The script we first created did not portray the characters individual personalities, therefore we decided to develop it in order to give the audience hints as to what each of the characters are like.
There is not much dialogue in typical opening scenes, but ours contains some. The speech helps the audience get an understanding of who the main characters are including names and what might the film be about. It gives the audience a feel for the personalities of the characters and lets them pick favourites. Our script/screen directions are below...
The script:
[Instrumental of Beethoven's Moonlight Stanza is played whilst shots are shown of Eva walking to the church yard. No dialogue. shot pans up then cuts to library scene.]
Alexis, Marco, Faye, Peter and Jack are all in the school library. Three of them are seated around the main table in the order Jack, empty chair, Faye, empty chair and Peter. Behind on the row of computers is Marco and Alexis, Marco is seated in the gap between Jack and Faye facing away from the camera. Alexis is also seated facing away from the camera but in between Faye and Peter, she soon moved to the main table and sits between Faye and Peter.
Alexis: Soo you guys? (pauses) [picks books up from desk in front and moves them to main desk leaving what she had on the screen up] what actually is witchcraft?
Marco: [places head in hands pushing hair back out of face] (mumbles under breath) This is going to take forever.
Peter: [gesturing in Alexis' direction whilst moving basket ball of the chair next to him onto the floor] Alexis come here. I found a definition. [pushes back laptop screen, points and begins to read it out]. {shot cuts to Eva walking into graveyard and crouching down by grave and speech becomes a voice over.} Witchcraft the practice of the mythical arts for example magic, this can either be black or white depending on the intended use. Which craft can also be linked back to the 1500's a time of spells, potions and the invocation of spirits. (fades out)
Title Evangeline is shown on screen. Shot then cuts back to the library.
Faye; [scrolling down website, pushes up glasses and moves hair behind ear] This website is actually pretty interesting. [looking up at website and writing down notes]
Jack; [looks over Faye's shoulder at her computer screen] Hmm yeah I think I looked at that one [continues with what he was writing] *coughs* [scrunches up piece of paper and throws it at peter in a basketball playing fashion]I wonder where Eva is. I know She said she had to go somewhere first but ugh I swear shes been hours, [Tilts head back] I just want to go get food.
Peter; No idea, I'll call her. [reaches down into sports bag and pulls out phone, calls Eva]
This scene shows Eva walking after she has visited her mothers grave. she receives a phone call from Peter and picks it up.
Eva; Hello (pause whilst peter answers) yeah ill be there in a minutes (pauses) okay bye. [put phone down and speeds up her walking]
still on scene of Eva voice over is being played.
Faye; Listen to this quote from the bible. "Leviticus 20:27 man or a woman who is a medium or a necromancer shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones; their blood shall be upon them.” Its talking about witchcraft.
Eva is shown walking into the library up the stairs and towards the group.
Eva; hiya [walks over to Alexis] sorry im late took longer than I thought.
Alexis: Ah hi Eva, come on lets go. [stands up and starts to pack away her belongings.]
Eva: [looking at James] you guys ready. [everyone gets up apart from Marco and begins to put their things away, and then leaves. Marco then puts his things away and walks out following the group. Camera pans across to Fayes computer that she had left on and zooms into the screen leaving an image of Evangeline up and the audience to realise that she looks like Eva.]