1. Title: The working title of the screenplay.
2. Logline: A concise and captivating one-sentence summary that encapsulates the central conflict and protagonist's journey.
3. Synopsis: A more detailed summary of the screenplay. This provides an overview of the main characters and their motivations, the primary plot points, and the resolution.
4. Character Descriptions: Brief introductions to the primary and secondary characters, highlighting their traits, motivations, and significance to the story.
5. Sequence Breakdown: A scene-by-scene breakdown of the screenplay, providing a concise description of each scene, its setting, and the key action.
6. Act Breaks: Divisions marking the beginning and end of each act (generally three acts for a feature film).
7. Turning Points: Key moments in the screenplay where significant developments or changes in the plot occur. These include inciting incidents, midpoints, and climactic moments.
8. Theme: An overarching message or exploration that the screenplay aims to present to the audience.
9. Dialogue and Visuals: Occasionally, notable bits of dialogue or unique visuals that the writer wants to capture can also be included in the script outline.
The purpose of a script outline is to provide a blueprint for the screenwriter to flesh out into a full screenplay. It helps writers focus on the structure and key events, ensuring a strong narrative foundation before embarking on the more detailed process of writing full scenes and dialogue. Furthermore, it assists in gaining a clear understanding of the screenplay's arc, character journeys, and overall coherence, which can then be communicated to other parties involved in the production, such as producers and fellow collaborators.