How to Write and Shoot a Great Scene

Activities based around the process of writing, arranging, filming andediting a scene.

CFE Level 4 (age 12-14)

Resource created by Cat Hepburn, freelance writer

Contents

About these resources …………………………………………………………………………….2

Anthony Horowitz…………………………………………………………………………………..2

Adapting a novel to screen…………………………………………………………………….….2

Activity 1………………………………………………………………………………………….….2

Choosing a set..……………………………………………………………………………....…..3

Activity 2……………………………………………………………………………………………..3

Content, characterisation and formatting...…………………………………………………….3

Activity 3………………………………………………………………………………………….….4

Dialogue …………………………………………………………………………………………….4

Activity 4……………………………………………………………………………………………..5

Preparing to film………………………………………………………………………………...... 5

Activity 5………………………………………………………………………………………….….6

Directing...... ………………………………………………………………………..…….6

Storyboards………………………………………………………………………………………....8

Activity 6……………………………………………………………………………………………..9

Activity 7……………………………………………………………………………………….…….9

Editing……………………………………………………………………………………………….9

About these resources

These resources willexplore the various aspects of creating a scene, from writing, to filming, to editing. Examples and activities from Anthony Horowitz’s first two books from the Alex Rider series, Stormbreaker and Point Blancwill be used to explain the process of writing and shooting a scene. The aim of each activity is to strengthen the development of the pupils’ understanding of key conceptsand requirements. Whether they complete several or all of the tasks, we hope that they inspire the pupils to think creatively about how they could approach a text and adapt it to screen.

Anthony Horowitz is a British novelist and screenwriter who has written a wide range of television, film, books and articles. He has written over 40 books and is perhaps best known for his best-selling Alex Rider teen spy series. The popular series is known around the world, selling an estimated 19 million copies and was adapted into a blockbuster movie in 2006. In addition to writing, Horowitz is a patron for East Anglia Children’s Hospices and the anti-bullying charity Kidscape. In 2014 he received an OBE for his services in literature.

Adapting a novel to screen

Adapting a novel to screeninvolves turning the internal to external.With a book, an author can invite the reader inside the head of the characters. In a scene for film or television, a character’s emotions and feelings are shown to the audience by the words they use, their actions and facial expressions.

Activity 1

Think of a scene that you would like to adapt from Stormbreaker or Point Blanc, involving at least two characters speaking to one another. Here are some suggestions:

Stormbreaker

  • Alex’s meeting with Alan Blunt and Mrs Jones(p48)
  • Smithers and Mrs Jones give Alex his spy equipment(p85)
  • Alex meets Herod Sayle(p99)
  • Sayle and Mr Grin interrogate Alex(p184)

Point Blanc

  • Sir David Friend and Alex discuss his mission (p77)
  • Fiona has just been saved by Alex (p109)
  • Mrs Stellenbosch questions Alex over dinner (p127)
  • Dr Grief and Mrs Stellenbosch threaten Alex (p208)

Choosing a set

Budget plays a big part in any screen production. In an ideal world, you would have a limitless budget for mind blowing Computer Generated Images, big Hollywood actors and impressive set designs. But you will have to use ordinary spaces and toolsand you must think realistically about your scene.

Activity 2

Think of two locations that you have access to and note down what you could add or change to make the space fit the scene that you have chosen.

Content, characterisation and formatting

The content of a scene should be interesting to keep the audience hooked. The best scenes move the action forward in some way. A scene is made more dramatic by two characters wanting opposing things and in different positions of power- this creates conflict. InPoint Blanc’s chapter How to Rule the World, Alex wakes up to find himself handcuffed to a chair and Dr Grieftells him how he plans to kill him the following morning. Who do you think holds the power in that scene? What would change the power dynamic between them?

Characterisation is very important to storytelling. It is how the author conveys information about a character and gives the reader a better understanding of the emotional and physical aspects of an individual. In Stormbreaker, look at how the main character Alex Rider is introduced:

“Alex was fourteen, already well-built, with the body of an athlete. His hair, cut short apart from two thick strands hanging over his forehead, was fair. His eyes were brown and serious.”

