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Film Studies

This guide is an introduction to the resources for Film Studies at Dartmouth. If you are interested in Television, see the separate research guide for Television.

Introduction

A document setting out all the scenes, dialogue, and action of a feature film, sometimes including details of camera position, camera angle,shot size, and so on (see shooting script). The script identifies what needs to be shot, what has to be made in terms of sets, props and costumes, the locations that will be required, the roles to be cast, and the time frame of the shoot. A script is in essence, and crucially, a planning document: it is used in budgeting and arranging the production of the film. So, for example, production personnel, including those responsible for casting, costume, hair, props, and special effects, will make use of the information in the script in planning their work. The format and style of a script are functional and follow recognized conventions (for example, all scripts are presented in 12-point Courier font), and these are consistent across the film production industry.

[Source: Kuhn, A., & Westwell, G. (2020). Script. In A Dictionary of Film Studies. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 21 Feb. 2021]

In the Library's collections

The following are useful subject headings for searching the online catalog.

Introductory reading(s)

Selected book title(s)

Other library resource(s)

Between the collections in Rauner Special Collections and Baker/Berry Libraries, Dartmouth has a large collection of scripts. Do a title search for the movie you want and see what you find.

Finding scholarly articles & journals

Articles and other writings about screenwriting can be found in many publications. Our collection doesn't have any current titles that look exclusively at screenwriting. You can use Film & Television Literature Index or the search box at the top of the page.

Internet resource(s)