Styles of Script

1) TV Script - Eastenders

Main features of a TV script include the program title, scene number along with location, lighting and time. This Eastenders script opens with a simple description of the action taking place and a brief look at how the characters involved are feeling. The character names are in bold and followed by dialogue. In between the dialogue comes any stage directions. Stage directions are intended to aid the actor. In a TV script, it is easy to cut from scene to scene. A show like Eastenders is pre-recorded and cutting to different scenes helps heighten the tension for audience.

                                                                      

 2) Film Script - Great Expectations

In comparison to the TV script above, the opening of this script is heavily detailed. Similarly, it outlines whether the scene is indoors (interior) or outdoors (exterior), the location and the time of day. You can tell it is more descriptive because it gives extra details, such as the temperature and how the scene 'fade[s] in'. The paragraph before 'The Convict' dialogue creates a strong visual image, which is probably most helpful to the set designer.

3) Theatre/Musical Script - Cats

A bold title in the script signifies a new song, so using the example below the 'Overture' and 'Prologue: Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats' are separate tracks. This will be handy to a sound technician and/or a live band. In the example below, solo characters lines are shown the same way as dialogue is in the scripts above - character name: lyrics. If more than one people sing the same line, it would either say 'ALL:' above the lyrics or a list of the different character names. The use of punctuation, i.e. the question marks, tell the actor how the lyric should be sung.