Scriptwriting DEATH OF A SALESMAN ARTHUR MILLER 1915

Scriptwriting

DEATH OF A SALESMAN ARTHUR MILLER (1915 -2005) • An American playwright and essayist in the 20 th century American theatre. His most popular plays include The Crucible, All My Sons and A View From the Bridge. He wrote several screen plays including The Misfits. This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC

DEATH OF A SALESMAN • Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman addresses loss of identity and a man’s inability to accept change in himself and society. The play is a montage of memories, dreams, confrontations and arguments, all of which make up the last 24 hours of Willy Loman’s life. • The action begins in the home of Willy Loman, an ageing salesman who has just returned from a road trip. Willy is having difficulty remembering events, as well as distinguishing the present from his memories of the past. His wife Linda, suggests that he request a job in New York, rather than travel each week.

Watch the opening scene from a film version of the play: Death of a Salesman (1985) (directed by Volker Schlondorff). What can you say about the characters, dialogue, situation they are in? This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

“But why didn’t you answer before? I called you three times. Now you’re pretending like nothing happened. ” • Start writing a short script, concentrate on the dialogue only (do not worry about setting, characters or situation at this point) just begin writing the dialogue between Character A and Character B, using the above opening sentence. You have 10 minutes. Go!

Look at this image and rewrite your last scene. Feel free to change what the characters say to each other. This time, think about a situation that may have happened between them before they start speaking. You have fifteen minutes. Go!

Now try writing a scene with no dialogue, only action. Think carefully, what does each character want? What’s stopping them from getting it? You have 10 minutes! Go!

What’s happening in this scene? Write the dialogue for all four characters. You have 15 minutes! Go!

Share one of your written scenes with the class!

You will each be given a photograph of characters in ‘action’. Create a short script, including character motivations, stage directions, setting and dialogue. You have 20 minutes. Feel free to make a plan first, before you start writing.