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2025-09-16T03:56:58Z

Film and television

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	==Film and television==		==Film and television==
	In [[film]] and [[television]], a ~~'''~~script breakdown~~'''~~ is an analysis of a [[screenplay]] in which all of the [[film production\|production]] elements are reduced into lists. Within these lists are, in essence, the foundation of creating a [[production board]], which is fundamental in creating a [[production schedule]] and [[production budget]] of an entire production of any film or television program in [[pre-production]].<ref name="Honthaner_Page_81">{{cite book \|last1=Honthaner \|first1=Eve Light \|title=The Complete Film Production Handbook \|date=2010 \|publisher=Focal Press \|location=Burlington, Massachusetts \|isbn=9781136053061 \|page=81 \|edition=4th \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PTv7AAAAQBAJ&pg=PA81 \|access-date=24 February 2024}}</ref> This process is a very tedious and complex task, and is usually the responsibility of the [[Assistant Director]] or first or 1AD within the production staff of any given production company. However, many [[film director]]s and [[film producer]]s have knowledge of breaking down a script.{{fact\|date=December 2021}}		In [[film]] and [[television]], a script breakdown is an analysis of a [[screenplay]] in which all of the [[film production\|production]] elements are reduced into lists. Within these lists are, in essence, the foundation of creating a [[production board]], which is fundamental in creating a [[production schedule]] and [[production budget]] of an entire production of any film or television program in [[pre-production]].<ref name="Honthaner_Page_81">{{cite book \|last1=Honthaner \|first1=Eve Light \|title=The Complete Film Production Handbook \|date=2010 \|publisher=Focal Press \|location=Burlington, Massachusetts \|isbn=9781136053061 \|page=81 \|edition=4th \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PTv7AAAAQBAJ&pg=PA81 \|access-date=24 February 2024}}</ref> This process is a very tedious and complex task, and is usually the responsibility of the [[Assistant Director]] or first or 1AD within the production staff of any given production company. However, many [[film director]]s and [[film producer]]s have knowledge of breaking down a script.{{fact\|date=December 2021}}

	In particular, literally [[breaking down the script]] is a very a thorough and detailed creative analysis of dramatic action in [[filmmaking]], highlighting the reciprocal struggle, theme, and design elements of a screenplay. Which is to code the entire [[Casting (performing arts)\|cast]], [[Extra (acting)\|extras]], [[Theatrical property\|props]], [[special effect]]s, [[stunt]]s, [[wrangler (profession)\|wranglers]], picture cars,<ref>{{cite web\|title=Picture Car at Mathews Studio Equipment - Cine Gear Expo 2015\|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BCXgHdCjOSU/ \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/BCXgHdCjOSU \|archive-date=2021-12-24 \|url-access=registration\|date=June 2, 2015\|publisher=[[Instagram]]\|access-date=May 19, 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref> [[costume designer\|wardrobe]], [[Make-up artist\|make-up]] and [[~~Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild~~\|hair stylists]], special equipment and or [[Movie camera\|cameras]], [[Dubbing (filmmaking)\|ADR]],		In particular, literally breaking down the script is a very thorough and detailed creative analysis of dramatic action in [[filmmaking]], highlighting the reciprocal struggle, theme, and design elements of a screenplay. Which is to code the entire [[Casting (performing arts)\|cast]], [[Extra (acting)\|extras]], [[Theatrical property\|props]], [[special effect]]s, [[stunt]]s, [[wrangler (profession)\|wranglers]], picture cars,<ref>{{cite web\|title=Picture Car at Mathews Studio Equipment - Cine Gear Expo 2015\|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BCXgHdCjOSU/ \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/BCXgHdCjOSU \|archive-date=2021-12-24 \|url-access=registration\|date=June 2, 2015\|publisher=[[Instagram]]\|access-date=May 19, 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref> [[costume designer\|wardrobe]], [[Make-up artist\|make-up]] and [[Hairdresser\|hair stylists]], special equipment and or [[Movie camera\|cameras]], [[Dubbing (filmmaking)\|ADR]],
	[[Foley (filmmaking)\|Foley]], [[film score]]s and [[soundtrack]]s etc., which are all broken-down with different colored [[sharpie (marker)\|marker]] highlights within a [[shooting script]].<ref name="Honthaner_Page_81" />		[[Foley (filmmaking)\|Foley]], [[film score]]s and [[soundtrack]]s etc., which are all broken-down with different colored [[sharpie (marker)\|marker]] highlights within a [[shooting script]].<ref name="Honthaner_Page_81" />

