Script-of-the-Week: Roseanne - Daytime Drama

by Michael J. Prescott (52pages)

Points of Interest:

• Pacing: Quick although it feels longer than the previous episode.

• Screen Visibility: Minimal.

• Formatting: Standard.

Recommendation: This episode has some very funny one-liners/retorts that really build up the strength of the script.

Script-of-the-Week: Roseanne - “The Commercial Show”

by Maxine Lapiduss & Jennifer Heath (54 pages)

Points of Interest:

• Pacing: Quick. Jokes perfectly set up and paid off.

• Screen Visibility: Minimum for TV Sitcom.

• Formatting: Traditional.

Recommendation: For writers who want to expose themselves to well crafted and timed jokes that appear deceptively simple.

Script-of-the-Week:Cheers - Showdown Pt.2

by Les and Glen Charles (37 pages)

Points of Interest:

Pacing: Quick considering most of the story is about Diane and Derek/Sam.

Screen Visibility: Minimal.

Formatting: Standard.

Recommendation: For writers who want to focus on a 2 part structure for sit-com writing. It is also helpful to note the character development evident in the writing. Each character clearly has their own voice.

Script-of-the-Week:Cheers - Showdown Part 1

by Les and Glen Charles (36 pages)

Points of Interest:

• Pacing: Quick pacing with strong set-ups and punchlines

• Screen Visibility: Minimal.

• Formatting: Standard.

Recommendation: For writers who want to familiarize themselves with a 2 part format. Note that each episode is shorter than traditional single episodes.

Script-of-the-Week: Cheers - Give Me A Ring Sometime FIRST EPISODE

by Glen and Les Charles (45 pages)

Awards:Emmy(1983)Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series

Points of Interest:

Pacing: Quick. Jokes and characterizations are set up in one or two beats. I didn’t understand a couple of jokes that sere dated.

Screen Visibility: Minimal, even though it’s the first episode -- visualization for the screen is apparently not an issue.

Formatting: Standard for the time, but likely dated for todays requirements.

Recommendation: For writers who want to learn about opening a sit-com. By the end of this first episode, all the information we need to know about the characters has been introduced. The characters stayed this way for the full 11 year run of the show.

Script-of-the-Week:Cheers - Diane’s Perfect Date

by No credit given (45 pages)

Points of Interest:

• Pacing: A little slow. A couple of jokes fall a little flat, probably because they are dated.

• Screen Visibility: Minimum.

• Formatting: Sporadic. Spacing was off in some areas. It appeared to be more of a function of poor photocopying.

Recommendation: For writers who want to improve their sitcom writing. NOTE: It appears this copy of the script belonged to Nicholas Colasanto (Coach) since there are notes/cues directed to that character

Script-of-the-Week: Cheers - Coachie Makes Three

by Heide Perlman (54 pages)

Points of Interest:

• Pacing: Tight. Jokes are constant and funny.

• Screen Visibility: Minimal, since it’s a sitcom.

• Formatting: At 54 pages it seems long but many of the sitcoms I’ve been reviewing are the same length.

Recommendation: For writers who want to familiarize themselves with great set ups and punchlines. Some of the jokes only work if you know the character’s personality (ex. Coach is not the sharpest tool in the shed).

Script-of-the-Week: Ellen - The Toast

by Suzanne Martin (44 pages)

Points of Interest:

• Pacing: Fast pace. Jokes are in and out.

• Screen Visibility: Minimal.

• Formatting: Long, but spacing is generous.

Recommendation: For writers who want to improve their comedic writing skills.

Script-of-the-Week: Ellen. Saint Ellen

by Richard Day (47 pages)

Points of Interest:

• Pacing: Quick. Gets in late and out early.

• Screen Visibility: Minimal since it’s a sit-com.

• Formatting: Long. Spacing is quite generous.

Recommendation: For writers who want to improve their comedy writing. A couple of solid belly laughs here. Especially one regarding the “Save Billy” jar.

Script-of-the-Week: Ellen - Felonious Culottes Episode 9206

by Michael J. Prescott (56 pages)

Points of Interest:

• Pacing: Pacing is quick and to the point. Jokes are set up quickly.

• Screen Visibility: Minimal since it’s a sitcom.

• Formatting: Long. 30 minute episode is 56 pages

Recommendation: For writers who want to hone their comedic writing skills. Some jokes are rather plain on the page but come alive with delivery.

Script-of-the-Week: Taxi: Jim the Psychic Episode 60273-065

by Barry Kemp (37 pages)

Points of Interest:

• Pacing: Quick. Set ups and punchlines are efficient.

• Screen Visibility: Quite minimal since this is a sitcom.

• Formatting: Long formatting at 37 pages. Clearly not a page a minute.

Recommendation: For writers who want to read deceptively simple comedy writing. Andy Kaufman’s schtick in the episode is reminiscent of his own live show where he plays/mimics a record of the Mighty Mouse theme music. Very clever.

Script-of-the-Week: Taxi: Come As You Aren’t

by Glen Charles and Les Charles (55 pages -Long-)

Points of Interest:

• Pacing: Quick. Jokes are set up well with good payoffs later in the script.

• Screen Visibility: As a sitcom, standard.

• Formatting: Long formatting. Generous spacing pushes the script past the one minute per page rule.

Recommendation: For writers who want to become familiar with well established sitcom writers, as they were becoming well established. Later created Cheers and wrote for Frasier.

Script-of-the-Week: The Larry Sanders Show: The Hank’s Contract Episode #112

by Paul Simms (32 pages)

Awards: None.

Points of Interest:

• Pacing: Quick. Typical set up and punch line for jokes. Well done.

• Screen Visibility: Average. Standard for sit-coms.

• Formatting: Standard.

