Producing 101: Script Breakdown

A script breakdown is the task of deeply analyzing a script. It can be used to better understand the story creatively, to comprehend the characters, but more importantly it's used as a technique to breakdown the physical elements of the script for budgeting and scheduling.

There are many options when it comes to who will do the breakdown. A script breakdown can be done by a producer and/or by the First Assistant Director. A producer would usually like to break the script down first to get an understanding of the creative vision as well as an understanding of how to go about financing the film. Breaking down the film as early as possible can give you more time to figure out how much your budget will be and it can help to increase funding for your budget.

First Read Through

From a producer's perspective, it's always a good idea to read through the script first, to get a clear understanding of the story, and all that it entails. The first read through is a great time to have story notes about the script itself. Such as, if a scene works, or if any clarity is needed about a character's actions or their arc. A first read through can be a great way to start envisioning different locations for a scene to take place.

Second Read Through - Production Notes

After the first read through you'll read it again, but this time only focusing on the physical elements presented in each scene. As you go through each scene you will make a note of different elements, such as costumes, or vehicles, that will be required for the film. This then assists with the formation of a budget and a schedule.

Breakdown Elements Include:

• Cast Members
  • Breaking down which characters are in each scene allows us to know how many days an actor will work, which will also dictate how much money they are paid for their time. If a particular character is in only four scenes, then potentially you can schedule to shoot all the scenes in one day, to save on paying for multiple days.
• Background Actors / Extras
  • You'll note if there are any background actors, or extras, needed for a scene. This gives a better sense on how to schedule for the production. If you're working with a micro budget, you can organize a day where friends and family can be background or extras in your film, that way it's just one day of their time.
• Stunts
  • It's important to note if a character or day player will do a stunt such as diving in a pool or jumping onto a moving car. Filling out the stunt element will give you an idea if you will need a stunt double. It will also help you organize for any visual/special effects, which will add to the budget for either an additional day of shooting for the stunt, or sourcing extra money to go towards post production to recreate the stunt digitally.
• Vehicles
  • Note if any picture vehicles are involved. Maybe there's a very specific car that will be needed, like a 1970 bright red Toyota, which are in short supply. Knowing this detail from early on will give you the advantage of being able to scout for the car and secure a rental. Finding a driver for the car for a potential stunt, or someone to watch the car when it's not in use, will also add to your overall budget.
• Props
  • These are objects that will interact with the characters or help to tell the story in some way. For an example, in the old Western film called High Noon (1952), there were multiple shots of clocks with the current time. That would be a prop that you would need multiples of, something that should be budgeted for. In case one clock breaks, you have another ready to go.
• Camera
  • Highlighting this element means noting which camera, and how many of them, will be needed for each scene. Maybe the scene cuts between an overhead shot to a frontal shot of a conversation between characters, it's possible you would need two cameras. Or, maybe the film's aspect ratio changes mid scene, another important thing to be aware of before shooting a scene. Careful consideration will help you to keep track of what camera you will need and when you will need it.
• Practical Effects
  • This element may require more thought while reading through the scene. It's not always obvious which effects can be done practically. Perhaps you're making a slasher film; to get a blood splatter you would need the right camera angle, edit cut, and simultaneously, a bag of fake blood that bursts at the right moment when a fake knife grazes across it. Another practical example could be a levitating character. This is an effect that can be orchestrated on set, then, using Visual or Special Effects any boxes or rope that may have been visible otherwise could be removed.
• Wardrobe
  • Highlight any costumes that each character needs to wear for the scene. It also helps to maintain continuity when doing reshoots, or going from day to night between scenes that are shot on different days. This helps the Costume department keep track of their schedule as well as their budget.
• Makeup / Hair
  • Similar to the wardrobe element, you'll want to note a character's hairstyle or makeup effects throughout the film. With the film Contracted (2013), the main character is slowly changing and there are subtle changes that happen every scene. This is an important documentation that the Makeup and Hair Department will need to know for rentals and what specific date they will need certain supplies by.
• Visual Effects
  • Noting this element helps with budgeting for post production for certain scenes. It's also a safer way of going about certain scenes. Usually, you have to start preparing for the visual effects during principal photography. With the recent film, Sinners (2025), the train station scenes were shot at a large open location in Louisiana without any trains or even a station. However, they had tools used during the shoot that helped them to accurately place the train and station during the post production visual effects process.

These are some of the many elements you are looking for while reading through a script as a producer. It's best to do a manual marking of these elements, and then you can use a software to further break them down. The software system that is considered industry standard is Movie Magic Scheduling, but you can also find many softwares online that offer script breakdown templates or are AI powered to breakdown a script, such as Filmustage.

What are some more elements from this sample script that should be noted?

Scheduling

Once you've broken down every element in every scene, you can then move on to scheduling with the broken down scenes. In Movie Magic, the breakdown and scheduling goes hand in hand. It's constructed simultaneously when you plug in certain details such as "Script Day", which is to document when a scene is happening in the story world. The scheduling process of broken down scenes can be done manually as well, it just takes more time to do, but let's use the Movie Magic software for this example.

In Movie Magic Scheduling, you can plug in things like Script Days to better organize the scheduling. Script Days is used to organize the days in the story world. Perhaps there are flashbacks, this helps you keep track of the day or night of the flashback for scheduling during principal photography. If the first scene of a script starts at night in a police station this will be labeled under the category of Script Day as N1 or Night One. Then, let's suppose the next, or second scene, is a flashback that occurs the previous night, that would be N2 or Night Two. Another example, if the first scene starts during the morning that would be labeled as D1 or Day One, and the following scene occurs the next day, that would be D2 or Day Two. This technique helps you keep track of the day and time for continuity purposes when scenes are not filmed consecutively.

When scenes are not film consecutively, it's to make sure that your schedule keeps in line with your budget. Say you can only afford the police station rental for one day, you'll schedule all your scenes that involves extras, backgrounds and the police station all for that one day. These scenes can also be scattered throughout the film, perhaps in scene 10 it's the same police station night scene that occurred in scene one, you will have both of these Script Days listed as N1. So now you can easily categorize your shoot days using the technique/feature of Script Days.

Once you're done organizing each shoot day based on similar elements occurring at the same time, you can begin to make a schedule. As a producer, this can just be a preliminary schedule. Once you are able to onboard a First Assistant Director, you can then give them everything you've done and they can continue. Usually, scripts, locations, dates, and even cast can change down to the very first day of shooting. As a producer, you get the basics done, that way you know what you need for the shoot and can properly find funding. You might have a certain busy actor in mind, one that would help secure $100,000 if they're attached to the film. Breaking down the script early allows you to have key information – maybe you only need the actor for two days – that you can share to help you ensure the actor will be on board. This level of preparation helps you secure the creative vision (and money) while navigating everyone's schedule. It's a great skill to utilize as a producer!