From three sentences, we know his age, appearance, and his ‘serious’ eyes hint towards a determined personality.

Formatting a scene in a script is different from in a novel. Authors of novels have plenty of time and space to go into great detail about the appearance and inner thoughts of a character if they wish. The key thing about a script is providing necessary information, using as little words as possible. When introducing a new character, put their name in CAPITALS and their age in brackets, followed by a couple of adjectives.If you were introducing Alex as a new character in a scene it would most likely look this:

ALEX RIDER (14), athletic and serious.

Activity 3

Come up with an introduction like the example above for the characters in your scene. Think about their physical appearance and personality. Tell us something interesting about them, and remember there is no need to go into huge detail.

Dialogue

Dialogueis the name for the words that each character speaksand it is key to most scenes. The audience can tell a lot about the way a character speaks: their personality, their background, their age and their profession. Look at the way that Horowitz has writtenevil Herod Sayle from Stormbreaker speaking:

“You bliddy snobs with your stuck-up schools and your stinking English superiority! But I’m going to show you. I’m going to show you all!” (p186).

Sayle has an accent to signify that he is from Beirut. It is made clear by his language thathe has a chip on his shoulder about his school years in England, and he is out for revenge.

When writing dialogue, try and make it natural- but not too natural. If scripts were written exactly how people talk, they would ramble on and sometimes not go anywhere.Avoid big long speeches and remember that a scene is the illusion of real life, not an absolute copy. Sometimes it helps by reading the dialogue aloud as it helps you to discover what works and what might need changed.

Activity 4

Pick couple of lines of dialogue (characters in conversation) from your chosen scene. Ask yourself these questions:

  • Is it clear by the words used which character is speaking?
  • If you were to use these lines in a scene, would you add, take away or change any words?
  • Can you replace any of the words with an action, so that you show and don’t tell?

It is much better to show the audience what a character is thinking by their character’s actions, than by their dialogue. Actions almost always speak louder than words.

In a script, the name of the character that is speaking goes in the centre of the page and their dialogue goes underneath. Any action is written as it happens, in CAPITALS in the most direct and brief way possible. If there are any pauses, use the word BEAT. Look at this example adapted from p210 of Stormbreaker.

ALEX

I know everything. I know about the Gemini Project.

And I’ve already told London that I know. If you do

anything to me they’ll kill you. They’re on their way

now.

DR GRIEF SMILES WITH CONFIDENCE.

DR GRIEF

It may well be that your friends are on their way.

BEAT.

Preparing to film

On a professional set, there could be twenty or more people, all with different jobs such as make-up, lighting, grip, sound, director of photography, director...the list goes on. On smaller productions, it’s up to the filmmakers to use what resources they have available to them in order to get the best out of their scene.

Locationis a key part to shooting a scene. Where the action takes place can inform the story, such as in Stormbreaker, when Alex falls into the water tank with the giant jellyfish in it at Herod Sayle’s, or the foreboding Academy perched on the snowy peaks in Point Blanc.

Mise-en-Scèneis a French phrase that means ‘placing on stage’. It is used to describe the arrangement of actors, lighting, props and costume. It is the result of many different parts working together to make a scene. You would rarely hear the phrase used on a set, but it is good to be aware of the overall look of the production.

Lightingcan have a big impact on a scene’s tone. Shadows can create a dark, moody atmosphere and lots of light can create an open, non-threatening tone. If you don’t have access to studio lights then don’t worry, you can create effects by using a lamp or closing or opening blinds.

Costumeis what each character is wearing in a scene. It is a great way to show an audience who they are. For eg when Fiona Friend’s gang is introduced in Point Blanc’s chapter The Shooting Party, we are told that:

“They had uniform Barbour jackets, tweed trousers, flat caps and Huntsman leather boots… Each of them carried a shotgun…”

Their costume tells us that they are wealthy and from the countryside. The word ‘uniform’ suggests that they are all dressed like one another.

