Script development is the difficult process a script writer goes through to create a script and improve it over time to make it the best it can be. It involves developing a location, characters a story that will keep the audience hooked. A good script will include a “problem” for the protagonist to overcome and should also include a conflict which makes it difficult for this character to overcome that problem and this should develop over time. For example in Back to the Future, the problem is that the protagonist has been sent back in time 30 years to the year 1955 and he needs to get to the future to save another character, the conflict is that the time machine requires plutonium or another source with a lot of energy which was hard to find in 1955. Then in the middle of the story there should be a “turning point” where this problem changes and the story can take a big twist. The turning point in Back to the Future comes when the protagonist‟s mother (as a teenager) begins to fall in love with him instead of his father of the past and if his mum and dad of the past don‟t fall in love, he will no longer exist because it will change the future. These are all things which need to included in a script in order for it to be a good script.

“The script development process starts either with a Screenwriter writing a 'spec' (self-financed) screenplay for sale to a production company, or with a Producer commissioning a Screenwriter to write a screenplay based on a concept, a true story, an existing screenwork (for example a cartoon or TV series), or another literary work (such as a story, novel, poem or play).” (Online)

In almost every good script, there is a three act story structure which divides the story up into the beginning, middle and end of the story. For example in a 2 hour film, the first 30 minutes would be the beginning, the 30-90 minute hour is the middle and the last half hour between 90 and 120 hour minutes would be the end.

The beginning being the part of the story when the scene is set, we see the location and what it is like and we meet the main characters and see what they‟re like, see the protagonist, the antagonist (if there is one) and which of the other characters are allies/friends and which ones are not. The problem should slowly build up over the first part of the film and should become apparent to the audience by the end of that half an hour. The middle section is where the problem is engaged and shows us the journey that the character to goes through to overcome this problem and we find out why it‟s difficult for them to do it, within the middle section should be the turning point where the story takes a big twist. Then the end is where the character uses their abilities to finally overcome this problem and draw the script to a close. This three act story structure is said to be used in almost all scripts/stories just because if a story is good, it will stick to this structure and be difficult to avoid

„But as far as stories working, you basically can‟t usually get away from that three act structure and having those turning points in the right place and a bad script will somehow miss those or they‟ll be out of balance somehow‟. (Online)

In order for a script to be good, the plot must be interesting and keep the attention of the reader. Things that make an interesting plot include: conflict, decision making by main characters, consequences of characters actions and sympathy. Conflict is one of the main elements of any script and it‟s very important that it‟s in there in order for the script to be good. Conflict usually means things like problems that need solving, obstacles, threats, decisions and challenges. A conflict is the main part of a story and is what it usually revolves around, the main character is always presented with something that maybe they want to do or it might need to be done for other people‟s sake and there is always something preventing this from being done. For example, in the film Ferris Bueller‟s Day Off, the main character (Ferris Bueller) wants to have a day off school and do something more exciting with his friends, after faking illness to his parents, the main obstacle stopping him from doing this is the school principal who is suspicious of the character and tries to catch him truanting. Ferris has to overcome this obstacle and make sure he leaves no evidence that he was faking illness in order to enjoy his day off to the full and have no consequence. There are many different ways to interpret conflict within scripts however. „All drama depends on conflict. That is not the same as saying that drama depends on people shouting at each other. Generally speaking, people shouting at each other should be avoided – most people have enough argument in their lives without watching other people bawling their heads off‟. (Book, page 22)and becomes a succession of incidents‟ (Book, page 24)

Consequences of action: cause and effect: a plot relates to cause and effect in the way that one thing happens and because of that, something else happens, things for the characters to deal with. This is good for showing what kind of your character your character because the reader can see how they deal with these situations. What the character does determines what will happen later in the story and moves it on.

„The King died and then the Queen died. That is a story. The King died and the Queen died of grief. That is a plot.‟ (Book, page 24)

Something else that helps is avoiding certain types of plots that can just ruin a story. The first is known as „the idiot plot‟. The idiot plot is basically script editors being lazy, it is when they make it so a plot can only when characters who are obviously quite smart, do stupid or out of the ordinary things in order to make something else happen. An example would be if a character such as Batman rescued a hostage and them left them open to criminals while he goes to do something else to move the plot on and the hostage would be re-captured. The second plot to avoid is scenes that go nowhere. It basically means only make scenes that are going to move the story on and don‟t make scenes that basically just repeat the plot, if it‟s unavoidable then the scene should be cut if it doesn‟t take anything major out of the story. And finally, plots should never lose their tension, the reader always wants to know what‟s going to happen next.

Pitching a script is an effective way to sum up your script to someone you want to sell it to and briefly describe it to them and make them want to read it. There are different methods of making your pitch effective and attracting the buyer however. First thing however is that if you‟re pitching, your script must be good, a good pitch will not improve your script. Your pitch has to be good because investors/government funding bodies etc see loads of scripts every week, you have to make your pitch and script stand out and get the investors attention.

„If you're standing at a bus stop, and someone asks you what your movie is about, and you can't convey to them the essence of the film before the bus gets there, then go home and re-work your pitch‟ (Online)

Professionals say that the general length of a pitch is 2-3 paragraphs which should equal 2-3 minutes, they say the shorter it is, the better.

„Give your audience just enough to whet their appetite, and spark their interest, yet not so much that they get lost in the details. Leave them wanting more.‟ (Online)

When pitching, you should speak with enthusiasm because if you‟re not enthusiastic about your film, why should anybody else be? You should also know as much about your film as possible because you will get asked plenty questions, you should also reveal the names of your main characters at this point. When beginning your pitch, they say you shouldn‟t be with a tag line or title because it‟s too “abrupt”.

„In beginning your pitch, don‟t start with a log line or the title, those are too abrupt, instead begin by telling the buyer how you come up with the idea or where you found this story‟ (Online)

Professionals also say your pitch should be very “Hollywood” because they‟ve mastered the art of pitching and people want to see things like that and it‟s pretty much the only way you‟ll get to make your film in LA.