Post 1

A Boy’s Life script by Melissa Mathison was the first script that I had ever gotten a chance to read. I had read a lot of parts of scripts, but never the full script. At first I was very excited to read it. I was excited to see if I could picture a movie play out in my head as much as I do when I read books. I had never heard of A Boy’s Life, so I figured this would be the perfect chance.

However, when I finally found out that the unknown creature was E.T., a movie about an alien that I had seen countless number of times, I was disappointed. Mathison did a great job illustrating a picture, but a picture that I had already seen. So while reading it I had Steven Spielberg’s characters, sets, and general ideas. Not mine. The other thing I was wondering about is what was omitted. During some big scenes, part of the script was omitted. I often wondered what went there. Would it make the story better? Why did they decide to omit it?

I also do feel it would be easy for just anyone to sit there and read a screen play. It’s a little different, at first. But for a good script anyone can jump right in.

Discussion questions:

1) While reading this screen play, whose movie played out to you? A movie that you had never seen or Steven Spielberg’s?

2) Do you feel that scripts for directors are bibles, that shouldn’t be changed at all, or guidelines?