Scriptwriting

From Your Mind to the Stage: A Guide to Scriptwriting!

Habari mwanafunzi! Welcome to the amazing world of scriptwriting. Have you ever watched a show like Sultana or a play at the Kenya National Theatre and thought, "Wow, I wish I could create a story like that"? Well, you absolutely can! A script is the blueprint, the very soul of any performance. It’s where the magic begins. Today, we are going to learn how to take the brilliant ideas in your head and put them onto a page so that actors can bring them to life. Are you ready? Let's begin!

The Heart of the Story: The Three Pillars

Every strong story, whether it's a grand play by Francis Imbuga or a short skit for a school festival, is built on three essential pillars. Master these, and you're on your way to becoming a great storyteller.

1. The Big Idea (The Logline)

A logline is your entire story packed into a single, powerful sentence. It’s what you tell someone when they ask, "What is your story about?" It must introduce your main character, their goal, and the main conflict they face. Think of it like a formula:

[THE PROTAGONIST] wants [A GOAL] but faces [AN OBSTACLE].

Example: A determined young girl from a small village in Vihiga (Protagonist) wants to win a national science competition to secure a scholarship (Goal), but she must compete against well-funded students from Nairobi and overcome her own community's traditional beliefs about a girl's education (Obstacle).

2. The People (The Characters)

Stories are about people! Your characters drive the story forward. The most important two are:

• Protagonist: This is your main character, your hero. We see the story through their eyes and cheer for them to succeed. They must want something badly!
• Antagonist: This is the person or force that stands in the protagonist's way. This doesn't have to be a "bad guy" with a moustache; it can be a rival, a societal rule, or even the character's own self-doubt.

Image Suggestion: An A4 page titled 'Character Profile'. It has fields like 'Name', 'Age', 'Home (e.g., Kibera, Nairobi)', 'Goal/Want', 'Fear', 'Strengths', 'Weaknesses', and a blank space for a character sketch. The style is like a student's notebook doodle.

3. The Journey (The Plot)

The plot is the sequence of events – what happens in the story. The simplest and most powerful way to structure a plot is the Three-Act Structure.

• Act 1: The Beginning (The Setup): We meet the characters in their normal world. Then, something happens (the inciting incident) that sets them on a new path.
• Act 2: The Middle (The Confrontation): This is the longest part. The character faces bigger and bigger challenges trying to achieve their goal. Things often get worse before they get better!
• Act 3: The End (The Resolution): The story reaches its highest point of tension (the climax). The character confronts the main obstacle and either wins or loses. We then see the aftermath and what has changed.

Here is a simple diagram to help you visualise it. We call it Freytag's Pyramid!

           / \
          /   \  <-- 3. Climax (The big showdown!)
         /     \
        /       \
       /         \
      /           \
     /             \  <-- 4. Falling Action (Things calm down)
    /               \
   /                 \
  /                   \
 /                     \
/ <-- 2. Rising Action   \_________________ <-- 5. Resolution (The end)
/       (The struggle)
/
1. Exposition (The beginning)

The Blueprint: Standard Script Formatting

A script has a special format. Why? Because it's a technical document that the director, actors, and production crew all need to read and understand instantly. Using the correct format shows that you are a professional. Let's look at the key elements.

Here is a sample scene set in a familiar place - a Nairobi matatu!

SCENE START

INT. MATATU - DAY

A brightly painted 14-seater matatu, nicknamed "The Beast", bumps along Waiyaki Way. Loud reggae music plays.

JUMA (19), in a crisp school uniform, counts his coins nervously. He is a few shillings short. The MAKanga (conductor), a tough-looking woman named MAMA BONITA (40s), is making her way down the aisle.

                MAMA BONITA
        (Shouting over the music)
    Wapi pesa! Last stop! Harakisha!
    (Where's the money! Last stop! Hurry up!)

Juma shrinks in his seat, trying to become invisible. Mama Bonita's eyes lock onto him. She stops right in front of him, hand outstretched.

                MAMA BONITA
        Na wewe, kijana? Umelala?
        (And you, young man? Are you sleeping?)

Juma looks up, his face filled with panic.

                JUMA
        (Stammering)
    Niko... niko karibu...
    (I have... I'm almost there...)

Mama Bonita just raises an eyebrow, waiting. The other passengers watch, pretending not to be interested.

FADE OUT.

SCENE END

Let's break that down:

• SCENE HEADING: Always in CAPS. Tells us if the scene is inside (INT.) or outside (EXT.), the LOCATION, and the time of day (DAY or NIGHT).
• ACTION LINE: Describes what we can see and hear. It's always in the present tense.
• CHARACTER NAME: In CAPS, centered above their dialogue.
• PARENTHETICAL: A small note in brackets `()` to describe *how* a line is said. Use it only when necessary!
• DIALOGUE: The words the characters speak.

The 'Math' of Scriptwriting

How do you know how long your play or film will be? There's a simple industry rule of thumb that helps with timing.

The Golden Rule: One page of a properly formatted script equals roughly one minute of screen or stage time.

So, if you are asked to write a 10-minute play for the school drama festival, you know your target length. Let's calculate it.

CALCULATING SCRIPT LENGTH

Given:
  - Target Performance Time = 10 minutes
  - Industry Standard Ratio = 1 page per minute

Formula:
  Target Script Length (in pages) = Target Performance Time (in minutes)

Calculation:
  Target Script Length = 10 minutes
  
Result:
  Your script should be approximately 10 pages long.

This is a fantastic guide to help you structure your story and make sure you don't write a story that is too long or too short for its purpose. Sawa?

Your Turn to Create!

You have learned about the heart of a story, how to format it, and even how to time it. The only thing left is to write!

Every great Kenyan writer, from Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o to Wanuri Kahiu, started exactly where you are now: with a blank page and an idea. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Your first draft is just you telling yourself the story.

Writing Challenge: Write a one-page scene using the correct format.
Situation: Two friends meet outside a cyber cafe after checking their university admission results online.
Characters: One is overjoyed with their result, the other is quietly devastated.
Goal: Show, don't just tell, their emotions through their dialogue and actions.

You have incredible stories inside you that are waiting to be told. Stories about your life, your community, your dreams, and your challenges. Pick up a pen or open a document and start writing. The stage is waiting for you!