Script
From Fan Film Wiki
Creating a script is one of the first things most aspiring fan film makers will want to learn. After all, the script (or screenplay) defines everything that happens on screen, in terms of character (inter)action and dialogue.
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First choices: Book, movie or television?
Assuming you have already made up your mind on the universe you will be basing your stories on (this may also be something entirely from scratch, as in The Daedalus Project you can go a number of different ways, both in storytelling and cinematic format.
Book or other written media
If you have a universe which also covers book releases, you may consider trying your hands at turning one of those released books into a script. This can be either a multi-part mini series (example: Star Trek: Of Gods and Men), a full-length feature (ex.: Star Wreck: In The Pirkinning or a regular format TV serial (ex.: Star Trek: Hidden Frontier, which is based on the New Frontiers series of books)
Most SF&F universes have a large backing of fan fiction writers who already provide a very solid story line. FanFiction.net is a very large database with fan-written fiction based on a large variety of universes. You could use this for inspiration, or ask permission from a story's author if he or she would be interested in turning their creation into a videographed format. DO NOT USE COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL WITHOUT PERMISSION! (this also holds for fan based material -- we also have copyrights, but we're usually less strict about our material being reused)
Cinematic formats
No, I am not talking about PAL, NTSC, DV or even 35mm here, I am referring to the programme format.
Feature film
The feature film is the most common programme format used for a single story, as the time line in a feature film (also know as movie) ia completely linear. Major plot shifts, flashbacks, time loops and other forms are left out or on the background as they could distract a viewing audience from the main storyline. The story itself can of course develop in a less linear fashion, a character can tell about his or her history (leading in a flashback) but will always return to a single storyline.
Multi-part mini or feature
In the early days of film, features didn't last the 150 minutes they do now, simply because the film reels couldn't hold so many minutes of footage (they just became too heavy). Longer stories were split into smaller parts, a common format is the double feature which is two times 90 minutes with a break in between (the break was necessary for rewinding and replacement of the film reel), and it became a bit of a classic for a format of science fiction. Especially in the 1950's and 1960's, double features were popular.
Television networks saw the potential of the 90-minute format and built upon it. Longer stories were split into separate 90-minute broadcasts which formed a mini series (like the Battlestar Galactica introduction mini, which is 2x90 minutes), since broadcasting long movies left insufficient time for other programming. If you have a long or complicated story which can be split into a set of larger logical segments, the mini-series is a good format.
Television serial
Clearly most of the projects here will never make it to an actual broadcast -- but we like to pretend. If you want to go the TV series route, there are some different formats you can choose from as well (from a historical stand point).
Global series format
Most shows have seasons (which define a working year in broadcast) split up into production blocks or segments. In British sci-fi (Doctor Who) the seasons only count 13 episodes whereas in Vancouver most shows have 20 or 22 episodes, comprising about a half-year of consecutive running time, after which a decision is made to continue or stop producing a show. Star Trek had a season running time of 26 episodes, comprising exactly half a year of broadcast, and was broadcast consecutively, whereas currently Stargate and Battlestar run for 10 episodes, have a quarter of break, and continue broadcasting for another 10 episodes.
Today most science fiction shows have a running time of either 42 or 47 minutes (this is NOT, however, related to the fact that they are sci-fi shows, if the numbers made you anyhow suspicious!), which ends up in an hourly block with added commercials.
In-episode format
Within the 47-minute episode format, the episode is split up into logical blocks which are separated by commercials. These are often called 'acts' (referring to the same logical block used in stage theatre) in which events occur. Most interaction between background characters occurs within the acts, whereas most story events and interactions between major characters may be carried over between commercials.
Prologue: The most classic example of a prologue can be found in Star Trek, with the opening lines "Captain's Log...". In the prologue the general outline of the episode is hinted upon, with often a minor cliffhanger at the end of the prologue leading up to the leader. For multi-part episodes, a common format is to recap the last episode and its major events ("Previously on...") for the people who don't tape every episode like most of us do.
Leader
Main article: Leader.
The leader is the "signature" for your show and it reveals the major players in the game. The show's theme tune is accompanied by the main cast credits, as well as the executive producers (these are also called showrunners in TV land) and some other major players. For example, if you have a celebrity working behind the scenes, his or her name should also show up on the leader titles.
First acts
The first two acts should be the onset to the main events in the episode. In the first act, the problem or situation as posed in the prologue is investigated by the protagonists.