Activity 5

Pick a character from your scene and make a list of what they are wearing in the book. Do you have access to any of these items? Could you use something different that would have the same effect?

Directing

The role of the director is to make decisions about the creative and dramatic aspects of a film. A director will read a script and choose what they want the finished article to look like. They bring together all of the different components such as the actors, lighting and camera work and control how they are done.

Cameras are used to film the action. If you have access to two cameras you could ‘cross shoot’, which means film two characters at once. If you have one camera you would do a ‘bish and a bosh’, meaning you film one character for the whole scene, and then film the other character for the whole scene. You would then mix the two shots in the edit.

Shot sizes

A wide shot, or establishing shot introduces a new location – Alex’s school, the army training grounds, Herod Sayle’s mansion, Point Blanc Academy – all from a wide angle which will allow the audience to see where we are, and any relevant characters.

A master shot(usually in a wide) records the entire action, a complete run-through from that camera position. Continuity of action by the actors should be established for this shot, because it could be used in the edit, at any point in the scene.

A long shot/full shot, displays the character from head to toe, which gives details on how they dress, and how they move. Body language can convey a lot in these shots.

Medium/mid shots are the most common types of shots in the movies. Showing most of the actor’s body, they are halfway between long shots and close-ups.

In close-up shots, the actortakes up most of the frame. Close-ups are much more dramatic than long or medium shots. They are preferred when conveying someone’s emotion. They should not be used for an everyday piece of dialogue such as “would you like a cup of tea?” because it is not dramatic enough.

Extreme close-ups show detail in an actor’s face that would be missed in a wider shot. Typically, they are close-ups of a character’s eyes or mouth.

Insert Shots/Cut-away shotsdon’t focus on people. They are used to emphasise a relevant object, or details of a prop that an actor is working with, for eg Alex Rider’s ‘zit cream’ in Stormbreaker. They are usually tight shots, in which objects fill most of the frame- but the actor will have to repeat any action involving that prop, sometimes in a particular way for the camera.

Reaction Shotsare part of the coverage of a scene, whenever possible. They are usually a close-up of an actor (who may not even have dialogue) reacting to what is being said, or action that is happening.

Blockingis the term used for working out where the actors and camera will go to ‘cover’ a scene.Once this has been discussed, and blocked out, the Director will let the crew know how they are going to ‘cover’ the scene.The ‘coverage’ is the number and angles of shots that will be filmed.

Storyboards

After you have decided on the shots you will use, storyboardscan be a useful way to plan your scene. In each square, you draw what the camera will see and underneath you write down what action is taking place. The drawings do not have to be too detailed or great works of art; using stick men and basic outlines of objects will do just fine.

Activity6

Sketch a storyboard for your scene, then get writing. A scene should be 2 – 3 pages long.

Re-write, Re-write, Re-write! When you write your scene,the best tool you have is to re-write and self-edit. First drafts are never the best, and you can always improve on your work. Never be afraid to write badly because you can always go back and change it. Why not get a friend to look over your scene for spelling or grammar? Keep in mind the following things:

  • Does it have a sense of conflict?
  • Does it move the story forward?
  • Is the dialogue natural and punchy?
  • Are you showing and not telling?

Activity 7

Time to film your scene!

Editing

Editing is the final stage. The best editors make editing invisible, so that the audience doesn’t even realisethat it has happened. It is partly the editor’s job to make sure there is continuity- an unbroken consistent flow of action. Here are the main things to keep in mind when editing:

  • Alwayssave your work, even the shots that you don’t think you will need.
  • Watch out for continuity errors –eg was the actress’s hair behind her ear the entire time?
  • Start on wider shots and go tighter, never the other way around.
  • Use reaction shots to add to the drama.
  • Cut on action – make sure the action at the end of one shot matches the beginning of the next shot.
  • Don’t be afraid of getting it wrong and BE PATIENT!

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