How to Breakdown a Script

Breaking down a script takes each scene and categorizes each needed item in order to assign to proper departments. Is it wardrobe? Props? Production design? On a typical film the 1st AD (1st Assistant Director) is responsible for the script breakdown. But in the land of independent film, it’s often the director executing the task.

1) Divide Your Pages into 8ths

Script pages are viewed in 1/8s. If you’re discussing a scene with a department head, you wouldn’t say it’s just over a page, you’d say it’s a page and 2/8s, etc. Dividing the pages into 8ths provides extra precision. Some people might even get a ruler out and divide pages into one inch sections. That’s hard core — whatever works best for you. Just be aware of the process.

Tip: One page of a script typically translates into one minute of screen time. This can be affected by the amount of dialogue, but as a rule of thumb, this is surprisingly accurate! 

2) Use Highlighters To Identify Items

It’s time to print your script and grab highlighters. This is how you identify all the things that need to be addressed by different departments. With an indie film we are often all departments, but this is still crucial for proper planning. Here are common things you’ll identify in your break down:

• Cast Members
• Costuming
• Props
• Stunts (anything other than walking is a stunt)
• Animal Wrangler
• Set Dressing
• Extras
• Special FX
• Make Up
• Locations

There is no official color chart, so you can come up with your own. Just assign a color value to each specific item in your script. For example, if you assign GREEN to locations, then every part of the script that requires a specific location will need a green underline.

*Note: Some parts you will be underlining with more than one color. That’s normal.

3) Fill Out Breakdown Sheets

The final step is to fill out a script breakdown sheet for each scene. On the sheet you’ll list the scene number, location and other important items identified in step 2. I’ve attached a script breakdown sheet PDF that’ll get you going.

Remember, once we move out of development, a scene refers to a physical location. In development a single scene might span multiple locations, but for pre-production and on, it changes. This is because the script has now morphed into the blue print, and we’re planning our shoot based on locations.

4) Inform Department Heads

Now you can distribute the breakdown sheets to appropriate department heads so everyone knows what they need to do during pre-production. The breakdown sheets also assist during production to ensure all people, props, costuming and production design are ready for each day of shooting.

So that’s it! Now you know how to breakdown a script, which is a crucial pre-production task that will save you a lot of stress once production hits. Write & Direct is an online school for directors that teaches filmmaking from development through post production. And we prepare filmmakers for life after graduation!