Scoring a
Script
Scoring your script for
success!
What is Scoring?
Scoring a script is the notation of the
placement of beats, blocking, voice
elements such as inflections, stresses,
and speaking tempos.
Elements of a Score
Beats
Vocal Inflection
Emotional Mapping
Blocking
What is a beat?
A beat is a single unit of action. A scene
may comprise one or more of these*
Beat Change - The point during a scene
where a new action begins.
It occurs when a new piece of information is
introduced or an event takes place over
which the character has no control and
which by its very nature must change what
the actor is doing.*
*as defined by A Practical Handbook for the Actor
Beat
Beat
How to score a Beat
Vocal Inflection
Vocal Inflection- Picking a word or
phrase in the text that you will
emphasize or inflect to deliver a
certain emotion
In most cases the playwright
identifies these words for you by
italicizing them.
Some Examples
How could you do this to me?
How could you do this to me?
How could you do this to me?
How could you do this to me?
How to score
Vocal Inflections
Rose: I thought you did it for me, Momma. I
thought you did it for me, Momma I thought
you made a no-talent ox into a star because you
like doing things the hard way, Momma. And you
havent got any talent! Not what I call talent, Miss
Gypsy Rose Lee! I made you! And you wanna
know why? You wanna know what I did it for?!
Because I was born too soon and started too late,
thats why! With what I have in me, I couldve
been better than any of you! What I got in me-what I been holding down inside of me-- if I ever
let it out, there wouldnt be signs big enough!
There wouldnt be lights bright enough!
Rose: I thought you did it for me, Momma. I
thought you did it for me, Momma I thought you
made a no-talent ox into a star because you like
doing things the hard way, Momma . And you
havent got any talent! Not what I call talent, Miss
Gypsy Rose Lee! I made you! And you wanna know
why? You wanna know what I did it for?! Because I
was born too soon and started too late , thats why!
With what I have in me, I couldve been better than
any of you! What I got in me-- what I been holding
down inside of me-- if I ever let it out, there wouldnt
be signs big enough! There wouldnt be lights bright
enough!
Rose: I thought you did it for me, Momma. I
thought you did it for me, Momma I thought you
made a no-talent ox into a star because you like
doing things the hard way, Momma. (Louder) And
you havent got any talent! Not what I call talent,
Miss Gypsy Rose Lee! I made you! And you wanna
know why? You wanna know what I did it for?!
(Louder) Because I was born too soon and started
too late, thats why! With what I have in me, I
couldve been better than ANY OF YOU! What I got
in me-- what I been holding down inside of me-- if I
ever let it out, there wouldnt be signs big enough!
There wouldnt be lights bright enough!
Emotional Mapping
Emotional Mapping - The process
of identifying and tracking the
emotions that are taking place in
the text
Some Examples
In a break up scene
You might start off calm
Then you might get angry
And then you might panic
How to score the
Emotional Mapping
Sarcastic
Rose: I thought you did it for me,
Momma. I thought you did it for me,
Momma I thought you made a notalent ox into a star because you like
doing things the hard way, Momma.
Spiteful
And you havent got any talent! Not
what I call talent, Miss Gypsy Rose Lee!
I made you! And you wanna know
why? You wanna know what I did it
for?!
Because I was born too soon and
started too late, thats why! With what
I have in me, I couldve been better
than any of you! What I got in me-what I been holding down inside of
me-- if I ever let it out, there wouldnt
be signs big enough! There wouldnt
be lights bright enough!
Blocking
Blocking- movement and
positioning of actors on a stage
At C = Center
To DSL = Down
Stage Left
H Exits