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2025-01-16T03:02:41Z

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{{Short description|Aspect of creating a performance}}
[[File:Porn script at porn set.jpg|thumb|First page of a script for a [[pornographic film]], showing set elements, costumes and a brief character breakdown]]
A '''script breakdown''' is an intermediate step in the production of a [[Play (theatre)|play]], [[film]], [[comic book]], or any other work that is originally planned using a script.

==Film and television==
In [[film]] and [[television]], a '''script breakdown''' is an analysis of a [[screenplay]] in which all of the [[film production|production]] elements are reduced into lists. Within these lists are, in essence, the foundation of creating a [[production board]], which is fundamental in creating a [[production schedule]] and [[production budget]] of an entire production of any film or television program in [[pre-production]].<ref name="Honthaner_Page_81">{{cite book |last1=Honthaner |first1=Eve Light |title=The Complete Film Production Handbook |date=2010 |publisher=Focal Press |location=Burlington, Massachusetts |isbn=9781136053061 |page=81 |edition=4th |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PTv7AAAAQBAJ&pg=PA81 |access-date=24 February 2024}}</ref> This process is a very tedious and complex task, and is usually the responsibility of the [[Assistant Director]] or first or 1AD within the production staff of any given production company. However, many [[film director]]s and [[film producer]]s have knowledge of breaking down a script.{{fact|date=December 2021}}

In particular, literally [[breaking down the script]] is a very a thorough and detailed creative analysis of dramatic action in [[filmmaking]], highlighting the reciprocal struggle, theme, and design elements of a screenplay. Which is to code the entire [[Casting (performing arts)|cast]], [[Extra (acting)|extras]], [[Theatrical property|props]], [[special effect]]s, [[stunt]]s, [[wrangler (profession)|wranglers]], picture cars,<ref>{{cite web|title=Picture Car at Mathews Studio Equipment - Cine Gear Expo 2015|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BCXgHdCjOSU/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/BCXgHdCjOSU |archive-date=2021-12-24 |url-access=registration|date=June 2, 2015|publisher=[[Instagram]]|access-date=May 19, 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref> [[costume designer|wardrobe]], [[Make-up artist|make-up]] and [[Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild|hair stylists]], special equipment and or [[Movie camera|cameras]], [[Dubbing (filmmaking)|ADR]],
[[Foley (filmmaking)|Foley]], [[film score]]s and [[soundtrack]]s etc., which are all broken-down with different colored [[sharpie (marker)|marker]] highlights within a [[shooting script]].<ref name="Honthaner_Page_81" />

After which, these highlights are then organized and broken-down into strips to organize the production schedule within the actual physical production board. This process is more easily done nowadays utilizing a [[computer]] than done manually, with features inside [[Final Draft (software)|Final Draft]] called tagger, or utilizing tagging mode inside [[Movie Magic Screenwriter]], another effective [[computer program]].<ref>{{cite web|title=How to Use EP Scheduling : How to Use Movie Magic Screenwriter in EP Scheduling|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phyQNyB6x_c|date=Feb 10, 2008|publisher=[[YouTube]]|access-date=May 23, 2017}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead Youtube links|date=February 2022}}</ref> This information can easily be imported over to Movie Magic Scheduling to create a digital production board, and then easily imported over to Movie Magic Budgeting to create the entire production budget. Most of the script and production computer software out there comes in both [[Microsoft]] and [[MacOS]] versions, and even though there is competing [[Screenwriting software|software]] on the market, these which are listed are considered to be an entertainment industry standard. This whole process of the script breakdown<ref>{{cite web|title=Script breakdown, scheduling and budgeting -- Tutorial|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfifZ2MssFw |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/XfifZ2MssFw |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|date=Nov 21, 2008|publisher=[[YouTube]]|access-date=May 19, 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref> however is not to be confused with [[Casting (performing arts)|character breakdowns]] utilized with [[casting call]]s, this is an entire different process with similar names, however administered by two entirely separate departments.<ref>{{cite web|title=Casting Director's Checklist|url=https://www.nyfa.edu/student-resources/casting-directors-checklist/|date=Feb 10, 2015|publisher=[[New York Film Academy]]|access-date=May 19, 2017}}</ref>

