Blog #1

Reading A Boy's Life was my first experience reading an entire screenplay. It took me a few pages to get used to the format, but once I was comfortable with it, it was a quick and enjoyable read. Although I saw a film in my head as I was reading, it wasn't the exact film I remember. I recognized A Boy's Life as the film, E.T., within the first few pages, but reading the screenplay was a much different experience than viewing the film. KEYS was much more of a threat in the beginning of the screenplay than he is in the end. Once he is revealed, the character loses something and is suddenly no longer the chief threat to E.T. In the film, the change from KEYS to E.T.'s failing health being the greatest threat to E.T.'s return home is much less sudden.

While I don't believe that screenplays are meant to be read by non-professionals, I don't think that it is impossible or impractical for non-professionals to read a screenplay. A non-professional may not understand everything they see in a screenplay or take the time to study the characters, etc., but as long as they have seen a film, they should be able to have an enjoyable experience reading a screenplay. However, there will almost always be something missing in a screenplay that is in the finished film, and if at all possible, the reader should also see the film.

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you agree with Weston when he says that character analysis and story analysis are intertwined, not separate? Why?

2. Why did Melissa Mathison choose to refer to E.T. as THE CREATURE until page 7 (instead of referring to him as E.T. from page 1 or as THE CREATURE until Elliot names him)?