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Author Topic: Screenplay vs. Script  (Read 8737 times)

cara1158

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Screenplay vs. Script
« on: Mar 08, 2006, 09:44 AM »
Read the screenplay last night.  Loved it of course, and loved the different style of telling Annie Proulx's story.  It's the first time I've read a screenplay so I found it interesting as well, the way it tells the story with only notes and directions, small comments in parentheses, so on.  One thing I wondered, is this the actual script they work from while making the movie? or is there a more expansive, detailed script?  There was far less stage-direction, if you will, than I expected.  Those of you who work in film and/or study filmmaking, perhaps you can tell us. 

Cara
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Offline Toadily

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Re: Screenplay vs. Script
« Reply #1 on: Mar 11, 2006, 08:15 PM »
Quote from: cara1158 on Mar 08, 2006, 09:44 AM
Read the screenplay last night.  Loved it of course, and loved the different style of telling Annie Proulx's story.  It's the first time I've read a screenplay so I found it interesting as well, the way it tells the story with only notes and directions, small comments in parentheses, so on.  One thing I wondered, is this the actual script they work from while making the movie? or is there a more expansive, detailed script?  There was far less stage-direction, if you will, than I expected.  Those of you who work in film and/or study filmmaking, perhaps you can tell us. 

Cara

I'm certain there are more directions in the actual script, in fact Jake made a comment once that one scene where he is helping a sheep he was suppose to appear "rugged and caring" and that isn't in our script we can buy.  I think they most wanted basic stage directions and dialogue.
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Offline guajillo55

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Re: Screenplay vs. Script
« Reply #2 on: Mar 12, 2006, 07:11 PM »
Quote from: cara1158 on Mar 08, 2006, 09:44 AM
Read the screenplay last night.  Loved it of course, and loved the different style of telling Annie Proulx's story.  It's the first time I've read a screenplay so I found it interesting as well, the way it tells the story with only notes and directions, small comments in parentheses, so on.  One thing I wondered, is this the actual script they work from while making the movie? or is there a more expansive, detailed script?  There was far less stage-direction, if you will, than I expected.  Those of you who work in film and/or study filmmaking, perhaps you can tell us. 

Cara

There are two kinds of scripts. The selling, or spec, script is the one you read in the BBM book. It's what all the budding young screenwriters are submitting to the agents and screenwriting contests. Its purpose is to make the story of the film clear -- not much info about camera angles, etc. It's what all the  actors would have read when they received the script from their agents. The other is the shooting script, which includes very specific technical instructions to help the cast and crew actually shoot the film. The shooting script is where you get, to use your phrase, all the "stage directions."
« Last Edit: Mar 12, 2006, 07:14 PM by guajillo55 »
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Offline Philip Smith

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Re: Screenplay vs. Script
« Reply #3 on: Mar 05, 2007, 12:23 PM »
Can someone post the whole script from the movie? Or post the link?  b/c I would like to read it. It'll would be fun. Thanks a lot in advance.
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Offline tizi17

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Re: Screenplay vs. Script
« Reply #4 on: Mar 05, 2007, 12:34 PM »
hi philip..
the screen play is available at amazon.com - together with the ss, so you can "compare"..

tizi
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Offline ethan

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Re: Screenplay vs. Script
« Reply #5 on: Mar 05, 2007, 12:35 PM »
Hello Philip Smith, yes it is fun to read the script. Please understand that the forum does not allow links to the script due to copyright issue. We certainly don't want to get in trouble.

Since we are big fans of the movie, I recommend the book - "Brokeback Mountain - Story to Screenplay" It contains the short story and screenplay. It is a book to keep.
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Offline jackster

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Re: Screenplay vs. Script
« Reply #6 on: Mar 05, 2007, 06:33 PM »
Hi Phillip:

There has been a link posted previously here at ennisjack to an autographed copy of the Screenplay. It is VERY interesting to read and study as it contains deleted scenes as well as variations on scenes that are in the film. I hope I'm not violating any rules since it's already been posted under the "Cast . . > Heath Ledger . . > Original Copy of Screenplay at Heath Ledger Central" the link posted in that topic on 05 Jan 07 was:

****edited by moderator****

You'll find this is more of a shooting type screenplay with many numerous subtle variations from movie. The "Story to Screenplay" was obviously "cleaned-up" to match the actual movie after the movie itself was completed. What's really amazing to me in reading these script(s) is how much of the performance is really a credit to the Actors, all the little nuances we all love are Theirs. This really illustrates the critical symbiotic relationship between the Actors, the Screenplay, and the Director. When they're all good, make that Great, the result is pure magic, or as we know it, Brokeback Mountain.

jackster
« Last Edit: Mar 05, 2007, 08:42 PM by chameau »
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Offline jackster

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Re: Screenplay vs. Script
« Reply #7 on: Mar 05, 2007, 09:19 PM »
Sorry, Chameau:

Hope that didn't cause you any grief.
I'd guessed that since that link had been posted there for over two months it was "moderator approved". My humblest apologies.

jackster   ~)
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Offline chameau

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Re: Screenplay vs. Script
« Reply #8 on: Mar 05, 2007, 09:43 PM »
It's alright Jackster ;)

We just want to play safe when copyrights are involved.  Just looks at what happens on Youtube... :P

Were are now going back to the scheduled programm.
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Offline lamusica

