LO1: Task 3

Style and Content:

In scripts, the specific conventions detailed are either visual (what we see - photographs, visuals, graphics) or aural (what we hear - voice, music, sound effects).

All of the scripts use different fonts appropriate to their form and content. For example, the film screenplay script for Pulp Fiction uses the conventional 12-point courier font as used in most film scripts as it is generally easy to read and of industry format. The news broadcast script is set into three columns, with the timing recorded on the far left, the visuals in the middle, and the audio and dialogue scripted on the left of the page. Each section is written in Arial 12-point font.

The video game script is very unique in comparison to the other types analysed, using boxes and connected pathways to tell the narrative of the game. The font is san serif and is of a bigger size to both 12-point fonts used on the previous scripts. The radio drama script is written in all capitals using a san serif font, set out so every audio effect is listed, being that it is entirely an audio product.

The screenplays for the film and radio drama have character descriptions to help establish the actors' characters and what actions they will be taking, for example, in the script for Pulp Fiction we see opening and closing brackets in-between dialogue to direct the character's actions, like in the middle of the character Jules' dialogue we see "(To Vincent)" to instruct him to turn to the other character. This will not only help the actors understand their character, but help them to portray them correctly based on their goals and personalities.

The computer game script uses flow charts containing the dialogue for the different decisions the character can make, so there are multiple strands for different choices the character in the game has made, so all the possibilities are scripted before making the game.

In the film screenplay, the characters' dialogue sections are centred in the middle of the page with the narrative written along the left side of the page. This is similar in the TV News broadcast though visuals and audio are more specifically listed, with sections for audio and visual directions including camera angles and dialogue; "Close-up of ignition, hands on wheel, long shot of cars" is seen in the "Video" column to direct the cameras in the broadcast.

The video game script features a synopsis to accompany the dialogue and narrative, this helps the developer understand what part of the game is being played and what actions the characters can take.

Film screenplays and drama scripts tend to have location and stage directions to let the actors know where they should be when acting out their character. Stage directions are important into the actors understanding their required action to take, such as them entering the scene or turning to another character. This is seen in the Pulp Fiction script when brackets show the action the characters take.

Sound effects are presented differently in different types of scripts. The TV News Broadcast script has a separate column for audio, including dialogue, sound effects and jingles. TV News Broadcasts scripts have five different instructions for sound effects. These incude:

N.I. (News Item) This is what s read by the reader, needing no video support in the script. These normally take around 30 seconds long.

Silent: This is when the presenter's voice is anchored to the visuals making the voice the only sound on the screen.

Natsot: This is when the presenter's voice is anchored to the visuals while the visuals still contain natural sounds, e.g a fire incident.

Sound on Tape (SOT): Whatever sound is on the tape will be played, whether it be an interview, voice-over or nat sound.

Voice-Over (V.O.): The presenter's voice narrating the visuals.

Each script also use different modes of address, this is how the dialogue is spoken and in what mode. This can either be teacher to pupil, parent to child and peer to peer.
The News script takes the form of teacher to student, as we are learning of current serious news stories that must be spoken formally.
This is different for the Pulp Fiction script which is an informal, fictional screenplay. The characters take the mode of address of peer to peer, as there is no need for formality aimed towards the audience. This is the same for the radio drama as it is a fictional story and formality doesn't need to be addressed to the audience.
The video game script enforces a peer to peer mode of address as you play as a fictional character where the other characters will informally interact with you.


Narrative Structure

The content of the Pulp Fiction script is known for actively breaking the conventions of a film screenplay, using a non-linear storyline that seems to come together in the end. It is also a multi-stranded script, the story being told through the perspectives of multiple characters. This can't be seen from my example being that it is a small scene from the film but the rest of the film is not in the conventional linear order of a film. Most films tend to be of linear narrative structures, told from beginning to end like Lord of the Rings or Jurassic Park.

The radio drama script is told in linear storyline, conventional for a radio drama as the story is completely audio-based so a linear storyline will make more sense to the listening audience, like The Archers. This is shown by the fluent linear conversations shown in the script that follow a traditional structure. It is also multi-stranded with different voice actors to play multiple characters, like a TV soap drama, as this gives the drama variety and more character development which the audience will find exciting.

The structure of the News broadcast script has a planned running order, this means the presenters know what order the stories and headlines will be presented in. This is seen in the script I have included as there are time frames for when lines and visuals end and begin.

The video game script is almost always linear and singular stranded, due to it usually involving a playable character who goes on some sort of journey that will want to be played in order. Normally a game is single-stranded, although this convention is sometimes broken like in the recent Grand Theft Auto V where there are three characters you play as through the game.

Genre

The Pulp Fiction script is a fictional crime drama, so the slang and dialogue involved is all contrived and rehearsed. This is the case for all fictional motion picture films, although some film screenplays allow improvised dialogue from the actors. The radio drama show is also fictional and is based on fictional events and stories.

The TV News Broadcast is of course based on non-fictional events happening worldwide, such as the news story about the "under-18s driver's club" based on safe driving, to inform audiences at home the current stories internationally. The video game script is also fictional to appeal to someone at home playing as the character, providing escapism, a concept governed by Denis McQuail in 1972.

Target Audience

The target audience for the Pulp Fiction script will be for those over the age of 18 due to its age certificate, and will be targeted more towards a male audience due to its subject matter as a crime drama, though the film has received widespread popularity through both genders who are interested in film as a whole. The spending power of who the film is aimed at varies but will be generally targeted at all audiences from C2D to ABC1 spending power, as these are the figures of households that will have access to the News and enjoy gaming, respectively.

The television news broadcast script will be generally aimed at adults both male and female wanting to know the current events and stories occurring worldwide, though younger audiences are known for also watching the News. The audience targeted will be generally be working class to middle class citizens as these are generally the households for families who are able to tune into the News, appealing to the masses.

Radio dramas are less popular with younger generations due to the availability of television. However these dramas are still often listened to by older audiences around the ages of 50 and above. The gender is quite balanced for this type of script and are listened to relatively equally by both males and females. The spending power for radio dramas will most likely be working class of C2D households.

The video game script will be aimed at typically young and young adult audiences, also depending on the age certification of the games content. The gender will depend on the content of the game, but this particular script appears to be a role playing or fighting game due to its lexical field of "hero". A video game script will be generally aimed towards a working class to upper class household who own a game console, and those wanting escapism.