SCRIPT TO SCREEN Pixar’s ‘UP’
Our class exercise today was to view the opening sequence of ‘Pixar’s’ UP and attempt to write the scene ourselves. I learned something about myself in this exercise… just how slowly I write. I struggled to find the words to paint the pictures on the screen. I found a few, and some I thought an improvement on the ‘UP’ script. I thought my ‘Ramshackle House’ and Ellie ‘pouncing’ on Carl to take her kiss were an improvement and felt I had done well in establishing a light and joyous tone in the writing. In our discussions later I thought the ‘Pixar’ script lacked description and colour. I thought this approach suitable for ‘Pixar’ who probably had a large group of experienced animators and art directors who would bring their experience and originality to bear on visualising the story and bringing it to screen. It is probably desirable not to restrict such creatives with too much direction and description.
A student drew a parallel with the script to writing a children’s story. I had written a children’s book during the holidays and, in retrospect, thought I had spent more time organising illustrations and creating a rhythmic meter than in considering the colour and vibrancy of the actual words. I thought about the quality of the language and my lack of evocative and flamboyant words that might captivate young readers and expand their language. I look forward to spending some time reviewing my text and hopefully improving the tone and vibrancy of my story.
1. INT. CHURCH. DAY
As ELLIE and CARL are pronounced man and wife, an old fashioned camera bulb goes off to take a photo of the happy moment. A joyous Ellie pounces on Carl to take her kiss. She turns, sparkling, full of happiness to her guests in the church and sees a full church of uproarious friends, jumping and cheering enthusiastically, which expresses all the joy she feels in her heart. Instead the reality is a sparsely populated church, sedate and conservative guests gently applauding.
2. EXT. RAMSHACKLE HOUSE OF THEIR FIRST MEETING. DAY.
Carl carries Ellie, who looks adoringly into his eye’s, down the footpath and wobbles onto the path approaching the front door of the tumbledown house of their first meeting. We see a “ For Sale” sign, written in Venezuelan, outside the house with a sold sign on it.
We see a length of wood being sawed. By Ellie. The newly married couple, still in their wedding finery have begun working on a decrepit, gloomy room immediately. The room is bare of furniture, the walls stained, the ceiling broken revealing the roof beyond. Ellie is sawing timber steadying the wood with her foot with Carl behind her, following her lead, hammering them up. Dust motes dance in the sunbeams shining through the window illuminating a radiant Ellie sawing.
vera-pavlovich • March 29, 2017