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Re: Screenplay vs. Script
« Reply #9 on: Jun 28, 2007, 06:08 PM »
As much as I love the film, I always go back to the short story for the source of what is in the screenplay and what wound up in the movie.  Afterall, the movie is an interpretation of the screenplay which is an interpretation of the short story.  When something is thrice removed *^), it is bound to be different than the original telling.  I always feel Annie is the only one who knows the true story, so I go back to her source and consider that the masterplot.  What is so overwhelmingly beautiful, to me, is that Larry and Diana did such a bang up job interpreting the ss when they wrote the screenplay and Ang did such a fabulous job interpreting the screenplay!  Annie has to be proud of the work of these people in keeping true to her original story and bringing it to life in the film.  Of course, Heath and Jake have to be commended, also, since, without their hyper-sensitivity to the beauty of these two men, we would have a less than memorable story.  All the talents of all these folks make this whole BBM experience a one-in-a-lifetime experience.
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Offline jackster

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Re: Screenplay vs. Script
« Reply #10 on: Jun 28, 2007, 09:18 PM »
Quote from: lamusica on Jun 28, 2007, 06:08 PM
. . . What is so overwhelmingly beautiful, to me, is that Larry and Diana did such a bang up job interpreting the ss when they wrote the screenplay and Ang did such a fabulous job interpreting the screenplay! 

Right On lamusica! O0 O0 O0

How many times the Story - Screenplay - Movie transition results in just a mess with little to connect them and a degradation of the product at every step. People I know in the movie business tell me it happens 99.99% of the time.

I can't say that I feel the Movie or Screenplay are better than the SS, but they are just as good in their own way, all three being wonderful works of art in their own field. Like a total eclipse of the sun it's a very rare confluence of talent, craftsmanship, and art into a spectacular event - IMHO. How lucky we are that in all the universe the stars collided on this place called Brokeback Mountain.
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Offline chameau

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Re: Screenplay vs. Script
« Reply #11 on: Jun 28, 2007, 09:27 PM »
Quote
How many times the Story - Screenplay - Movie transition results in just a mess with little to connect them and a degradation of the product at every step. People I know in the movie business tell me it happens 99.99% of the time.

This is exactly what happened to Annie Proulx with The Shipping News BTW.  Sorry off topic :-X
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Offline jackster

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Re: Screenplay vs. Script
« Reply #12 on: Jun 28, 2007, 09:29 PM »
Quote from: chameau on Jun 28, 2007, 09:27 PM
This is exactly what happened to Annie Proulx with The Shipping News BTW.  Sorry off topic :-X

So I've heard. Should one steer clear of that flick?
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Offline chameau

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Re: Screenplay vs. Script
« Reply #13 on: Jun 28, 2007, 09:35 PM »
Read the book, ignore the flick... good cast but a waste of talent and time.  The screenplay is a total failure, Annie is good with regional accents and expressions.  This is the strenght of the BBM Screenplay, they kept the original quotes and you feel Texas, you feel Wyoming (tough it was shot in Alberta ???).  They completely failed with The Shipping News, you don't feel you're in Newfoundland.
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Offline lamusica

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Re: Screenplay vs. Script
« Reply #14 on: Jun 29, 2007, 06:08 PM »
Quote from: jackster on Jun 28, 2007, 09:18 PM
Right On lamusica! O0 O0 O0

How many times the Story - Screenplay - Movie transition results in just a mess with little to connect them and a degradation of the product at every step. People I know in the movie business tell me it happens 99.99% of the time.

I can't say that I feel the Movie or Screenplay are better than the SS, but they are just as good in their own way, all three being wonderful works of art in their own field. Like a total eclipse of the sun it's a very rare confluence of talent, craftsmanship, and art into a spectacular event - IMHO. How lucky we are that in all the universe the stars collided on this place called Brokeback Mountain.

I agree wholeheartedly, jackster.  This is what immediately drew me to BBM -- it is beautiful in whatever form one wants to view it.  I re-read the ss this morning, since I am reading the book it comes from ( and lovin' it!), and was again so deeply moved by Annie's perception of love and what it does to a person.  More than ever, I could feel Ennis's grief over Jack's death, as well as his regret that he did not do more to meet Jack half-way and try to make a future with him.  Truely a work of art we have here!
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Offline lamusica

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Re: Screenplay vs. Script
« Reply #15 on: Jun 29, 2007, 06:11 PM »
Quote from: chameau on Jun 28, 2007, 09:27 PM
This is exactly what happened to Annie Proulx with The Shipping News BTW.  Sorry off topic :-X

When I saw this movie, I wondered what was so wonderful about it that the book from which it came won a Pulitzer.  Then I read the book, and understood the short-comings of the movie.  I love Kevin Spacey, but ever HE couldn't save this movie.  It is so dark and depressing.  I agree, chameau -- stick with the book!
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Offline HLJG

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Re: Screenplay vs. Script
« Reply #16 on: Aug 27, 2007, 06:25 AM »
I just re-read the ss last night and am intrigued by the way the screenplay interpreted certain aspects.
The whole character of Cassie and "women don't fall in love with fun", etc.
Must think some more on this.
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Offline chameau

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Re: Screenplay vs. Script
« Reply #17 on: Aug 27, 2007, 08:04 PM »
When the screenplay was writen, it was submited to Annie Proulx, they made very small changes following her advise but they got Annie's approval... Like Diana Ossana said, they (her and Larry McMurtry) just added flesh to the bones.
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