One of the first things you should do as you begin working with a script is to quickly analyze it; woodshed it, searching for clues to help you create a believable character and effective delivery.
As you begin working with voiceover copy, you may find that it will take you a few minutes to make the choices about your character and other aspects of the copy. However, as you gain experience, you will be able to do a thorough woodshedding in the time it takes you to read the copy a few times.
The Script Analysis Worksheet on pages 132 and 133 can be used when working with any piece of copy. The worksheet is essentially another tool you can use when breaking down a script to define the Seven Core Elements of a performance. If you find a sequential, linear process beneficial, you may find the worksheet helpful.
Once you’ve done this process a few times, it will become automatic and you won’t need the worksheet any longer. By answering the questions on the worksheet, you can quickly learn everything you need to know about a script and your character. If an answer is not clear from the copy, then make it up. You won’t be graded on your answers, I promise. The answers you come up with will give you critical information you can use in developing effective characters and delivery. They are simply a way for you to make practical choices for the script you are performing. For you to maintain a consistent performance, it is important that you stick with the choices you make in your script analysis. If something isn’t working for you, of course, you can change your mind. But any new choices or changes should only be made to make your performance and your character more real and believable.
TO MARK OR NOT TO MARK
Through experimentation, you will find a form of script analysis that works for you. You may find that it is very helpful to mark your script with notes, lines, and boxes designed to chart your path through a performance. Or you may find it unnecessary to mark your script, and instead only make minor notations as needed. Whatever works for you is what you should use. If you find you are paying too much attention to your notations as you read a script, you are probably over-analyzing the text. This can result in a delivery that is unfocused and sounds like you are reading. As you develop your personal process for script analysis and notation, and your performing skills improve, you will most likely find you need to mark your script less and less.
Regardless of your individual process, or how much you mark your script, the basic process of woodshedding will remain the same. As you analyze a script, you will want to look for key words and phrases that reveal attitude and emotion, and give clues about your character and how your character responds to information, situations, and other characters. Notice the context of the copy and how the message is presented. Look for places where you can add variety by using the dynamics of pacing, energy, attitude, tone of voice, and emotion. Look for natural breaks, shifts of attitude or emotion, and transitions in the copy. Look for catchphrases that reveal something about your character’s attitude, emotion, or feelings.
By the time you read a script through once or twice, you should be able to make some solid choices on how you intend to perform it. You should know who the one person is you are speaking to (the audience); who you are as the speaker (your character); and what you are responding to, or why you are speaking the words in the script at this moment in time (your back
story).
Marking your script with specific notations can help you create a map of how you will deliver it. These markings are your personal cues to guide you through an effective performance of the copy.
Practice marking magazine or newspaper articles or short stories and you will quickly find a system that works for you. In a short time, you will refine your system to a few key markings which you can use regularly to guide you through almost any script.
Here are a few suggested markings and possible uses. Adapt, modify and add to them as you like:
• Underline ( _____ )—emphasize a word, phrase, or descriptive adjectives
• Circle ( )—key elements of conflict in the script
• Box ( )—the peak moment in the copy—put a box around the words or phrase at that point in the copy
• Highlight ( ) or different color underline—resolution or nonresolution of conflict
• Arrow pointing UP ( )—take inflection on a word up
• Arrow pointing DOWN ( )—take inflection on a word down • Wavy line (
~~~
)—modulate your voice or inflection• Slash or double slash ( // )—indicate a pause
One of the most common markings is to simply underline a word that needs to be emphasized. This works fine in most cases, but there may be times when you want to make sure you say a word correctly. Try underlining only the syllable of the word that needs emphasis. For example: defense or defense. Another important thing about script marking is that, although you certainly should understand its proper use, it’s a good idea to