Script Writing: Screenplay

Characters:

Tart with a heart - Emily

Pub chav - Charlotte

Counsellor - Ben

Student (son) - Joey

The family Townsend:

Phil

Sheila

Junior

'Tart with a heart':

Brandii-Mae Brown

 

Phil and Sheila are a married couple, who are comfortable with each other, but argue a lot with each other. They have been together for many years, and had a child at the age of 20. The relationship has fallen apart in recent years, and Phil has looked elsewhere for love. Their son, Junior, who is gay, doesn't spend too much time with his parents, as he is totally sick with the arguing. He spends a lot of time with Brandii-Mae Brown, a fellow college student with Junior, who is a doing GCSE's at college. Phil has an affair with Brandii-Mae, who is many years his junior.

Brandii-Mae is a 18 year old Liverpudlian girl, who is from a very disjointed family. She never knew her father, and her mother was very rarely around. Because of this, she spend most of her teenage life involved in gang culture. At the age of 15, she ran away with a 27 year old man to London. He told her that he could give her a modelling contract, but after a time of living with him, it became clear that he was simply using her for his own sexual desire. Not only was he a sexual predator, he also dealt in Class A drugs. After a drugs raid on his property, he is arrested, and Brandii-Mae is taken into the police station for care, where she is looked after by Phil Townsend, a counsellor. Phil is married to Sheila, who owns and runs a pub, The Town's End. Their marriage is broken, but they stay together for the sake of their son, Junior. He establishes a rapport with Brandii- Mae, who spills her heart to Phil. She sees him as a father figure, something she has never had before, and falls helplessly in love with him. Because his marriage is in total disarray, Phil finds it easy to fall for Brandii-Mae. Regular counselling sessions mean that they can meet in complete privacy. And after a time, the sessions became less about Brandii talking about her feeling, but they start to develop a sexual relationship. Because of her bad experiences and lack of formal education, Phil manages to get Brandii into college to study for English and Maths GCSE. While she is studying, she meets Junior, and strikes up a friendship - not because she likes him, but she sees him as a way to spend more time with Phil. Junior takes Brandii home to meet his parents, and Phil is shocked to see her. He takes her to the side to ask her why she is really here. Even though he is trying to be serious, she is being extremely flirty. He tries to stand off to her, but realises that he is not going to win, and actually wants Brandii. As days go by, she sees more of Phil, and becomes more flirty. Phil and Brandii start to see each other at every opportunity - when Brandii has a break at college, and Sheila has gone out, he would pick her up and bring her to the pub.

Examples of Contextualised Shakespeare Plays

In class today we learnt about the different contexts that we can perform Shakespeare's work in. Many companies/films have changed the context of Shakespeare's work; an example of this is the 1996 film 'Romeo And Juliet' OR the current production of 'Othello' at the National Theatre in London. The main reason for changing the context of Shakespeare's traditional work is to create a new, exciting piece that will appeal to new, contemporary audiences. 

 The 1996 film 'Romeo & Juliet' is another interesting contextualisation of a traditional Shakespeare Play- Romeo & Juliet; William Shakespeare's 16th Century masterpiece. The film is set in modern day Verona, Italy and everything from costume to ways of transport screams modern contextualisation! (current for 1996 anyway!) With the exception of the dance (fancy dress) where Romeo is wearing a knight's costume and Juliet in a plain white dress, the cast wear clothes that you would expect to see people wearing on holiday. I think this works as it makes the setting seem more believable. Unlike the traditional play, this film is based around the suburb of 'Verona' which includes 'Verona Beach', which is, essentially a beautiful beach and it's clear that it is meant to be a place in California due to it's beautiful golden sand. The feuding families Similar to Macbeth On The Estate, the characters are made to look and feel like gangsters in their 'gangs'. For example, the directors use of guns and motorbikes not only make the film a lot more modern than a traditional version, they really emphasise the fact that the two families are powerful, frightening and genuinely want to cause harm to each other. What I find most interesting is that Romeo even takes an ecstasy pill before going to the Capulet's fancy dress party which highlights the modern contextualisation of the film as Romeo does NOT take an ecstasy pill in the traditional version. The Characterisation is very interesting in this film. What I like about this film is that it retains the original Shakespeare Dialogue yet the characterisation is still very different due to to the change in context. The Montague's, in particular, I find the Montague's to be particularly immature and boystorous- this is emphasised by the ecstasy pill that Romeo takes. I also find that in this version, Romeo and Juliet's relationship is a lot more graphic (sexually) then it would've been in the original version. Of course this is because of the change in audience and how in today's days 'sex sells'! It also of note that Mercutio's character is played by a black actor (Harrold Perrineau) in this film.

