay essentials
The last thing you want to do is to make the reader really mad. You want to create a warm glow about your screenplay. Make sure you :
Start a new scene for each new location or when time has passed in the same setting
Do not put any camera moves or suggest any shot sizes unless absolutely essential for the action e.g. close up of gun in drawer.
Forget post production wipes, dissolves and multi screen effects or flips that are properly left to the director who can put them in at storyboard stage.
For the screenplay you are just the writer, so no ideas about casting either.
Your Screenplay Should Look Like This:
THE OYSTER CATCHER
by Harry Rabbelle
SCENE 1
FADE IN:
EXT. A SMALL BUSY FISHING PORT.
Fishing boats weave in and out of pleasure craft. Slightly run down feel. The fishing industry is only just making ends meet. Boats look old and tired. A very attractive, expensive modern cruiser stands out.
DAY - THE QUAYSIDE.
A smart ocean-going cruiser ties up at the quay.
SEAN in summer suit and carrying a flight bag hops out of the back of the cruiser and walks quickly over to the fish market area.
SEAN
What you got for me?
The last thing you want to do is to make the reader really mad. You want to create a warm glow about your screenplay. Make sure you :
Start a new scene for each new location or when time has passed in the same setting
Do not put any camera moves or suggest any shot sizes unless absolutely essential for the action e.g. close up of gun in drawer.
Forget post production wipes, dissolves and multi screen effects or flips that are properly left to the director who can put them in at storyboard stage.
For the screenplay you are just the writer, so no ideas about casting either.
Your Screenplay Should Look Like This:
THE OYSTER CATCHER
by Harry Rabbelle
SCENE 1
FADE IN:
EXT. A SMALL BUSY FISHING PORT.
Fishing boats weave in and out of pleasure craft. Slightly run down feel. The fishing industry is only just making ends meet. Boats look old and tired. A very attractive, expensive modern cruiser stands out.
DAY - THE QUAYSIDE.
A smart ocean-going cruiser ties up at the quay.
SEAN in summer suit and carrying a flight bag hops out of the back of the cruiser and walks quickly over to the fish market area.
SEAN
What you got for me?
JAKE
Just come in. Six boxes. Scarce. Took time. Nearly lost ‘em.
SEAN
I’ll have all six. Hope it’s better tomorrow
JAKE is a young successful fisherman who uses ultra modern methods to catch high quality oysters. SEAN is his best customer buying most of the catch and taking them by boat to London.
SCENE 2
INT. RESTAURANT – NIGHT
KELLY is sitting at a table. She is 20 with dark hair cut in a fashionable short bob. She is dressed in a little black number, with bare arms and shoulders. She throws her head back and downs an oyster in one go. Then another.
SEAN ENTERS, in a hurry and out of breath. He is 22 with short fair hair and Bob Geldof stubble.
KELLY
Where have you been?
He learns over and kisses her on the cheek. Then she pulls his tie hard so he nearly chokes. SEAN laughs in spite of being held tight by KELLY.
SEANYou always want me twenty four seven.(coughs)I can’t. I must let my mind go. I must see through the haze of that night.
SCENE 3
EXT. AT SEA IN A BOAT - NIGHT
SEAN is driving the smart boat very fast. KELLY is at the back looking out to sea. They are looking for someone.
There is a fishing boat in the distance. They reach it quickly.
JAKE
He learns over and kisses her on the cheek. Then she pulls his tie hard so he nearly chokes. SEAN laughs in spite of being held tight by KELLY.
SEANYou always want me twenty four seven.(coughs)I can’t. I must let my mind go. I must see through the haze of that night.
SCENE 3
EXT. AT SEA IN A BOAT - NIGHT
SEAN is driving the smart boat very fast. KELLY is at the back looking out to sea. They are looking for someone.
There is a fishing boat in the distance. They reach it quickly.
JAKE
I told you not to come out here.They’ll see you.
SEAN
Tell me it’s not true. You musthave found out more.
KELLY
moves round to the middle of the boat so she can hear. She is trying not to be seen.
JAKE(whispers)
JAKE(whispers)
You couldn’t have seen anything.They wanted you. They wrecked your boat.
SEAN
SEAN
Who?
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