Retroscripting
Encyclopedia
Retroscripting is a term for two techniques used in movie and television
programs.
contains a plot outline and leaves dialogue deliberately vague for interpretation by the actors through improvisation
. It gives realism
and characterization to dialogue, and is regularly employed in the Unscripted TV genre.
Contemporary examples of television shows using this technique are Home Movies, 10 Items or Less, Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist
, Aqua Teen Hunger Force
, Curb Your Enthusiasm
, Trailer Park Boys
, Reno 911!
, Summer Heights High
, Outsider's Inn
, as well as films by Christopher Guest
.
Some other films that have contained retroscripted segments are Friday Night Lights, The Blair Witch Project
, Paranormal Activity, District 9
and some of the films of Robert Altman
, who was known as an actor's director and referred to a screenplay as merely a "blueprint" for the action. The director John Cassavetes, sometimes known as the "father" of independent film, used retroscripting most notably for his films Husbands and Faces, although he employed the technique to some degree in most of his films. Stanley Kubrick
employed retroscripting in his film Dr. Strangelove, incorporating Peter Sellers
' ad-libbed lines into the script.
program. It may be done for a number of reasons:
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
programs.
Plot outline
A retroscripted scriptScreenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
contains a plot outline and leaves dialogue deliberately vague for interpretation by the actors through improvisation
Improvisational theatre
Improvisational theatre takes many forms. It is best known as improv or impro, which is often comedic, and sometimes poignant or dramatic. In this popular, often topical art form improvisational actors/improvisers use improvisational acting techniques to perform spontaneously...
. It gives realism
Realism (dramatic arts)
Realism was a general movement in 19th-century theatre that developed a set of dramatic and theatrical conventions with the aim of bringing a greater fidelity of real life to texts and performances....
and characterization to dialogue, and is regularly employed in the Unscripted TV genre.
Contemporary examples of television shows using this technique are Home Movies, 10 Items or Less, Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist
Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist
Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist is an American animated series that originally ran on Comedy Central from May 28, 1995 to December 24, 1999,–with a final set of three shelved episodes airing in 2002–starring Jonathan Katz, Jon Benjamin, and Laura Silverman...
, Aqua Teen Hunger Force
Aqua Teen Hunger Force
Aqua Teen Hunger Force , retitled Aqua Unit Patrol Squad 1 in 2011, is an American animated television series on Cartoon Network late night programing block, Adult Swim, as well as Teletoon's Teletoon at Night block and later G4 Canada's ADd block in Canada...
, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm is an American comedy television series produced and broadcast by HBO, which premiered on October 15, 2000. As of 2011, it has completed 80 episodes over eight seasons. The series was created by Seinfeld co-creator Larry David, who stars as a fictionalized version of himself...
, Trailer Park Boys
Trailer Park Boys
Trailer Park Boys is a Canadian comedy mockumentary television series created and directed by Mike Clattenburg that focuses on the misadventures of a group of trailer park residents, some of whom are ex-convicts, living in the fictional Sunnyvale Trailer Park in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. The...
, Reno 911!
Reno 911!
Reno 911! is an American comedy television series on Comedy Central that ran from 2003 to 2009. It is a mockumentary-style parody of law enforcement documentary shows, specifically COPS, with comic actors playing the police officers. Most of the material is improvised, using a broad outline, and...
, Summer Heights High
Summer Heights High
Summer Heights High is a Logie Award-winning Australian television mockumentary series written by and starring Chris Lilley. It is a parody of high-school life epitomised by its three protagonists: effeminate and megalomaniacal "Director of Performing Arts" Mr G; self-absorbed, privileged teenager...
, Outsider's Inn
Outsider's Inn
Outsiders Inn is an American half hour reality television show which is a spin-off from Gone Country, but created through the process known as retroscripting. The series debuted on CMT August 15, 2008, where it ran for eight weeks...
, as well as films by Christopher Guest
Christopher Guest
Christopher Haden-Guest, 5th Baron Haden-Guest , better known as Christopher Guest, is an American screenwriter, composer, musician, director, actor and comedian. He is most widely known in Hollywood for having written, directed and starred in several improvisational "mockumentary" films that...
.
