A script is the final bit of writing for an animated film. It’s the symphony of all the springboards, premise and outline all put together and rolled into one unit. It fleshes out the story, the characters and establishes who he/she/they are and what they want as well as how they intend to get it or not get it in some cases. The script is the first blueprint of a film.

Here’s a 1st draft of the script for my film Flavio. It’s not formatted correctly because I can’t seem to paste it with formatting in a blog but you get the idea.

Flavio
by
Mike Milo

FADE IN: on a bright blue morning…
Flavio tries to open the Ferget About it pizza place but he doesn’t have a key.
So he breaks the glass by head butting it to turn the lock.
He walks by a long line of machines switching stuff on… and turns on the lights.
He goes to the fridge and pulls out something. The fridge has the internet on it.
He pulls out some spaghetti wrapped like a ball of yarn on a stick and eats it dipping it in a small cup of sauce.

Flavio
“Mmm mmm mmmm  assa good invention. Pasta-On-A- Stick. Issa tasty too! You hungry and you onna run. The Bossman he gonna givea you the boot if you late wonna more time. Pasta-On-A- Stick!  It saves the day!
His smile turns to sadness.

Flavio
sniff sniff, I gotta great ideas… Always thinking…but I notta get the beeg break! Poor ol’ Flavio. Butta a one day… Wham! Straight to the top!” sfx:<Pop Smack>

From outside we hear someone yell:
“Who broke the blasted glass again? Flavio!!!!”

Flavio
“Uhoh thassa the bossman. He a hothead.”

Flavio walks out to see the Bossman who is a big fat pig with beady eyes wearing a tracksuit.

Bossman
Did you break the glass again?

Flavio
“Wella bossman it woulda be easier to open the place in the morning iffa you trust me with a key.”

Bossman
“Hey that’s your problem stew breath. Earn my trust. You’re lucky I don’t fire you with all those stupid inventions you try to hawk here.”

Flavio
“They notta stupido bossman.. They mees-unaderstood.”

Bossman
“Yeah yeah yeah well in the meantime you got pots to wash from the party last night. So get crackin’ and no inventions this time. And do it the way you’re paid. No cheating.”

Flavio walks in to the kitchen quizzically.
.
Flavio
“How it cheating eff I getta it alla done my own way?”

He sees a huge towering pile of dishes and sets about washing them when he hears:
Mr. Frank (VO)
“Pssst. PSSSST! Is it clear Flavio?”

Without looking up Flavio answers
Flavio
Issa clear Mr. Frank. Everythinga clear.

Mr. Frank
” Thanks pal… “

An old lion stands up from behind a counter wearing a chef’s hat.

Mr. Frank
“Yer alright there Flav… alright in my book.”

says Mr. Frank as he pours a cup of Joe.
Flavio
“Hey Mr. Frank I gotta special invention for you.”

He pulls up a mass of hot dogs stuffed in a coffee cup.

Flavio:
You likea the cup a Joe huh?  What about the Cuppa Frank? Issa good one No? See, I always thinkin’ always thinkin’. Gotta brain like a steel trap!
< Pop-snap!>

Mr. Frank is repulsed but nice about it.

Mr. Frank
“That’s a good one Flav.. but I already got my Cup o Joe, thanks.”

Flavio
“You think I could license you name for when Cuppa Frank make it big?”

Mr. Frank
You can have it with my blessing. Good luck with it.”

Flavio
“Thanks Mr. Frank You a good guy. I gonna put you onna my Good Guy list.

Mr. Frank
Already there son, already there.

They hear the front door slam. A mean NY voice yells from the front room.

Luigi
“Where’s Frank?!?!”

Mr. Frank..
“Uh oh…”
Mr Frank ducks in the walk-in freezer. A huge ape waltzes in.

Luigi
“Hey Squirt. Where’s Frank.?”

Flavio
“Hey Luigi how’s the steroids treatin’ you?”

Luigi
“Can it goat, where’s Frank?”
Flavio
“He stepped out for a spell. I tell him you were here. Cuppa Joe?”

He hands Luigi the cup of hotdogs and who gulps them down.

Luigi
“You make the best Joe in town squirt.”

Flavio
“Thanks Luigi. I gotta million of ‘em. Maybe you an I could sit down an…”

Luigi cuts him off.
Luigi
“You tell Frank I’m looking for him. He owes me money”

Flavio
“Will do Luigi.”