 Unfortunately, back in Shakespeare's time there wouldn't have been any black actors on stage and this definitely wouldn't have happened. The use of lighting in this film was nothing particularly special as in a film the lighting is very natural and realistic- you wouldn't have any 'red lighting' in real life whereas you could in theatre. However, it is definitely right to say that on the whole this film is a lot brighter then what the original would've been like- although this is due to the fact that the context is different and is set in a sunny paradise! However, what is still clear in this version is the night/day; dark/light theme that was there in the original. Rome and Juliet find comfort and safety in the dark (as they can't be seen). Yet they find daylight to be dangerous as it's impossible to hide they're relationship when everyone is around. Sound-wise the film includes a lot of music by 'current' artists like Radio Head. This again appeals to the 1996 audience. Both Romeo and Juliet kill themselves like in the original, however, in this film Juliet shoots herself in the head and dies instantly after realising Romeo has poisoned himself. In my opinion, this is a fitting ending as it shows the difference between Shakespeare's time and the modern world's technology (of guns ect).

 The Tempest (2010), like Rome and Juliet (1996), is a film that has been translated from one of Shakespeare's original plays. Perhaps the most interesting difference to the original stage version is the fact that the film's Antagonist, Prospera, is a woman when in the original Prospera is male. Prospera is played by Helen Mirren, who's career started in the 1960's with the Royal Shakespeare Company. The costumes used in The Tempest actually gave costume designer Sandy Powell an Academy Award Nomination. The costumes stay true to the play's Elizabethan heritage but are more 'punky' and actually look quite futuristic. I believe the reason for making the costumes 'Futuristic Elizabethan Punk' are to appeal to the modern audience.

 Of course, the aesthetical set differences between a stage version and film version are obvious- it's going to look a lot different. But, essentially, The Tempest (2010) stays very true to the original as the scenes used in the play are also used in the film- it's just a lot more visually clearer where they are.

 The use of making Prospero a female is very interesting, however, essentially she is not actually Prospero. The play has been adapted so that Helen Mirren plays 'Prospera' who's husband (The Duke Of Milan; Prospero) has been killed. She gets accused by his brother of killing her with Witchcraft and is sent off on a boat to die with her 4 year old daughter. Of course, the fact that Prospero (Prospera) is a woman in this production means that the characterisation of this character is completely different. Prospera may be a strong woman, but she is still essentially a woman which means her body language and gestures are womanly- opposite to the original; quite literally. I believe the director has made the decision to change the sex of Prospero to create an original and innovative take on a Shakespeare classic.

The use of sound in this film is a world away from the sound that would've been used at the Globe during Shakespeare's days. Of course, the fact that this is a film means that a lot more sound is possible- including non-diegetic music to help set the moods and tones of each scene. The non diegetic music used in this film really does help create themes of emotion like suspense, fear ect. However, I must admit that the whines of an electric guitar do seem a bit out of place in what is, essentially, meant to be a simple play. However, I can't say that either one is better as both are completely different.

 The new production of Othello at the famous National Theatre in London also uses a very interesting contextualisation of the original play of the same name. This new, contextualised version of Othello is not set in Venice, like the original. This adaptation based around Othello, a soldier in the Iraq War who is turned against his own wife to the point where he feels so strongly about her supposed 'cheating' that he kills her. Other adaptations of Othello have been accused of being 'overly racist' but it is clear that in this production, the only 'real' racist is Desmedona's Father 'Brabantino'. Of course, back when Shakespeare wrote Othello, the thought of a black man falling in love with a white woman was a

Costume:
 The main piece of costume used in this production is the army's Desert Combat Uniform. This really emphasises the setting of the play, as well as highlighting the fact that the characters are in a war zone.

Set:

Characterisation:

Sound:

For each one, you should discuss:

-   costume – how does it help us to understand the setting? How is this different from the costumes that Shakespeare’s actors would have worn?

-   set – what has the set designer chosen to include? Why? How is this set different to what Shakespeare’s audiences would have seen?

-   Characterisation – how are the characters speaking and moving? How is this different to how Shakespeare’s actors would have spoken and moved?

-   Lighting – how does this differ from the Elizabethan theatre experience?

-   Sound – how does this differ from the Elizabethan theatre experience? (A clue – when my Mum and Dad went to see an Elizabethan style production of “The Tempest” recently, the Thunder and lightning was done by a big metal sheet behind the backdrop and a load of drums) 

Soliloquy Lesson

Soliloquy:
I want to buy an apple from Victoria
But i've only got a ha'penny coin
I'm very very very very hungry
I wish I had more money to my name
No one here appreciates my wigs
Not even Will Shakespeare himself.
It makes me feel ever so upset
My wigs. My wigs.

