Analysis of TV Drama Scripts

The first script I decided to analyse is The Syndicate, Series 3 episode 1.
http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/scripts/the-syndicate-s3-ep1.pdf

At the beginning of the script, the location and time of day is identified and the main protagonist Dawn is introduced. The text before the dialogue explains how old she is, her occupation and that she is a mother of two. It also explains the cause of how she wakes up, realizes she is late and leaps out of bed at which point the audience can recognize she is pregnant. The layout is set so that the characters names are in the center of the page and the dialogue is written underneath.

Within the first thirty seconds, two characters are introduced and they are given dialogue. Before their daughter Amy is introduced, the script directs that they are in Scarborough,in Dawn's house and Amy's bedroom. In the third scene, a fourth character is introduced: Noah, Dawn's and Andy's son.
At the top of scene four, Dawn is described by what she is wearing and what she is doing.

The location changes at scene 9: Hazlewood Manor where Dawn and her daughter Amy work. This location is described in detail as being modernized- the kitchen has a light oak table that dominates the room where the food is prepared. We know Hazelwood Manor is going to be a central setting.
The fifth character to be introduced is Sean, followed by the cook Julie and her daughter Sarah. Each of these characters are described by their appearance and their common traits. Lady Hazlewood is described, the reader learns she is Lord Hazlewoods wife and she appears to be false 'false smile'.

On page five Sean and Lady Hazlewood are having a conversation: there are pieces in the script which tells the actors how to feel and what do. For example, when Lady Hazlewood says her son Spencer is looking for him he is directed to look displeased 'Sean's face shows us hes not happy.' The actors are also directed when to change their tone of their voice by the use of brackets before the dialogue '(yells)'.



The second TV drama script I have decided to analyse is The Affair.
https://scriptpipeline.com/the-affair-pilot

This script is quite similar to The Syndicate in the way it is laid out. At the top of the page, the script directs it is part one as the audience will firstly see Noahs side of the story. Noah's appearance is described as well as what he is doing. The text above the dialogue sets the scene, informing readers of what time of year it is. Noah is given directions to 'think' before he types. When this character is typing he is directed to do so by 'He types:'. For the first page of the script there is no dialogue.
A second character is introduced, Helen, Noah's wife shorty before their young daughter cries for Helen's attention. We can see that Stacey is shouting as there is an increase of letters and an exclamation mark used.

At the top of page three, Noah is described packing. A fourth character is then introduced - Martin, Noah's son who is thirteen years old. Also, when the same actor uses dialogue again they are directed to do so by the phrase 'CONT'D'. When the scene is filmed outside the actors are made known to this by the shorthand phrase 'EXT.' However, if the scene is placed in an inside setting the shorthand 'INT.' is used.


After researching two TV drama scripts I can improve mine by identifying the location and time of day at the start of the page. I am going to include background detail of my characters which introduces them as well as setting the scene, I am also going to change the layout of my script by placing all dialogue in the center of the page as this was something I noticed while researching.
As well as this, I need to introduce multiple characters and story lines so that the location is able to switch frequently which will ensure the script is realistic.