1. UNIT III: ADVANCED APPLICATIONS
CHAPTER 9: Features and Long Form
CHAPTER 10: Directing
CHAPTER 11: Marketing and Distribution
CHAPTER 12: Professional and
Career Opportunities

2. CHAPTER 9
FEATURES AND
LONG FORM

3. CHAPTER OBJECTIVES Feature-length Production;
• Examine various approaches to
Feature-length Production;
• Introduce the structure and format of Professional Screenwriting;
• Explore Budgeting and Financing;
• Review Crew Positions and Elements of the Production Process for features.

4. THE STUDIO SYSTEM First Full-length Feature was
The Story of the Kelly Gang (1906)
First half of 20th Century studios
Vertically Integrated
Rise of Television in the 1950s created More Competition

5. THE STUDIO SYSTEM
1960s through the 1980s, Independent Producer powerful force in TV
1990s Consolidation of Ownership
Video capture for Long Form:
Attack of the Clones (2002)

6. TELEVISION FORMATS 30-minute Episodes (22 min. of programming)
Made-for-television Movies
(90 min. of programming in 2 hr. slot)
Executive Producer - “showrunner”
Pilots
Syndication

7. SCREENPLAY STRUCTURE Act I: Story established; Characters developed
(30 pages)
Act II:
Introduces a Major Complication
(60 pages)
Act III:
Resolves the Story (30 pages)

8. SCREENPLAY STRUCTURE One Page Per Minute Plot Points
First 10 Minutes: self-contained
Dramatic Unit

9. TELEVISION WRITING Act structure defined by Commercial Breaks
60-minute episode:
Four Acts plus Teaser and Tag
30-minute episode:
Two Acts plus Teaser and Tag

10. TELEVISION WRITING The A-story is the Main Story
The B-story is a Sub-plot,
focusing on supporting characters
The C-story is usually lighter in tone,
called the Runner

11. WRITING TIPS Backstory Every scene should move the story Forward
Try writing a scene by Starting at the End – you will know where you are going

12. SCREENPLAY FORMAT Title of the Project Name of the Author “SCENE 1.”
“EXT.” or “INT.”
Identify the Location
Example: “EXT. PARKING DECK – NIGHT.”

13. SCREENPLAY FORMAT
Descriptive information Single-spaced, Block Left or Indented Five Spaces
Put a new character’s name in All-caps –
First Time Used!
Technical information in All-caps

14. SCREENPLAY FORMAT
Dialogue indented spaces under the character’s name
Character’s name before dialogue indented spaces
If a scene continues onto the next page, “(CONTINUED)”

15. BUDGETING Script Breakdown Above-the-line Expenses
Below-the-line Expenses
The Producer’s Masterguide
Union and Non-Union Projects
Tax Incentives

16. FINANCING Private Investors Fundraising Shares
High-risk and High-yield Venture
Trade Shares for Services

17. FINANCING Control Cash Flow - service in kind Deferments
Completion Guarantee
Retaining Ownership
Product Placement

18. THE PRODUCTION PROCESS FOR FEATURES AND LONG-FORM
The Producer
Financial producers
Practical producers
Creative producers
“Executive Producer”

19. THE PRODUCTION PROCESS FOR FEATURES AND LONG-FORM
Preproduction
Unit Production Manager (UPM)
Production schedule
Stripboard
Shooting schedule
Liability insurance
Replacement coverage

20. THE PRODUCTION PROCESS FOR FEATURES AND LONG-FORM
Preproduction
Purchase orders (P.O.)
Studio space
Location scouting
Permits
Location releases
Equipment reservations

21. THE PRODUCTION PROCESS FOR FEATURES AND LONG-FORM
Principal actors
Supporting actors
Bit players
Extras
Stand-ins
Stunt doubles

22. THE PRODUCTION PROCESS FOR FEATURES AND LONG-FORM
Actor breakdown sheet
Extras breakdown
Line producer
Daily production report
Daily hot cost
Script supervisor

23. THE PRODUCTION PROCESS FOR FEATURES AND LONG-FORM
Postproduction
Locking the program
Spotting the program
Composing the score
Automated dialogue replacement (ADR)
Sound effects
Visual effects
Mastering

24. Copyright 2008 Taylor and Francis
SAMPLE EXERCISES
1. You are given One Million Dollars to create a feature. How will you Budget this money to get the job done?
2. Outline a Feature-length Project. Make the first ten minutes of your feature a Stand-alone Dramatic Journey as well as an introduction to the larger questions of your story. Script the First Ten Minutes of this feature using the Formal Screenwriting Format.
3. Produce a Short Test Program based on the 10-minute Script you composed for Exercise #2.
Copyright 2008 Taylor and Francis