Script Breakdown - The tool to plan

Script Breakdown - The tool to plan 

Breaking down a script in my point of view is one of the most detailed stages. After you have prepared your screenplay, and re-checked it once or twice, it’s very essential to start the script breakdown. This is prepared either by the first AD (Assistant Director) or the Director himself/herself. Basically it helps in managing every element of the process of making a film. The process of breaking down a script is firstly to organize it. After the screenplay has been prepared, and printed out as well, firstly you have to take out the colors which is necessary for highlighting each element. (Image attached below for this information). For example; RED is for the Cast members, and BLUE is for the Special Effects, etc. This can be performed either in the computer with different software’s, or an old school way (paper and sketch color). There are standard code colors for each elements as well. 

After all the colors are organized the next important stage is to break down the page into 1/8th (1 is for the page, and 8 is the line made/drawn).Basically in this part you will have to break down the page by making or drawing one inch of line from the top of the page, and this helps you telling the amount of time a particular scene is for, and also how much can be covered during the shoot days.If a scene exceeds more than a page, then it would be considered as 2/8th. This will continue until a scene is not completed.

As you will read down the screenplay, after noticing different elements simultaneously it should be highlighted. For example, if it is written; ‘Kate is walking with a glass in her hand’. Now in this particular sentence the character ‘Kate’ will be highlighted with the color which is under ‘Cast members’, and Glass will be highlighted with the color which is under ‘Props'. One more very essential thing to consider in this is that there is sometimes a word in a sentence which contains two elements together. To make it easy I can elaborate this with an example, such as a sentence; ‘Kate is walking with heels very slowly on the wooden floor’. (The word 'Heels' produce sound and also is a part of the costume.) So for this particular sentence as I had mentioned before that ‘Kate’ will come under the color of the ‘Cast Member’, ‘Wooden floor’ will come under the color of ‘Set designing’, and ‘Heels’ will come under both the color of ‘Costume, and Sound’; underling both the color together. There are details included such as the kind of glass included; what shape, color, etc. It’s vital to remember that this particular process should be included in each and every part of the screenplay including the dialogues, and the actions.

Another essential stage after highlighting the whole screenplay will be preparing the ‘Script Breakdown sheet’. It is very formally done where the page is broken into different boxes mentioning the exact details of the elements in the screenplay. (This is difficult to be explained in words so I have attached an image below.)

A strip board is also created as well either by the help of a software or made onto a paper. Into the script board details such as the Scene name, scene number, location name and number, Day or night, Interior or Exterior, Characters details, Extras like how many, Special Notes – Effects, Music, Number of Breakdown Sheets. This will help give a clear understanding, and provides a better plan also. It is directly related to the 'Script Breakdown Sheet' but in a more detailed manner, as the piece are cut out into strips, and attached onto the board, giving a bird's eye view. This part gives the clear picture of the plan, and can assist the film maker to edit any mistakes as well.

Hence, this is what, and how the ‘Script Breakdown’is prepared, and helps you organize making your film in a much appropriate way as well.

Script Breakdown Sheet

Color Coded