 I have chosen to break the pentameter rhythm on the last line to show how upset Richard is about the lack of credit he gets for fitting and making wigs. All he really cares about is building up his reputation and gradually working his way up the social ladder. However, he feels looked down upon by other people at the theatre and doesn't feel particularly accepted.

 The physical pentameter exercise in class helped me write my soliloquy as it taught us how iambic pentameters work and sound. After the exercise I could still here the rhythm in my head and this was very helpful when it came to writing the soliloquy itself.

 I believe the line 'No one here appreciates my wigs' best show Richard's feelings. He gets upset because no one appreciates his work in wig making- especially the theatre workers. However the line is actually a lot deeper then it appears on the surface. Richard was disowned by his parents when he was just 10 after he ran away due to being neglected and mistreated. He always has a feeling deep down that no one really wants anything to do with him and no one 'appreciates' him. His biggest fear is being disowned by his current friends/family and what happened with his blood family will always haunt him. This line obviously also explains what has happened in his life (with his family). The line 'I've only got a ha'penny coin.' shows that he doesn't have that much money although he doesn't have a bad wage- he just likes to spend money on things he shouldn't be buying just to show off.

 Today's lesson was very interesting as it taught me many things. Mainly, it taught me a lot of Contextual information about William Shakespeare and the era that his work was first published and performed which is vital knowledge when portraying a Shakespearean character. My Character, Richard Price, is a wig maker and I learnt that although Wig Makers are essentially working class, they would spend most of their time working for/and with the middle/upper class. Due to his constant mixing with those of higher social classes, Richard likes to think he is of a higher social class then he really is, so naturally he is very well spoken. In the soliloquy I have chosen to focus on his life at the theatre. He often feels like he doesn't get enough money, or credit, for his wig making. He doesn't just work in the theatre but on show days he does spend the whole day there preparing and fitting wigs on actors and performers. The improvisation exercise reminded me of how hard it is to stay in character for a suspended amount of time without having scripted lines! Unlike musicals, you don't have songs and dances to break up scenes- it is constant acting. 

Macbeth On The Estate

 'Macbeth On The Estate' is a contemporary version of Shakespeare's legendary 'Macbeth' and is set on a Council Estate in Birmingham. What is great about this version is that it is so current and tackles a lot of issues that people will be able to relate to in today's day and age. For example, the 'great battle' that Macbeth is battling at the beginning of the piece is very similar to a 'gang war' (very different to the original yet very similar!). The fact they murder they're enemy in the opening scene by putting him in a car, covering him in petrol and setting him on fire is also very realistic to life in 1997 to the present as arson attacks are, unfortunately, a part of modern life. The reason for this choice of death is to again, appeal to a current audience who wouldn't necessarily be interested in watching  a Classical version of Shakespeare's Macbeth. Another element of the play that is very different to the original is the Director's choice of costume. In 'Macbeth on the Estate' the characters are quite 'chavvy' and look scruffy. The use of the 'tower block' 'council estate' enables the audience to relate to the story and I believe this is the main reason the Director has chosen to use this context. 

All characters are portrayed as aggressive, intimidating and dangerous- very similar to the original, but of course they are shown as aggressive in different ways- especially through the choice of weapons- baseball bat in particular. The fact that they are willing to bludgeon their opponents with a blunt object repeatedly to kill them shows that they are very angry people. The use of turning the storyline into a gang battle makes it easier for the modern audience to understand as they might not necessarily understand all the dialogue but will be able to follow the story through movement, body language and other general visual aspects. There is also several black actors which would not have been the case in Shakespearean times- I believe the director has chosen to use actors of different ethnicities as this produces a realistic viewing of a diverse Council Estate and celebrates racial equality. As far as I know, in the 1990's racism was still about and there was still a lot of stigma attached to race- I believe that the director of Macbeth On The Estate wanted to show that no matter what race everyone is, we can all work together as we are all equal. 

Elizabethan Character Profile

Character #1:

Name: Richard Price

Job: Wig Maker; Richard's family business is in Wig Making. Everyone in his family all helps out with the business- a typical working day will include making wigs and hairpieces for both men AND women, cutting hair, selling perfumes, powders, soaps and cures for lice! He is working class but most of his customers are Working/Upper Class and they very often treat him disrespectfully and look down on him. He was disowned by his parents at just 12 years old and has now become part of the Price Family (who own the Wig Making business.

Transport: On Foot; Richard doesn't have much money and therefore walks everywhere. This includes walking to the theatre as he lives just a 10 minute from the theatre.

Home: His home is very small- in fact, there is just 4 rooms in the house for 8 people. There is a communal toilet in the garden that residents and his family all share.

