This document discusses the importance of research for screenwriting. It notes that research helps create realistic characters, storylines and settings rather than relying on cliches. Good research adds depth, texture, realism and makes the writing process easier. The document instructs students to hand in a research portfolio by Christmas containing primary and secondary research as well as a one page research report summarizing their findings. It provides examples of researching a location and character background to fit a story concept. Lastly, it emphasizes the need to research your own screenplay idea and explains how this research could be used to develop the idea and create an initial plot synopsis.

1. Screen Writing
Vs.
Research

2. Screen Writing
Why do we research?

3. Screen Writing
Why do we research?
So our characters, story lines and setups
aren’t tired, cliched, false…..

4. Screen Writing
A good script is built on great research
Like every other part of film & TV
screen writing involves research.
Events, characters, jobs, places, periods in
history, fashion, language & dialect, laws,
culture, societies…..

5. Screen Writing
Good research helps you to write your
script.
It gives colour & texture to our stories, it
adds depth & realism, it makes writing
easier, it makes writing better.

6. Research
By Christmas I want everyone to hand me a
research portfolio, with primary &
secondary research inside.
You should summarise your research with a
research report (at least one side of A4) with
any appropriate graphs & charts.

7. Examples of research
Working title: The Cell
Synopsis: A high society Manhattan cat
burglar wakes up in a prison cell in Rio De
Janeiro

8. Location
Fits with the theme
of redemption for
main character
‘Francis Buckingham”
Weather: Sunny, hot,
bright

9. Characters job

10. Possible back story?

11. Issues affecting Rio’s prisons

12. Conditions inside

13. Living Conditions

14. Prisons architecture

15. Research
ETC……

16. Research
Your portfolio should also contain some
primary research: who is your audience?
What do they want to see in a film from this
genre?
What research technique can you use to get
this info?

17. Research
Your portfolio should be handed in as a printed
hard copy in a folder.
Your report should sum up your findings, and
how this has influenced your screenplay.

18. But how much research
do I need Iain?
I would expect (at a minimum) to have at least
20 sides of A4.
Print screens of websites / news articles are
fine, so long as you annotate them (why are
they useful) and reference them.
Secondary research is easy…. You find
something relevant, you print it, you scribble on
it, you put it in the folder. Job done.

19. Last week
You began to come up with some
Interesting
Ideas for screenplays, working on Syd
Fields simple rule of story concepts.
Who can remember the rule?

20. Story Concepts
A person, in a place,
doing his or her thing

21. Story Concepts
A man with a serious head injury,
in small-town America,
Trying to find his wifes murderer

22. Memento

23. Lets try it the other way round

24. By the end of today, you
MUST research your screenplay idea,
recording your finding in a word document or
powerpoint.
SHOULD explain how your research will
help develop your idea
COULD be able to create an rough draft of
the outline of your stories plot (a synopsis)