A) Style and content
All scripts should generally be written in a courier font size 12. This is because the letters will be the same size as each other therefore take up the same amount of space on the paper, which makes it easier and much clearer to read. This works out more than a calligraphy font as a calligraphy font would be a lot harder to read and would be unclear to someone trying to read the script for filming purposes. However only one of the scripts I found use this font, the script that uses the font is the film script this is because this is the general stylistic convention of a script. However the other scripts may not use this certain font as the media product they are making may be more flexible in terms of stylistic convention. There is many reasons for this. This is shown in the TV Interview script because guest speakers don't generally know what they're going to say on live television, therefore it is completely random to the producers. Where as video game script is less formal and more for the eyes of the producers than other people as they are making sure the commands all have consequences. In scripts certain layouts are chosen for example in some scripts directions can be used. This generally happens in TV/Film and less likely on radio as directions are normally actions that we as viewers can see. On most of the scripts i have mentions within the script they will state (SFX) which shows that there will be a sound effects played there, however it is abbreviated but this is for no other reason than to make the script a lot neater.
Scripts are generally not just used by actors. They are also used by all the production team, interviewees, producers and camera operators as well as show runners and special effects crew. This is so everybody knows what goes where so they know what is going of at all times and when they are needed within the script. This is an advantage to some job roles as it makes it easy on the camera people as they will know when to switch camera, angle, and view etc. However video games scripts often use a synopsis in their script this is in order to summarise their game to give everybody a bit of background knowledge.
There are four narrative structures in scripts, these are, single-stranded, multi-stranded, linear and non-linear. The scripts I researched, the radio drama script, film script, interview script and news script are all multi-stranded, as they each present narratives/stories/non-fiction events.
B) Narrative structure
Single Stranded - A single stranded film is from the perspective of one character, for example a documentary or a video game. Single stranded scripts are also found in video games where you are playing as a first person playing from one persons view. One example of this would be 'Frozen Planet' This is mainly because David Attenborough is the main focus of the documentary and what is on screen is generally all being talked about by David Attenborough himself with the Voice over.
Multi stranded - Is a script taken from several points of view which is generally what most of the scripts I have looked at are. Which is just like the film, radio and especially radio dramas, this is mainly because of the fact that within the drama there are several characters and you see the story from all their points of view as you can hear exactly what each family is like.
Linear - A linear script is when the story is in chronological order and generally have a beginning, middle and end. The News generally do this is time order as they do things to do with time order when they present the news but they also have a running order. One example of a linear script would be any news script for either tv or radio, This is mainly because these shows have a common objective, they start with the small stories and end with the larger stories but obviously each story they tell would be in order so you don't get confused on the situation that has happened.
Non Linear - Is when a story jumps about using flashbacks and flash forwards to do with going back and forth in time.On example of this would be the film (500) days of summer where the events begin to be told linearly. apart from 9 interruptions which are known as flash forwards but as the days go on these flash forwards the become flash backs. This is important to the film because you are able to see what the character is thinking and how they are feeling, so from the flashbacks we know that the character Tom is now looking back at the relationship and trying to figure out what went wrong.
C) Genre
Radio drama script, film script and video game script are all informal as they exist in order to entertain the audience, where as television news and inteviews can be classed as formal as they are educational and informal therefore have a purpose other than to entertain. An example of a good informal programme is any soap programme for example eastenders, coronation street and hollyoaks etc, this is because they entertain people however these could also be informal as they educate and informal people on real life situations.
D) Target Audience
From the scripts I have researched there is a very differing target demographic for example the script for say a video game of Grand Theft Auto IV would be people above the ages of 18 who like violence so this would be stereotyped towards males. Where as a script for a radio drama such as The Archers would be aimed at people above the ages of 40 who have being listening to show since radios where very popular they would also be aimed at the demographic of ABC1D, For the video game script I found the audience is teenagers on a more male to female proximatey. This is mainly because males are more stereotyped into playing video games than women generally of the demographic ABC1. The target audience of the television tv script and the interview scrip is equally split by gender ratio as this isn't aimed at a specific gender as it specifically aims at people who are trying to keep up with people interested in current affairs and are regular viewers. These sort of programmes that use these scripts would have the spending power of an A/B in target demographic as these will be the ones that generally had quite good careers. In contrast the target demographics for the radio drama and film script are generally based around the spending powers B/C1. This audience is mainly similar to the audience of video games as the audiences use these sort of entertainment as an escapism from their life. The games themselves are aimed at a certain age range, this is mainly because PEGI chooses the age they are aimed at as some of the games can include things that aren't suitable for children of a certain age as they can include things like violence, graphic violence, bad language, sex, discrimination and drugs.
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