Some other films that have contained retroscripted segments are Friday Night Lights, The Blair Witch Project
The Blair Witch Project
The Blair Witch Project is a 1999 American horror film pieced together from amateur footage. The film was produced by the Haxan Films production company. The film relates the story of three student filmmakers The Blair Witch Project is a 1999 American horror film pieced together from amateur...
, Paranormal Activity, District 9
District 9
District 9 is a 2009 South African science fiction thriller film directed by Neill Blomkamp. It was written by Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, and produced by Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham. The film stars Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, and David James...
and some of the films of Robert Altman
Robert Altman
Robert Bernard Altman was an American film director and screenwriter known for making films that are highly naturalistic, but with a stylized perspective. In 2006, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognized his body of work with an Academy Honorary Award.His films MASH , McCabe and...
, who was known as an actor's director and referred to a screenplay as merely a "blueprint" for the action. The director John Cassavetes, sometimes known as the "father" of independent film, used retroscripting most notably for his films Husbands and Faces, although he employed the technique to some degree in most of his films. Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick was an American film director, writer, producer, and photographer who lived in England during most of the last four decades of his career...
employed retroscripting in his film Dr. Strangelove, incorporating Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers
Richard Henry Sellers, CBE , known as Peter Sellers, was a British comedian and actor. Perhaps best known as Chief Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther film series, he is also notable for playing three different characters in Dr...
' ad-libbed lines into the script.
Re-recording
Retroscripting can also refer to the practice of recording new or unscripted dialogue over a live-action or animatedCartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
program. It may be done for a number of reasons:
- To capitalize on a late-breaking news story or scandalScandalA scandal is a widely publicized allegation or set of allegations that damages the reputation of an institution, individual or creed...
and make the episode current, - To censor potentially troublesome or possibly insensitive dialogue. An episode of Desperate HousewivesDesperate HousewivesDesperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producer Cherry serves as Showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season include Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...
suffered this fate following the passing of the PopePope John Paul IIBlessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
. A line was redubbed from "You have to hand it to the CatholicCatholicThe word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
s. They know how to do grief better than anyone," to "You have to hand it to Gabby and Carlos. They know how to do grief better than anyone." - If an actor has repeated trouble with a line or word. In an episodeA Private Little War (TOS episode)"A Private Little War" is the nineteenth episode of the second season of Star Trek: The Original Series, first broadcast February 2, 1968 and repeated on August 23, 1968. The screenplay was written by Gene Roddenberry, based on a story by Jud Crucis, and directed by Marc Daniels...
of Star TrekStar Trek: The Original SeriesStar Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
, according to William ShatnerWilliam ShatnerWilliam Alan Shatner is a Canadian actor, musician, recording artist, and author. He gained worldwide fame and became a cultural icon for his portrayal of James T...
, his fellow actor DeForest KelleyDeForest KelleyJackson DeForest Kelley was an American actor known for his iconic roles in Westerns and as Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy of the USS Enterprise in the television and film series Star Trek.-Early life:...
had trouble pronouncing an alien creature's name. The creature's name was "Gumato", but Kelley kept saying "Mugato". The monster eventually became officially known as the Mugato. - To make late changes to the script. In en episodeThe Battle (TNG episode)"The Battle" is the 9th episode of the science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation.-Overview:Picard is given his old command, the Stargazer, as a gift by Ferengi Daimon Bok who intends to use it as part of a trap to discredit and destroy the Enterprise captain.-Plot:On stardate...
of Star Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
, LeVar BurtonLeVar BurtonLevardis Robert Martyn Burton, Jr. , professionally known as LeVar Burton, is an American actor, director, producer and author who first came to prominence portraying Kunta Kinte in the 1977 award-winning ABC television miniseries Roots, based on the novel by Alex Haley...
and Brent SpinerBrent SpinerBrent Jay Spiner is an American actor, best known for his portrayal of the android Lieutenant Commander Data in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and four subsequent films. His portrayal of Data in Star Trek: First Contact and of Dr...
originally said the USS Stargazer was a "Constitution-class" starship, but in post-production, it was decided to show a previously unseen class of starship. The dialogue was re-dubbed with the words "Constellation-class," partly due to the similarity of the words "constitution" and "constellation."