Unfortunately today I was unable to attend the script workshop due to illness, however over the past week I have been exploring, researching and developing multiple ideas for scripts and shorts. For example I began the week by researching the written work of some of my favourite screenwriters, I read through Aaron Sorkin’s script for ‘Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip’s’ pilot as well as the opening conversation from his screenplay for ‘The Social Network’. Both of which are phenomenal pieces of writing and big favourites of mine.

When researching these two examples I noted the sheer speed of dialogue, a trait which is often attributed to Sorkin’s writing. His characters talk rapidly and intellectually, and he appears to show no hostility towards exposition within dialogue as it’s all perfectly encompassed within the characters themselves. Mark Zuckerberg’s intelligence and lack of social skills need to contrast with Erica’s ‘normal’ attitude within The Social Network, and Sorkin allows Mark to use his intelligence in a brutish manner, steering and controlling the conversation and littering it with small jabs at her expense whilst at the same time coming across as merely mis-informed of the social norm of relationships and manners themselves. Sorkin’s use of dialogue to display facts and characterisation at a sometimes alarming rate is something I would like to try and emulate within my writing. The main obstacle within the script for the module is deciding the ‘change’ or ‘journey’ the central characters must go through, although this is a very broad brief that could cater to an almost limitless amount of possibilities and is something I’m constantly thinking about.

Outside of the module though I have also been focusing on ideas for other personal briefs such as the REgenerate Radio Drama script and the British Safety Council film festival competition, in which a film must be made on the subject of ‘Risk’.