I decided to look into researching scripts during todays lesson while we discussed character designs. I want to obtain script examples from 2D, 3D and Stop Motion productions.
This research will help me in the run up to A2, when we are required to actually write a script. In my last blog post on this subject, I looked into a script I found on a website that I was using for research and analysed what the script contains. I did this so that I have a clear idea of how my script should look.
Today I want to focus on what is actually contained within these scrips/screenplays. I also want to look into different concepts of representation that could be shown within them and compare different scripts for different types of animated productions. Does a 2D animation script and a 3D animation script contain different aspects.
I found a very useful site which can be found here. I shared this link with the class as it contains a large variety of scripts and screenplays belonging to existing animations so I thought it would be useful for this part of our research.
I thought to begin my script research I would start by looking at the first page of three different productions.
Rick and Morty / 2D animated series / rated 15
Fantastic Mr Fox / Stop motion film / rated PG
Up / 3D animated film / rated U
Initial thoughts – The layout of each version is essentially the same, with a few minor changes. For example, based on these three scripts, the setting and the initial paragraph for the films are much more detailed than the one for the Rick and Morty episode. I believe this to be because series are snappier when it comes to starting a story. There is less time to communicate extra details within a series than what can be perused / explored within a feature length film. Films focus more on signifiers, as the story is not ongoing. The signifiers communicate to the audience exactly what the background of a character is – this is a key principle of animation known as staging.
To apply this to my understanding of script writing that I have developed so far, will be very useful. In my concepts that are intended for series I can apply this finding and ensure than the opening ‘scene setting’ paragraph will be more abrupt, in comparison to more detailed scene setting paragraph intended for a feature length.
Digital Animation 