When I click on this link on the site .I get a blank text document with no information

You can download a script format template from the BBC writersroom site. (Are we allowed to mention it here?)

quote:

Originally posted by stephenred:
When I click on this link on the site .I get a blank text document with no information

You should go to Act 1 Scene 1 of Humble Boy. For me it opens in MS Word.

if you click on the link and go save as, then you can save it to ur computer and open it from there. hope that helps!

i think the best way to learn how to write drama, is to just read a play.
there are some really good ones out there!

i would recommend 'a streetcar named desire'

But, if you're at Victoria and want to get to Liverpool Street I would recommend a Bus numbered 11!
Sorry about that! I'll get me coat.

Also, if you want to enrich your concept of playwriting, and what play content can be, I suggest to read a few plays in different generes. Here are a few that I reccomend (and im sorry to anyone of the other grerat and amazing playwrites I havent mentioned)

First, I strongly recomend you look at classical plays (and forgive me for ignoring so many other great eras) Some great Greek (Antigone is not too hard to read, and its beautiful. Roman comedies are kinda simple, but they were the inspiration for all of Shakespeares comedies, so they might be worth a glance. I'll skip the middle ages (even though there were some nice ones) and then obviously Shakespeare would be a great teacher. Moliere is also great at finding cubtle comedy in speach and actions.
From European realism, I reccomend any Checkov or Ibsen play,. They are hard to read, but they can show you how to develop characters by words. The characters talk and talk and talk and talk and the drama/humor/emotions come out of that.
From American realism, I reccomend Arthur Miller or Tenessee Williams. Both are quite easy to read. You can see in their plays the way symbolism helps create atmosphere for the play and for the character development.
From political plays, I reccomend Bertolt Brecht. His plays can also show you how one may incorporate songs in a play (hence making it a musical) without it being tacky or Andrew-Lloyed-Webered.
A great philosophical play is Georg Buchner "Danton's Death". Extremely hard to read though.
now... Absurd. I really hope you get to read some Absurd plays beafore starting to write. Absurd theatre has changed the whole concept of theatre in the 20th cen. It has made such a huge and deep impact that I believe it must not be ignored.
obviously Becket's "Waiting for Godot" is a great example of that. I will also reccomend Ionesco (preferably "The Bald Primadonna" or "Rhinoceros". I think the first one is funnier and les philosophical (making it easier to read) ). Harold Pinter is great for British Absurd... and Alan Ayckborne is great for slapstick absurd.

Thats it i think...
if you finish all these plays and want more, let me know!

i've studied literature, media and performance for about 8 years LOL so i have pretty much read all of those playrights. but u r rite...the only way to improve your own writing is to read lots!

Dunno if this is going slightly off topic or what: Although I've seen and read the scripts to quite a few plays, when attempting one myself, I can never work out where an act should finish and a new one begin. Anyone got any advice?

Btw, I'm using that BBC ScriptSmart template that Subs mentions. I find it brilliant for all kinds of scripts from film, TV, radio, stage, right through to prose... and it's FREE!

thats a very gud question luap! im doing act 1 as what happens before the interval, and act as what happens after, but not sure if this is right or not!! LOL in fact, im pretty sure its not. but i dont htink it matters, i think u can decide really.

guys... the great thing about art is that there is no right or wrong.
you can write a one act play.
you can have as many acts and scenes as you like.
i once wrote a play with 27 acts and 59 scenes...
i once wrote a play with 2 acts, and 17 scenes.
i once wrote a one act play ...
u can do whatever you want.
a scene change is normally the end of the immideate situation.
an act finished when ... i dont know, maybe like a chapter in a book. when its just time for it to end.
Chckov rights 100 pages for erach act, others might only need a few pages.
every play is different and there are no ultimate turths. This is why i really do suggest you read as many different styles as possible, so you can see how many options there are.

vod & Seb,
Thanks for the replies.

I was kinda thinking that the intermission would come as the defining point between Act One and Act Two. As my sub stands at present, that should come about 10 minutes from the beginning of Act One Scene One.

I was kinda thinking that the intermission would be the defining point between Act One and Act two. As far as I've got with my sub, that should come about 10 minutes after the beginning of Act One Scene One.

... and another question: I know how to edit a post but how the hell do you delete a post on these boards when you've made a pig's ear of it? Why isn't there someone from C4 to advise? Does anyone from the company ever visit here?

... I think I'm getting just a little worked up!

the boards r broken today i think! they keep going weird!

and nobody really ever comes on here 2 answer anyones questions. dunno wot the point of it is really!

So it wasn't all me then, vod? The reason I goofed and posted the same thing twice was cos the board acted as if the first wasn't loaded. And the "help" is less than helpful!

At least you only sent it twice! Not like Mr 4-timer Subs!

I'd like to say to those who can't work out where your acts end, if you haven't worked it out by now, that time is running out for anyone hoping to submit by the PTT deadline! That in itself tells you there's a crisis looming for you as well as your act. Hint - Hint! (RBRL)

For anyone who doesn't know, it means `Read Between The Lines.` Does your story-line have structure? If it doesn't you will never find out where the act ends.

Hi Joey,
So it's not Read Between Rhe Lines then?

Or Rusty British Rail Lines?

Joey,

This is the thing about theatre... there are no rules, so there's no hint to be taken.

I've written a two act play with 11 scenes in the first and 7 in the second. Another of my plays had two acts and a single scene in each act... Is that wrong? Nope... Look at 'An Evening With Gary Lineker'...

The rule I try to work by is the interval rule... "Make the audience WANT to come back and see the second act". What ever device you use to acomplish that doesn't matter... "It's bums on seats luvvie, bums on seats!"



Jay

JaysPlays - re the interval rule - one of the best bits of advice on here! Shame it's too late for me to go back and rewrite my Act I Scene III ending - actually, excuse me, I have to go off and do something ...