Stage and Screen Script Writing Fall, 2016
Essay: Script Analysis
Introduction:
For this assignment, you will be writing an essay of 1250-1500 words in which you analyze the structure
of a feature length screenplay or a full-length stage play (or television episodeas long as it is relatively
lengthy). This assignment is due by 11:50PM ET, Sunday, at the end of Week 5. Extensions are
available, but you must notify (you do not need to askjust notify) the instructor in advance of the
deadline. You may set your due date up through 11:50PM ET, Wednesday of Week 6.
Overview:
When you complete this assignment, you will have created a professional analysis of a script to see how
well it fits an established formula for dramatic structure.
Please use MLA format (please just imitate the sample you find in the given linkor, if youd rather,
watch this tutorial by David Taylor from the EWC). Remember that you will need to properly cite or
document your clip in MLA style.
Please review the rubric (at the end of this document) carefully so that you will be sure to include all the
necessary elements. Dont forget to proofread.
Assignment:
For this assignment, please complete the following steps:
Step 1: Please select a script which you find online from a professional source (prefer complete scripts
the finished script rather than the working scriptthough it is fine to use a working script if that is all you
can find) in a no-cost source. Be sure to cite your script (and please provide a live link to it in the title).
You may use any of the following sources:
? Online services like the following:
o http://www.dailyscript.com/ (when you run a search on this database, be sure that Web
is not selectedselect www.dailyscript.comso that you will be searching on the script
database)
o http://www.imsdb.com/
o http://www.simplyscripts.com/
o http://www.theatrehistory.com/plays/
o http://drama.eserver.org/plays/
? Classic plays are available from the Internet Archive, Project Gutenberg, and other online sources
? If you have a particular interest in a given topic or genre and cannot find anything you like, just
ask in the Ask the Professor thread, and we will do our best to find something you will enjoy.
Step 2: Read the script and then select the dramatic structure that it seems most closely to fit. You can
select any of the following structures:
? Aristotles/Freytags five-part structure
? Syd Fields three-act paradigm
? Blake Snyders BS2
? Joseph Campbells monomyth
? or other standard formula for dramatic structure
Stage and Screen Script Writing Fall, 2016
Step 3: Analyze the script, thinking about how it fits the given structure.
? Let us say that you picked something like Joseph Campbells monomyth and then decided to look
at the script for the Harryhausen version of Jason and the Argonauts.
? You would start out looking for the various elements of the monomyth: the Call to Adventure, the
Supernatural Aid, the Threshold Guardians, the Threshold, the Helper, the Mentor, the
Challenges and Temptations, the Abyss (Death and Rebirth), the Transformation, the Atonement,
the Gift of the Goddess, and the Return.
? You might or might not find all these elementssome of them may include variations, some of
them may be skipped altogether, some of them may be replaced by elements from perhaps other
dramatic structures.
? You would then think about how closely the given script fits the formula, where it varies, why it
varies, and how effective the given script is in terms of its structure.
Step 4: Plan your essay. You probably will not use all the information you have generatedtry to select
three or so related sub-points which help to prove an overall point.
? If you were doing the Monomyth, you might actually have a lot of relatively short paragraphsso
sub-heads might be needed. This might also be true if you use the BS2 (which fits many modern
films quite well). Sub-heads and shorter paragraphs would be fine, but each paragraph should
have a topic sentence and specific details to support it.
? If you are doing the three-act paradigm, there will probably be about three parts. If you do the
five-part structure, you might have five parts. But, be sure to cover each element of the formula
that you select.
? Come to a conclusion about whether or not the given script has a good dramatic structureit
doesnt have to fit the formula to have a good dramatic structure, but analyzing the piece to see
where it fits and where it does not should make it easier to see the structure and evaluate it.
