Strategies and techniques Reading a Script Strategies and techniques

1. Read the script in one sitting… Always read a script in one sitting, just as you would when watching a movie or a play. There is a natural flow to movies and plays, and this flow will help you read the script faster. If you break up the flow, it will slow you down considerably.

2. Pay extra attention to scene descriptions… It's a common mistake when trying to rush through a script to skim over the scene descriptions. If you just take the extra time to really picture where the scene is taking place, it will really help your ability to picture the script in your head, which will lead to being able to read and understand the script better.

3. Read through the character list, try and learn the descriptions of all the characters… One of the most important parts to reading a script is the character list. Sometimes, especially with screenplays, a character list with descriptions is not provided. In this case, when your start reading it, take notes on a separate sheet of paper about all the characters.

4. Figure out how your character moves, speaks and acts… The point of understanding the characters as much as you can early on is to help with reading the dialogue. If you can establish a voice in your head for each character and know how that character speaks, then you can breeze through the dialog changing the view and voice of the character in your head each time the speaker changes. This will limit the amount of times you get lost and have to re-read something. Also, if you read something that you think that character would not normally say, you will catch yourself if you skip something, or it will help you understand the importance of that particular line.

5. Take Notes on a piece of paper, separate from the script… Take quick notes, but try to make them separate from the script unless they are acting notations for that particular scene. As far as notes about the story, use a separate sheet of paper. That way you can breeze through your notes at the end of the script to tie together your thoughts, rather than flip through the entire script trying to find what you wrote down.

6. Write down summaries of each scene… What is happening… Who is it happening to… Why is it important… Finally, take a moment with your notes and just think about what you read. Do a brief little analysis in about one paragraph with your notes. This will help you both understand the script by hashing out your thoughts, but also provide you with something to refer to in the future if you need to reference this script.