how to anayles a script?

Answer 1

You are welcome to my script notes from over the years:

1- Listen to the author! The most important contributor to the play is forgotten: the author. This is the important voice in the work you are about to do. You need to ask yourself: why did he write the play? What does he have to say? Understand what the play is about.

2- Research
You may well come across references in the play that you don’t understand. This is exciting because it is another tip: it means that we need to research further in the author’s world in order to understand the influences.
When was the author writing? (In what year; In what country?)
Culture: What was happening in art, music, theatre and dance?
Politics: What was going on socially and politically in the author’s country? In the world?
What do we know about the author? Was s/he of a high or low social class? Rich? Poor? Educated? Influential?
What else has the author written? Read as much as you can. Is there a common theme in all the plays? A common story?


What is the overall story? (The Super Objective)
You require an understanding of this play on the first reading. You need to know the whole story. You want an overview of the whole play. You are taking it all in. the detail will come later.
(like gazing at the view from the top of a hill)
Write it down.
-It helps you to understand the story.
-It stops you skimming the scenes where your character does not appear.
-It is a useful tool to have for later in rehearsals, because you can go back to your first reactions to this play if you hit problems. Remember - the more work you do on a play, the closer you become to it, and you must remember that…. An audience will see it once and your initial reactions to the play will be close to their immediate reaction as well.


2nd reading of the play:
What is my character’s story?
What is my story?
You are reading to find out why your character is there.
Where do you appear? In what scenes? What do you do? What do you say?
In establishing what your character is does, It allows you, as an actor, to make choices.
Keep it simple!
This part of the analysis is important because it keeps you rooted to the script and allows you to make choices as an actor that are connected to the ‘given circumstances in the play’ (Stanislavski). In other words, finding out where your character fits in to the overall story of the play is based on the facts that are in the play.
Write this story out.

3rd reading of the play:
Who is my character? …Or, Who am I?
On this reading, you can start to explore some details about your character. In other words the facts about who you are.
Don’t invent what isn’t in the script!
Information about your character is in the text - even a two line part will have some information- and so before deciding how your character might walk, or talk or dress, it is best to first discover what the playwright has written about your character.

i. Facts about what I say about myself in the play.
ii. Facts other character’s say about me in the play.
Look for facts about:
1. Physical looks
2. Age
3. Profession / Occupation
4. Social standing (class)
5. Marital status
6. Life story
7. Family information
8. Habits, interests (Do I smoke? Drink? Play sports?)

If the author gives us only a small bit of information, this can be a gift! The author might have chosen to tell us only what s/he thinks is relevant. Is the author guiding us to a particular aspect of the character that s/he wants us to notice.

4th Reading of the play:
Units of Action
This is where we find out what is happening moment to moment in the play. We are going to break down the play.
First let’s establish a common language:
Super objective: what is the play about?
French scenes: Dividing the scenes based on the entrances and exits of characters.
Unit of Action: (AKA Beats/ ‘Bits’):- An event. Something that happens. It has a beginning, a middle, an end. ACTION/ REACTION
It usually starts with the entrance of a character and ends with the exit or the entrance of another character.
Or, it might start with the introduction of a subject matter and end when the subject matter changes.
Objectives/ Tasks( AKA Conflict): What your character needs or wants.
Actions/ Actioning: What your character does to get what he needs or wants

Approaching the play:
1.Break the first act down into French scenes

2.Divide the play into Units of Action

3.Naming the Units Of Action - Give it a TOPIC OUTLINE or a SCENARIO
Break it down into action/reaction
It Is about ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS:
What is GOING ON here? - what is the NEED?
What does she WANT? - what is the OBJECTIVE?
What is STOPPING her? - OBSTACLE
What is her ACTION? - What is she DOING? - STRATEGY?
We want to NAME WHAT A CHARACTER IS DOING, in other words, Describe it in terms of action.
CONFLICT?
Figuring out what the UNITS of Action are is how you find out, as an actor, what your choices are. I.E. what your actions are going to be.
If you don’t know what’s going on, you can’t take any action, can you?!
Describe the action and describe the conflict.

4. ‘ACTIONING’
When faced with a conflict, we take action!
The action is what the you do to get what you want.
WHAT DO YOU WANT?
WHY DO YOU WANT IT?
HOW DO YOU GET IT?

each line while asking ‘The ‘5’ W’s’
WHO am I?
WHERE am I?
WHEN am I?
WHAT do I want?
WHY do I want it?
HOW do I get it?



tips: cross out the stage directions unless they were written by the author himself.
Use pencil - nothing is set in stone
It’s not a science.

Answer 2

Are you analysing the script as an actor? If so, study what your character says, both to the other characters & also when he is by himself. What do other characters say about him? Is there a sub text? Does the character develop or change through the play? If the characters are realistic, 3-dimensional characters you will have to re-create their past lives & consider what hapened to bring them to the point at which we meet them in the play. What about the physical aspects of the character? Look at the language & the rhythm of the writing. If the play is a period one the language will be unfamiliar. What is the structure of the play? Where is the climax? Every line is important & the author has (we hope) chosen his words carefully. Consider the themes of the play. Compare this play with others on a similar theme. If it's an historical play or set in a specific period you will research those characters & that period. Analysing & researching can be very satisfying; enjoy your journey of discovery.

Answer 3

First you have to define the creative elements of a script. What are they?

Second. Go through each creative element in the script and explain how the script succeeds or fails in telling the story relative to these elements.

Answer 4

when you first read it does it stay with you or do the characters seem to drift... is the conversation interesting or does your mind wonder as you read it... are the instructions on what the character looks and acts like vivid enough for someone to easily asume that character... does the plot of the story develope naturally without being a give away... is the ending solid and conclusive or does the story just drivel its way to an end if this were a movie would you pay for you and a date plus popcorn and drinks to go see it?

Answer 5

from what you wrote the guy is probably sleazy..think of roughly it a inn room who shoots video clips at a inn and then he mentioned you dont prefer a script that doesnt make experience. i dont recognize if thats the form of action picture you prefer to be in yet once you prefer to break into the industry as a expert actor i wouldnt do it. id locate someplace else to artwork maybe as one extra on a series or locate an agent..many human beings will earnings from human beings who dont recognize something with reference to the employer dont enable them to push you over..do your learn and wait and notice because of the fact purely like one good action picture could make you, one undesirable action picture can harm you. i'm hoping this helps!! -Bella

Answer 6

Language content eg long words, slang, jargon etc.
use of specific words and why, eg dramatic words such as "Terror" and it could be used to provoke fear.
Pace of script- does it just plod along or is it fast pace
etc etc
good luck

Answer 7

read it carefully see how many words if it is long ,short then see what it talks about then view its main characters its main guidelines ,outlines and moral scripts
and know how is it written and and its origin language.

Answer 8

Learning to spell helps.