Step 5: Draft your essay. Make sure that this is an academic essay (something like a white paper in
industry) with all the expected elements. If you were to outline your paper, it would look something like
this:
Stage and Screen Script Writing Fall, 2016
I. Introduction
a. Attention-getter
b. Context of the scene
c. Thesis statement (your overall judgment about the scripts dramatic structurewith a list of
the three or more points you will cover)
II. Body paragraphs (typically at least threeeach includes the following)
a. Topic sentence (the point of this paragraphit should link back to the thesis statement)
b. Evidence to support the topic sentence (remember that you should not just list out examples,
but explain how each one supports the point you are making)
c. Concluding sentence which explains the relevance of this topic
III. Conclusion
a. Attention-getter
b. An over-arching observation which draws all points made in the body paragraphs together
and answers the question, So what? The conclusion should bring closure to the piece
Step 6: Proofread your essay, check the manuscript form, and check the citation/documentation. Please
feel free to contact the Effective Writing Center for assistance or to ask any questions you may have in
the classroom.
This assignment is due on Sunday, 11:50PM, ET, Sunday, at the end of Week 5. All work must be
submitted prior to 11:59PM, ET, on the last day of the course.
Smith 4
Essay: Script Analysis
(1250-1500 words, papers which are too brief
or overly long will be penalized)
Excellent Good Needs some
improvement
Needs much
improvement
Points
earned
Focus15 points
The essay focuses on the written script
for a given film or play. The entire
scripts structure is considered. (This
source must be freely available, online.)
The essay uses one specific dramatic
structure (Aristotle/Freytag, Syd Field,
Blake Snyder, Joseph Campbell, etc.) to
analyze the structure of the script.
No other outside text is considered. (If
the focus is too off-topic, the paper may
be returned without a grade and
specified revisions must be completed
before resubmission.)
Structural elements25 points
The film/play and its author and other
key creators are clearly identified
either in the title or in the first
paragraph of the essay (or both).
The essay contains an introduction
which briefly summarizes the film/play
script and states which dramatic
structure it will be compared to.
The introduction ends with a thesis
statement which makes an observation
about the strength of the dramatic
structure in the given script and
mentions the principle issues which will
be considered in the analysis.
The essay includes body paragraphs
each paragraph should consider one
element of the given dramatic structure
(exposition, rising action, climax,
falling action, denouement, etc.).
The essay contains a conclusion which
does not repeat the language of the
introduction. An over-arching point
may be made to bring the piece to
conclusion.
Purpose30 points
The essay contains an analysis of the
scriptthe emphasis is upon the
dramatic structure.
The essay contains an assessment of the
Smith
5
script and how well it does (or where it
does not) fit the sample dramatic
structure chosen.
The essay should be objective
analysis
it should not be focused on
plot explication, personal expression,
experimental prose, or speculation. The
purpose should be to clearly analyze
and evaluate the script
.
Mechanics
15 points
Sentences are correctly constructed,
without run
-ons or fragments. Sentences
have good flow.
Punctuationcommas, semi
-colons,
apostrophes, etc.
is correctly used
throughout.
Language
word choice, spelling,
vocabularyis correctly used
throughout.
Manuscript style, citation and
documentation
15 points
MLA manuscript style is used correctly
throughout.
All quotes are correctly indicated by use
of double quotation marks or inset text.
All paraphrases and summaries are
correctly indicated. In
-text,
parenthetical citations are used
wherever necessary. (Remember that all
quotes from the work you are analyzing
must be cited in your text by use of
parenthetical citation in MLA style).
Each source cited in the text appears on
the Works Cited page at the end of the
essay, and each reference entry is in
MLA style. [Note: no sources beyond
our readings should be used; ideally
only the primary source and the
dramatic structure should be used.
Papers which contain outside sources
will be returned without a grade
cases
which indicate fraud may be sent to the
Academic Misconduct Committee for
action and sanctions may result. ]
Total points earned
Smith 6
Submission:
Please submit your work to the appropriate folder in the Assignments area. Make sure that it is in PCcompatible
format (.rtf, .doc, .docx, .odf).
I will be running your work through Turnitin. You may run your work through Turnitin yourself (if it is in a
compatible format), but you will have to create your own account in Turnitin (this is free). Here is the link
to some instructions from our library. You will need the Class ID and the enrollment password:
? Class ID: 11621663
? Enrollment password: novels
If your work contains more than 20% unoriginal material (that is, quotes from sources), then it will
probably include too much quoting. If there is any source used that is not correctly cited, the paper may
be forwarded to the Academic Misconduct Committee for action.