===Marking elements===
To ease future production, an assistant director marks the elements found in each scene. This process repeats for each new scene. By the end, the producer will be able to see which scenes need which elements, and can begin to schedule accordingly. The film industry has a standard for [[Color code|color-coding]]:<ref name="Cleve 2012 p. 25">{{cite book | last=Cleve | first=B. | title=Film Production Management | publisher=Taylor & Francis | year=2012 | isbn=978-1-136-04402-1 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MpzcAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA25 | access-date=2022-07-16 | page=25}}</ref>

:{| class="wikitable"
|+Element color codes
!Element
!colspan=2|Shape or color
!Description
|-
|Cast
|style="background: red; color: white; text-align: center;"| ||Red
|Any speaking actor
|-
|Stunts
|style="background: darkorange; color: white; text-align: center;"| ||Orange
|Any stunt that may require a [[stunt double]], or stunt coordinator.
|-
|Extra (silent)
|style="background: yellow; color: black; text-align: center;"| ||Yellow
|Any extra needed to perform specifically, but has no lines.
|-
|Extra (atmosphere)
|style="background: forestgreen; color: white; text-align: center;"| ||Green
|Any [[extra (drama)|extra]] or group of extras needed for the background.
|-
|Special effects
|style="background: dodgerblue; color: white; text-align: center;"| ||Blue
|Any [[special effect]] required.
|-
|Props
|style="background: purple; color: white; text-align: center;"| ||Purple
|All objects important to the script, or used by an actor.
|-
|Vehicles and animals
|style="background: lightpink; color: black; text-align: center;"| ||Pink
|Any vehicles, and all animals, especially if it requires an [[animal training|animal trainer]].
|-
|Sound effects or music
|style="background: sienna; color: white; text-align: center;"| ||Brown
|Sounds or music requiring specific use on set. Not sounds added in during [[post-production|post]].
|-
|Wardrobe
|style="text-align: center;"|⭘||Circle
|Specific costumes needed for production, and also for continuity if a costume gets ripped up, or dirtied throughout the production.
|-
|Make-up and hair
|style="text-align: center;"|⁎||Asterisk
|Any make-up or hair attention needed. Common for scars and blood.
|-
|Special equipment
|style="text-align: center;"|◻||Box
|If a scene requires the use of more uncommon equipment, (e.g. crane, underwater camera).
|-
|Production notes
|style="text-align: center;"|_||Underline
|For all other questions about how a scene will go, or confusion about how something happens.
|-
|}

==Comics==
In [[comic book]]s, it is the process of determining how each action, character, and piece of dialogue described in the [[Script (comics)|script]] will be placed visually on a page. In the studio system that dominated mass-market comic-book production from the 1940s through the 1970s, breakdowns were done by the [[penciller]] or by a separate breakdown artist, rarely by the scriptwriter; in some cases, breakdowns were done from a rough story outline before the dialogue was written (the "[[Marvel method]]"). Later comics writers such as [[Alan Moore]] and [[Neil Gaiman]], influenced by cinematic technique, began to include more layout details within their scripts. Cartoonists who both write and draw their own work sometimes begin with a script and do their own breakdowns, and sometimes work through drawings without a separate script.{{fact|date=December 2021}}

== See also ==
*[[Storyboard]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{filmmaking paper trail}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Script Breakdown}}
[[Category:Theatre]]
[[Category:Film production]]
[[Category:Comics terminology]]
[[Category:Television terminology]]

Script breakdown - Revision history

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