Writing a Script from Your Formula Story Outline

Humanities

This week’s assignment is designed for you to try your hand at script writing for the stage.

First view the video on play writing formatting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sihSKcQB5OE

Next, choose a section of your Formula Story Outline that you did in the last module that you would like to turn into a scene from a play.

You are not going to write a full play, but rather just one scene from a play. You get to choose which part of your formula story outline you would like to use. Your scene should be about two to three pages.

SOME TIPS:

Plays take place in the present moment. Information about the play is revealed in the things that the characters do and say through dialogue. So, you can’t write their backstory. You have to jump right into where the characters are at this moment, and write it as if it is happening RIGHT NOW.

You must choose a SPECIFIC DETAILED LOCATION. For example “In New York City” is too broad and we don’t know where the location is. “Sue and Jose are sitting at a table in an outside cafe on 34th Street in New York” is specific. Once you watch the video you will understand more.

Say the dialogue OUT LOUD as you write it, as if you were the character saying it. It tends to make the dialogue more realistic.

I have also included some sample scripts for you to look at for formatting and so you can understand how they are set up.

Enjoy yourself, and don’t stress out about this assignment. Dialogue is really fun to write!