UK Film Script Analysis - Saltburn

 

Format/Layout:

The title is underlined and is at the top. This helps to make the title clear and easy to locate. It is then followed by the writer with spaces in the middle. The copyrights are then placed in a paragraph below, and then underneath is where the different scripts are.

Format/Layout:

The script follows a courier style font which allows it to be easily read over long periods of time. Additionally, it means that the pages will amount to a minute per page.

Format/Layout:

There is a use of bold speech when introducing the scene “FLASHBACK-” This puts emphasis on the information and makes it clearer to read. It also helps to clearly separate the context from the dialogue, making it easier to refer to. The dialogue is placed in the middle which further creates clarity on the script lines.

Format/Layout:

There are shot titles such as “CLOSE UP:" and "A SERIES OF SHOTS" which allow the camera crew to understand exactly how the shot will look. There are also transitions such as “CUT TO:” which are placed on the right side, different to the previous page. This is far from the rest of the script, which helps the film and editing crew to easily refer to the script.

Use of Language:

The language used is very descriptive and vivid which helps to firmly direct in actors. For example, the line "in a disdainful, aristocratic voice-” is highly expressive, which also helps to set the tone for the scene.

Format/Layout:

There is a heavy use of slug lines for example, "EXT. WEBBE COLLEGE- QUAD - DAY". Through this, the director is able to ensure that the script is easy to follow, and you are able to understand where the setting is.

Format/Layout:

The layout also has placed the dialogue in the centre, unlike the action lines. This helps to create a clear difference between the two. Parenthetical are also used to give brief, but necessary description. This is used to show "(V.O)" which informs us that the dialogue is a voice over.

Use of Language:

There is also a use of short sentences throughout the page, which helps to make the text concise and to the point. For example, the line "Watchful, clever and obsessed" tells us exactly what we need to know, with the least amount of words.

Act number	Events
Act One	The set up of the movie would be Oliver, the main character and scholarship boy, meeting Felix, his aristocratic school mate, and getting closer to him. Oliver meets Felix at school, and little by little opens about things such as his father dying and his mother being a drug addict. It could be argued that through this, he evokes pity out of Felix eventually leading to him inviting him to his house for the summer.
Act Two	The confrontations/ twists of the story would be how Oliver constantly submits to his dark thoughts and desires. This would be when he has intimate relations with Felix's sister, Venetia, when he spies on Felix in the bathroom and manipulates everyone in the household against people he does not like. He continues to create more secrets, and an even bigger fall that will eventually lead to his downfall.
Act Three	The climax/ resolution of the story would be when everything starts to unfold and the lies start coming to the surface. This specifically happens when Felix surprises Oliver with a visit to his mum. Oliver instantly becomes very nervous and unsteady, mainly because he knows Felix will find out the truth. When he meets his parents, he finds out that Oliver's dad is still alive, and his mother is not a drug addict. This disgusts Felix which causes him to force Oliver to leave and never return. Eventually in the end, Felix dies, and his family follows him. His house is left empty to Felix, who celebrates his achievements.

Character Element1	Evidence & explanation for your case study
Protagonist	The protagonist could be Felix, who offers aid and help to Oliver. This is seen through his acts of generosity, such as when he offers Oliver a drink, invites him to his house and to parties. Until the end, he stays helping.
Sympathetic Characters	The sympathetic characters could be all the victims to Oliver, such as Felix’s family. As we watch the film, we also watch how they are played and manipulated by Oliver, and how he eventually pushes them to death. This evokes sympathy from the audience, as whilst they had honest intentions, Oliver did not.
Antagonistic Characters	Unlike many films, the antagonist seems to be our main character, Oliver. Throughout the film we watch him control the people he is around, and he is the main cause of all the disruption that occurs in the film.

Style Element	Evidence & explanation for your case study
Linear or Non-linear	You could say that the film Saltburn is a linear story. This is because the story progresses chronologically, and there is no underlining story going on at the same time. We watch how it leads to the end.
Single-Stranded or Multi-Stranded	The story is single-stranded. This is because as mentioned before, the story chronologically moves forward and does not have multiple stories occurring that require resolution. This creates a single-stranded narrative.
Fiction or Non-fiction	The story itself is fiction. There are no real-life based characters, and it is not a remake of a true story. However, you can argue that there are non-fiction elements in the film, for example how the film is set in England and features such as the artwork in Felix’s house are historically accurate. This helps to add verisimilitude to the film and allows us to truly indulge in it.