Some people like watching TV dramas, but do you know how TV scripts( 剧 本 ) are written? I interviewed a famous TV drama scriptwriters (编剧). Let's take a look at this job.
I learned writing and directing at The Central Academy of Drama ( 中央戏剧学院). After school, I wrote scripts for TV programs and reality shows before I turned into a TV drama scriptwriter as I am now.
There are mainly three kinds of work for us scriptwriters. First, you write your own script as you like. The companies buy your work and turn it into films or TV shows. But this only happens to a few top authors and very lucky people. Usually, scriptwriters are given a project and asked to either change a novel into a screenplay (影视剧本) or write scripts based on a given topic.
Writing a novel is much more personal and free. A novelist can write about large number of feelings and thoughts. But scriptwriters have to draw a clear picture of everything and have a plan. We should know who does what, when and where, and even their body language and facial expressions.
A scriptwriter doesn't rely on his or her inspiration or talent but on skills and hard work. Around 70 percent of screenplay writers come from drama and film schools, so we've learned many skills to build stories.
For a 45-minute episode (剧集), we usually write around 35 scenes and 15, 000 words. A whole TV series usually has nearly 1 million words and a movie about 30, 000 words. I have made a rule for myself— writing at least 5, 000 words and for eight hours per day.
A. How do you gain inspiration from your daily life? B. Why do you choose to be a scriptwriter? C. How many words do you have to write in a TV drama? D. What's the difference between writing a novel and a screenplay? E. What were your experiences of being a scriptwriter? F. What does a TV drama scriptwriter do? |
