What is a screenplay and why it is an important document in Film Making Process?

Screenplay is a document. It is similar to Blue Print of a Building. An engineers need blue print to construct a building. A film maker needs screenplay to make a film. Film Making has become the only profitable medium in which one can make more than ten times money with respect to the total investment. No matter how bad a movie makes in the box office, it can easily recover two to three times to the investment sooner or later. The entire process begins with that single document screenplay.

What is a Screenplay?

The definition of screenplay may differ from the profession some one is in. For a film maker, it is a document. For a writer, it is a story written in pictures along with audio. For a director, it is a story told in pictures with audio. For an actor, a story is told through putting a character in a situation. Irrespective of the definition, in Many school Screenwriting is compulsory subject to all the field students. 

In simple terms, what we see on screen is written first on paper.

Who writes this on paper?

A screenwriter. 

In general the screenwriter writes screenplay either based upon an idea developed into a story (Plot) or adopted some Novel. In either case the purpose is to break down entire story (Plot) or novel into scenes. This thing makes one screenwriter different than another screenwriter. 

In India, things are bit different. 90% cases a director comes up with an Idea and partially developed story. With the help of screenwriter develops complete screenplay. Since Webseries came into the market, the things have changed. Scripts are purchased from writers straight. 

So we can say, a screenplay is a story broken down into multiple scenes. 

But, why do a screenplay is an essential document in film making process?

Screenplay is an essential document in film making process because in film making irrespective of department, every one is dedicated to add contribution in to formation of each scene on to the screen. A cinematographer is putting all effort to arrange the light according to the mood of the scene. Costume designer designs or arranges costumes that goes best with respect to the scene. Background music scores, arranges music according to the scene. Art department chief arranges properties according to the scene. 

The bottom line here is, every one who are associated with film making are bound to work according to each scene of a movie. Therefore a screenplay which contains a story in terms of scenes becomes essential document for all the departments in film making. 

So every department in film making process gets a copy of the script. 

Conclusion: Screenplay is an important Document in Movie Making Business.