Maras, S. (2009) Screenwriting: History, Theory & Practice. Chapter 7 'The Film Script as Blueprint.' Wallflower Press: London.
Maras comments on the idea of comparing a film script to a 'blueprint,' stating both benefits and disadvantages of this description. 'On one hand the blueprint idea allows screenwriters to gain authority and control int he filmmaking process.' The comparison mainly exists when thinking that a screenplay starts with a black page, and creates what will become a management tool for the motion picture. to the director, this is similar to what a blueprint is to an architect 'it is the plan from which he builds the picture.' The important thing to remember is that not only is the screenwriter the master architect, but the whole process is a joint effort which involves teams of people working together.
The blueprint idea first emerged in the vertically-integrated studio environment, starting between 1914 and 1931. Between the 30s and 40s this system was consolidated. This time unfortunately was characterized by preference for 'unoriginal' screenplays, and lack of creative control given to screenwriters. Though this production system has evolved, the idea of script as blueprint has endured.
Before sound was introduced to films, screenplays used to be easier to adapt and change, because title card for silent films could be changed easily in post-production. Afterwards however, they had to start being more precise and perfect before shooting started.
Maras lists firstly the virtues of the 'blueprint' frame. Firstly, it 'resists the ides to view the screenplay as an autonomous work of art by situating or grounding the script into the production context.' it is an incomplete entity. (Though this still entails a risk that the broader technical and mechanical aspects of visualization are placed in a position of secondary importance). Secondly, the blueprint idea 'goes against the visual bias of film theory and highlights the composition or design dimension of cinema.' It assists in recognizing the importance of the multi-material nature of production. Thirdly, the idea 'highlights the industrial scale of a great deal of film production' because of the analogy shared between making a film and building a house.
Andrew Sarris (1974) leans towards the screenplay more in terms of a musical composition than architectural analogy. He does acknowledge that the director is not tied to the notes and orchestration of the composer in the way the conductor is.
Despite its virtues, the blueprint idea can also be problematic. It can lead to 'misconceptions about the nature of control over the material. A danger here is the suggestion of a fixed, single moment of control over the filmmaking process - leading to the implication that filmmaking is a mere process of assembly.' in this way it is tied to notions of the assembly line. It also suggests a 'technical idea of precision, embodied in a diagram.' While they are not necessarily precise in nature and are open to interpretation. Maras says the script can be understood poetically, and is more 'crystalline' in its clarity than precise. another problem with the blueprint idea is that it can lead to 'an overidentification of the writer with the script' which minimizes input of other collaborators.
The word 'script' is a diminutive of 'manuscript.' It relates to the written document which supports the production process.
Maras offers another frame to view the script within besides the blueprint; that of 'notational form.' This idea is more open-ended than a rigid blueprint form. Notation can serve as an organising tool; it can help communicate ideas; it can covey ideas of mood through annotations; and it can help guide the editor for ideas of tempo and shot length. the continuity supervisor can also add notations to maintain accuracy of the shooting (by carrying over details about preceding or subsequent shots).