Luigi leaves. Frank comes out frozen from the walk-in.

Mr. Frank ( chattering)
“Flavio, I know you wanna hit it big but don’t get caught up with those guys. It’s bad news. Trust me I know.”

Flavio
“But I gotta get outta this dump Mr. Frank, I gotta ideas. Ho yes I gotta ideas.”
Mr. Frank: I know son but that’s no way to fund them.”
Flavio
You right Mr. Frank you right…Someday tho.. I going straight to the top!”

Mr. Frank
“I know you are son. I know you are.”

Frank exits as Flavio turns to the giant pile of dishes. He sighs and reaches for one. The Bossman stalks in.

Bossman
“Flavio! Are you done yet?”

The teetering piles of dishes are his answer.

Bossman
“No,? Well give it a rest, we got customers. Now move it!”

Flavio looks at the large pile of dishes.

Flavio
“Someaday… someaday…I gonna… ah nevermind.”

He sighs then exits. Suddenly the bossman yells from OS.

Bossman
Flavio!!!! Dishes!”

Flavio stops his pitch.

Flavio
“Hold on my friend.”

He exits. The guy slides his pie in his coat and leaves quietly. Flavio goes into the back and once again starts to clean the dishes. Mr. Frank is cooking at the stove.

Flavio
“Man on man! I hadda that one! I almost have investor fora my invention! Man! Stupid job get in the way alla time. I got no time to waste with all a brain power I got. Gotta get these things done lickety Spit!”

Flavio pulls out a motorized hand fan attaches wet rags to it. Then the turns it on and sets it on the dishes,  Pouring soap in front of the fan he watches as his new invention does it’s work.

Flavio
“I gonna call thisa one Spic an Fan!. Ha Ha!` Spic an Fan save the day! the dishes suds up and when the suds clear they are all sparkly clean.

Suddenly the boss comes running in.

Bossman
“Boys we’re in trouble!”

Bossman stops short.

Bossman
“Oh the dishes are clean! Great! Good work Flavio! Isn’t it great to get the job done the natural way?”

Flavio
“Ho yesa Bossman, number one!…So whassa all the commotion?”

We see Flavio from behind with the dishes in the foreground and while the front of the dishes are clean the backside of them are still grimy.

Bossman
”The Mayor is here and he wants us to cater his big fund raising event!”

Flavio
“Thassa great Bossman! Good for you.”

Bossman
“No it’s bad you nitwit. Oh this is a disaster! It’s a marathon race. You know the Mayor hates our pizza ever since he choked on our Jolly Rancher Pie. How are we gonna cater a marathon race? Hard to eat when you’re on the run!”

Flavio smiles to camera.

Flavio
“ I gotta jes the thing bossman… jes the thing…”

X-DISS to later at the marathon race: People are jogging by with Flavio’s Pasta on a Stick. The Mayor runs by and gives a thumbs up. He’s got sauce dripping down his shirt as he happily eats some Pasta on a Stick.

Bossman
“Well I gotta hand it to you Flavio… that was some quick thinking…”

Flavio
“I know Pasta on a Stick savea the day!”

Bossman:
“No Flavio, you saved the day. and here’s a little present to show my appreciation to you”

He hands Flavio a box. It’s a key.

Flavio
“Ho Bossman itsa key to the restaurant! Now I donna hafta break the door anymore when I open up shop! You a good guy… I gonna put ta you onna good Guy List.”

X-DISS TO:
Later that night Flavio is closing up shop with a big smile on his face. Mr. Frank walks out the door

Mr. Frank
See ya tomorrow Flavio. Good work today… remember, the right invention for the right time.”

Flavio
“Yeah, I thinka you right, Mr. Frank. G’night to you too.”

Flavio shuts the door and notices the glass is still broken. He thinks for a sec, pulls out a square iron from his pocket tests it’s heat and presses it on the broken glass area. Then he takes a Lollipop nail and melts it on the iron. When he pulls it away there is a nice bright red candy patch over the broken Glass.

Flavio
Lollipop Nails, she save a the day!”

Flavio
Ho Yes, I gotta ideas. Ho yes…”

Then he thinks for a beat, breaks the glass and goes inside for a minute. He comes back out and holds a key.

Flavio
Forgotta the key… Heheh.

He walks into the moonlit night tossing the key in the air and whistling.