Script Sample

A “spec script” or “sample” is a short script, no longer than 10 pages, that works as a “business card” or a kind of “free sample” so people can get to know your writing.

Below, I’m sharing the first three pages of my NYFA master’s short film. The full script is 10 pages long, but for the internet, and simply to give a sense of my writing style and skills, the introduction should be enough.

And, as promised in the previous post, I’ll also take this opportunity to exemplify and explain a bit about script indications:

Script cover

• The cover should include the title of the work and the author or authors, as well as their contact information at the end, which can be an email address, phone number, or even an office address.

First page

• I follow the “Master Scenes” format, which is easily applied by software such as Final Draft, CeltX, FadeIn, among others.

• Characters are introduced for the first time in all caps, and their apparent age is indicated in parentheses.

• (O.S.) means “Off Screen,” which is different from “Voice Over” (V.O.) and “Off Camera” (O.C.). I can explain this in more detail in a future post.

Second page

• The text written in parentheses between a character’s name and their dialogue is known as a parenthetical. These are indications of tone or action during the line.

• The actor should not speak the parenthetical we read in parentheses during their dialogue. It serves to indicate a brief action or a shift in the character’s tone.

• Also notice the difference between ending a line with … (ellipses) or -- (a dash). The first suggests the line continues but is left hanging, with that feeling of continuation… The second indicates an interruption, usually by another line or by an action that follows.

Third page

• Finally, something that can be observed in this text is how a dialogue should flow. In this case, since it was a short film with only two characters in the same setting, the urge to constantly indicate actions may arise for some writers.

• But it’s important to remember that these markings, except when essential to understanding the scene, should be left to the director and the actors during rehearsals (blocking), and should not be excessively detailed in the script.

So, are you curious to know the rest of the story?

Soon I’ll be posting another “spec,” or script sample of mine, but this time in Portuguese! 😉