Considering the script as blueprint

The use of the script as a detailed blueprint for the production of a mainstream narrative film was established by the early 1910s for the purposes of saving costs and controlling quality, and this is no less the case today. This article discusses the expansion of ‘the blueprint’ as writers have encountered specific demands on their production planning and have embraced a wealth of ways to think about the narrative and emotional trajectories of movies. These newer demands include budgeting considerations such as product placement, fan satisfaction and the author-function; contemporary theories about storytelling; cultivation of franchises through sequels and serial storytelling; and multiple platforms for the narrative universe.