screenplay

/'skri:nplei/

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Screenplay (noun)

A screenplay is a written script for a movie or film. It includes not just the dialogue (the words that the characters say) but also descriptions of the characters, settings, and actions. It serves as a blueprint for the film.

Usage Instructions:

• When you refer to a screenplay, you are talking about the document that filmmakers use to create a movie.
• It is important to note that a screenplay is structured in a specific format, which includes scene headings, action lines, character names, and dialogue.

Example:

• "The screenplay for the new movie was written by a famous author."
• "She spent months working on her screenplay before submitting it to a film festival."

Advanced Usage:

• Screenplays can also be adapted from books, plays, or other sources. When this happens, the original story is re-written into screenplay format.
• There are different types of screenplays, such as spec scripts (written without a specific buyer in mind) and shooting scripts (which are used during the production of the film).

Word Variants:

• Screenwriter (noun): A person who writes screenplays.
• Screenwriting (noun): The art or process of writing screenplays.

Different Meanings:

• In general, "screen" can also refer to a flat surface that displays an image (like a computer screen).
• "Play" can refer to a theatrical performance or a written script for a stage.

Synonyms:

• Script
• Teleplay (specifically for television)
• Film script

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• While there aren't direct idioms or phrasal verbs specifically for "screenplay," you might encounter phrases like:
  • "To write the screenplay" (to create the script for a film).
  • "To be in the script" (to be included in the screenplay).

Summary:

A screenplay is essential for making films as it contains the dialogue and directions for what happens in the movie.

Academic

Noun

1. a script for a film including dialogue and descriptions of characters and sets