Props/Costume he's seen in the theatre: 

Richard has only seen Shakespeare's productions/plays as he makes/fits wigs for Shakespeare's actors. He is used to seeing the 'medieval' costumes like the ones in the photo to the right. Of course, he has

What he likes about Theatre:
Richard's favourite thing about theatre is the acting. He dreams of becoming  an actor himself and loves Shakespeare's Tragedy Plays- his favourites are Macbeth and Rome and Juliet. 

What he dislikes about Theatre:

How filthy the standing area is and how everyone is always drunk and disrespectful to the actors.

What plays he has watched recently and what is his favourite play:

He has seen Romeo and Juliet very recently. It was his favourite play of Shakespeare's tragedy sub-genre. He liked it because the storyline was heart breaking and it genuinely made him leave the theatre sad. He loves how plays can capture him like Romeo And Juliet did.

History of Theatre Timeline

534 B.C.	Drama as competition	Thespis wins the first public contest for tragic poets. The term thespian derives from his name. He also introduces masks.
550 – 300 BC	Greek Theatre: Tragedy or Comedy	Tragedy: (Conflict between a protagonist & the Antagonist) Comedy: (An escape from reality, often dealing with characters of a “lower type”.) Aristotle thought that the purpose of Greek theatre is "to arouse strong emotions in its audience (catharsis)” so to do this in an outdoor amphitheatre full of 15 000 people while wearing a mask must have needed slow, clear and careful delivery. Plays are performed by main actors wearing masks and a chorus who sing, dance and narrate. EXAMPLES: Euripides, a Greek Playwright, wrote 18 tragedies, of which, include Medea, Alcestis, The Trojan Woman and Helen.
900 – 1500	Christian Theatre - Mystery Plays, Miracle Plays and Morality Plays.	Christian themed dramas, originally acted out by priests in churches, then by members of the community outdoors, in order to communicate the stories of the Bible to people who can’t read. EXAMPLES: Christian Theatre was used to re-tell Biblical Stories, to re-enforce people's faith and to teach people people morals.
1550 – 1642	Revenge Tragedy, Elizabethan & Jacobean Comedy	Non-religious themes – Love, robbery, revenge, class, royalty, war. EXAMPLES: Perhaps the most famous writer of Revenge Tragedy plays in this era is William Shakespeare. An example of one of his plays within this genre is Hamlet. Ben Johnson is probably the most famous writer of Jacobean Comedy; his work includes: Every Man In His Humour and Volpone Or Fox.
1500 - 1700	Emergence of Commedia Dell' Arte in Italy	Italian Street theatre. An improvised, quick-witted performance by wandering players. They wore masks to portray a regular cast of characters and made up their lines as they went along.
1642–1660	Puritans ban Theatre in England.	Puritans close or burn down all English theaters and forbid acting.
1660 – 1800	Restoration Comedy	Restoration comedies are hugely overacted satires on the state of society. Women begin to appear regularly in the theatre. EXAMPLE: William Wycherley was a famous writer of the Restoration Comedy Genre. His most famous piece was 'The Country Wife'.
1800 - 1880	Melodrama	Stock characters – The hero, the heroin, the villain. A near disaster followed, usually, by a happy ending. EXAMPLES: August Friederich von Kotzebue wrote Melodrama plays in the 1800s.
1890 – 1940	Realism / Naturalism	Stanislavski pioneered the concept of realistic acting, in which actors on stage copied exactly the way that people behave in real life.
1930 – 1955	Bertolt Brecht	Brecht produces plays with a political method and develops a brash, unrealistic style of acting that aims to distance the audience from the emotions in the play, thus completely avoiding “catharsis”. EXAMPLE: Brecht's work includes the well known 'The Threepenny Opera'.
1932 - 1938	Theatre of Cruelty	Shocking, violent, bloody, crazy performance style. A primitive ceremonial experience intended to liberate the human subconscious and reveal man to himself. Uninhibited gestures, sounds, unusual scenery, and lighting combine to form a “language, superior to words”. The idea is to shock the spectator into seeing the baseness of his world. EXAMPLES: Antonin Artaud is a famous 'Theatre of Cruelty' playwright. His most famous play is 'Jet Of Blood'; a disturbing play which includes a lot of blood.
1952 - 1965	Theatre of the Absurd	A mixture of broad comedy, often similar to Vaudeville, mixed with horrific or tragic images; hopeless situations, repetitive or meaningless actions; dialogue full of clichés, and nonsense; either a parody or dismissal of realism. EXAMPLE: Samuel Beckett is a famous playwright of this genre. His work included black comedy and gallow humour. Some of his work includes 'Waiting for Goddot' and 'Endgame'.
1976	National Theatre opens	The iconic building on the South Bank opens it’s doors for the first time