Recommendation: For writers who want to expose themselves to well developed and misleadingly simple sit-com writing. Note: Paul Simms presently writes for "The Flight of the Conchords".

Script-of-the-Week: The Larry Sanders Show: The Hankerciser 200 Episode #207

by John Riggi (31 pages)

Awards:None

Points of Interest:

Pacing: Quick read for 31 pages. Action and dialogue is sparse.

Screen Visibility: Some of the action seen in the show does not appear in the script.

Formatting: Basic television formatting. Lots of white space.

Recommendation: For writers who want to familiarize themselves with TV sitcom scripts. Note: John Riggi presently writes on 30 Rock and won two Emmy’s for this show in 2007 & 2008.

Script-of-the-Week: Adaptation

by Charlie Kaufman and Donald Kaufman (129 pages)

Awards: Nominated 2003 Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay

Points of Interest:

• Pacing: Quick. Even though the story moves back and forth in time, it’s only for a short period and the story moves forward. There are no tedious bits.

• Screen Visibility: High. Scenes are well crafted and do not leave the reader confused as to what’s on the page.

• Formatting: Standard. Nothing new here, but it works well all the same.

Recommendation: For writers who want to become familiar with unique story telling and want to experience screenwriting at its best. Kaufman is deceptively simple.

Script-of-the-week: Slumdog Millioinaire

by Simon Beaufoy (121 Pages)

based on a novel by Vikas Swarup

2008 Oscar winner for best writing, screenplay based on material previously produced or published

Points of Interest:

• Pacing: Good. The story moves along at at lightning pace however sorting out the flashbacks is a little confusing.
• Screen Visibility: Good. Detailed with exceptional prose. I only became lost a few times.
• Formating: Is brief and to the point. Take note, since there was a return to the game show set several times, the usually required description of a location was not included. Often all action was absent, cutting straight to dialogue.

Recommended for writers who want to see the complex made simple. Don't be mislead, this is very difficult to pull off. Simon Beaufoy is a British writer so consider a lot of his influence likely comes from across the pond.

Script-of-the-week: Michael Clayton

Written by Tony Gilroy (127 pages)

Nominated for a 2008 Oscar for best writing, screenplay written directly for the screen.

Points of interest:

• Pacing: Quick and natural. The story moves along and develops at an enjoyable pace.
• Screen Visibility: High. I was able to create a strong image in my head (although previously seeing the film)and follow the action.
• Formatting: Stylized. I would say this script looks very sharp and is formatted in a way that adds a lot of "movement" to the pages. Well done. I especially liked the extensive use of dashes and ellipsis.

Recommended for writers who want to witness real style in action.

Script-of-the-week: Little Miss Sunshine

by Michael Arndt (110 pages)

Won a 2007 Oscar for best writing of an original screenplay

Points of interest:

• Natural Dialogue: Strong dialogue
• Pacing: story moves at a purposeful pace with a clear goal
• Screen Visibility: High
• Formating: Standard
• Character Development: Rich and vibrant but natural
• Story Development: High

script-of-the-week: Lost in Translation

by Sophia Coppola

Winner of Best original screenplay Oscar for 2004

Pages: N/A

Points of interest:

• Natural dialogue: some of the movie dialogue is not written in the script
• Pacing: Slow but natural
• Visibility: high - easy to create visual of the written word
• Formatting: Casual - Rules are not followed exactly but the format is affective
• Character development: Quick and fulfilling
• Story development: even though the story moves slowly it's development moves forward at a steady pace

I would recommend this script for dramatic writers with a flare for comedy in the same vein as the Coen brothers and Alexander Payne.

script-of-the-week: Juno

by Diablo Cody

Winner of the 2008 Academy Award for Best Screenplay

102 pages

Points of interest:

• natural dialogue and clever use of original vocab
• Pacing is quick
• Text translates easily to the screen
• Formatting is average, nothing special
• Character development is quick and natural
• Story appears to be basic but is deep and developed

Recommended for all writers, specifically for those wanting to write quirky but smart comedies.

script-of-the-week: Good Will Hunting

by Matt Damon & Ben Affleck (122 pages)

Won a 1998 Oscar for Best Writing (for the screen)

Main points:

1. Well crafted dialogue - feels/sounds natural with strong beats.
2. High Drama with great jokes and humorous moments.
3. Character development is concrete - main characters are defined with clear arcs.
4. Action is realistic.
5. Story has a lot of love and emoition (the writers are clearly pussies)
6. Most Scenes (but not all) can be clearly "interpreted" for the screen.

I would recommend this script for all writers.

Script-of-the-week: Groundhog Day

written by Danny Rubin/ Second Revision by Harold Ramis 

January 7, 1992

Bill Murray plays a dislikable character who grows on us over time.

Key points:

1. Page turner - action keeps moving.
2. Great dramatic build up with many humorous moments.
3. Reads like it was scripted for Murray.
4. Effective use of time: passes quickly & trains audiences to know what they are missing.
5. Recommended for Romantic Comedy Writers.
6. Only a few characters but plays like there are many more.

Script-of-the-week: Buffy the Vampire Slayer

by Joss Whedon (approx. 123 pgs.)

My copy was clearly re-written since it was full of typos but enjoyable all the same.  Here are my notes:

1. Pacing was a little slow in the beginning but picked up over time.
2. Main characters are well defined with a few supporting characters appearing to be less clear.
3. Emotion builds up and fulfills its objective by the end.
4. Although written before Legally Blonde it could be describe as LG with Vampires.
5. A good mix of horror and comedy with some very funny moments.
6. Although the teenage dialogue is dated I imagine it was appropriate for the time.

I would recommend this script for all screenwriters and especially those looking to improve their comedic writing.