How to Write an Acting Script

Scripts are what actors use to learn their roles in a movie. A good acting script needs to tell actors and directors what to put on the screen but not how it should be put there. A skilled screenwriter knows how to tailor an acting script in such a way that it conveys the appropriate information without getting in the way. Learn how to write an acting script that could end up in the hands of actors and actresses for their next feature.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Screenwriting software

Instructions

1. Outline the story you will tell in your script. If you have a particular actor or actress in mind, think about the types of roles he or she generally plays and tailor your material to fit that person.

2. Leave room for a director to do his job. Write your script with strong, present-tense action and good dialogue. Don't worry about writing in transitions. Don't write shots and camera angles. Leave this for the director. A director will most likely ignore anything you put in the script that tells him how to shoot the film.

3. Leave room for actors to act. Your job is to tell a story on paper. A director tells the story visually. Actors bring the characters in the story to life. Very rarely do you need to notate in a parenthetical that an actor should smile coyly or any other acting direction. An actor brings his or her own style to a role. Actors are trained to know how to play a scene and will most likely disregard any parenthetical acting direction you include in your script.

4. Write a solid story with a beginning, middle and end. Tailor the script around an actor or actress you think would be right for a role in the film, and then let everyone else do their jobs. This is the type of collaborative effort that makes for a good script.

Resources

• Film Script Writing