Better to read script first or see movie first?

Which to do first??

You'll get folks telling you one is better than the other. It's all debatable. I'd rather watch the movie first, then read the script. (I prefer knowing as little as possible about the movie prior to viewing it.) Then maybe I'll read the script a second time. It's also interesting to read the script while actually watching the movie.

However you do it...enjoy!

I'd say if it's a film you're not too bothered about spoiling then read the script first. Reading a script with no idea of what's going to happen can give you good insight into how screenplays and other writers work. Seeing the film patches in the holes (if any) and allows you to see what made it and what didn't. You might even be able to predict things like that. A good opportunity to see how your instincts fare against those in the industry maybe.

But I wouldn't do it with a film I really wanted to see.

I'd see the movie, then read the script, then see the movie again with script in hand if I thought it was a good movie; similarly to what MrJayVee mentioned.

But, as also mentioned above, it's really up to you.

As a tool for learning I like to read the script after I see the movie. This way I can see how the writer describes the action and remember what I saw.

Do both. Try it one way then the other way with a different movie. See what works for you because isn't that what it's all about anyway?

But I wouldn't do it with a film I really wanted to see.

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I'm agreeing with Clock on this one, even though I've never read a script first. Those films you really want to see, watch first then read afterward.

I think the process of reading a script first, then seeing the film could be much more helpful, however. It would help to not know who was acting in the film, too, because that will influence the character you envision while you read a script.

Lots of things can happen if you read first. One is that the script might just suck without that talent the actors brought into it. That's why star attachment sells so many screenplays. Two, you might think the story would have been better with different talent, either actors or director, etc. Three, you'll know what scenes were cut, and that'll drive you nuts, unless it's really obvious. (Sometimes they thought they had the shot, but a costume screw-up rendered it useless, and they have no budget to re-shoot.) How do they get around those missing scenes, or were they expendable anyway.

It might be a whole lot of fun reading before rather than after viewing the film.

Now I wanna try this. I've always just tracked down scripts from movies I liked, but this sounds interesting.

As a writer, I think the valuable lesson here is to read the script first.

Once you've seen the movie, the read is tainted by what you've seen.

Reading a script first allows you to envision the film in your head in your own way. It allows you to see what the writer is able to communicate to the reader - without the help of a director or actors or music.

Once you've seen the movie, the dialogue on page 27 will resonate with the inflections of Kevin Spacey or whoever played the part.

But when an agent or producer reads the script for the first time, he doesn't have that experience. The script must allow him to direct the movie in his own head. And cast it himself. And interpret the dialogue on his own.

And most scripts do not evoke a movie to the reader.

If you read the script first, it has to do that for you too. If it fails to evoke a movie, the script has failed. As most scripts do.

So, the experience of reading a script first will help you learn what works and what doesn't work in evoking a movie in the mind of the reader.

The relationship between scripts and buyers & sellers in the business is screenplay first, movie second. It's the natural order of things.

If you're a fanboy, read the script after you've seen the movie. If you're a writer, read it first.

I might hunt down a few scripts for movies I have no interest in seeing, but they do very well so I'll read the spec. Seven Pounds is an example: it was a huge spec sale, so while I have no interest in paying 8 bucks to see it I'll check the script.

I think its good to see some movies before reading the script. When you are first learning how to write scenes, you can gain a lot by watching a movie in your genre before reading the screenplay.

Take an action scene, for example. When you read the page after viewing the scene, you will understand that everything filmed need not be written. Helps you develop a lean writing style.

Same goes for settings, especially scenes with extravagant settings.

P.S. Oops, I reread this thread, and this is basically what raiboy said.

The Matrix is the only script I ever read before seeing the movie. Because the whole concept sounded so exciting I just couldn't wait.
Going the other way, after I saw Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown, I just couldn't wait to read the script.

I think watching the movie first is better if you want to enjoy it thoroughly. Reading the script is analysis after the fact, studying how they did it.

I agree with whoever said do both, because they are both informative in different ways.

I also agree with reading big spec sales. I've read several scripts that read better than they are as movies.

I read Marc Klein's Suburban Girl (before it ended up going straight to video) and was wondering how the guy who wrote Serendipity ended up writing Ridley Scott's next movie (at the time, it was A Good Year, all though I think Scott choosing that movie had a lot to do with the fact that he has a house in Provence), but then reading it, it became clearer. It was one of the easiest scripts I've ever read. Page turner. Good actual writing skills. But definitely better on the page.

I find it least helpful to read auteur scripts. I mean, I suppose it can be helpful for ideas about structure and character, but I wouldn't attempt to write a script like Tarantino writes it and hope to sell it (although if you have his talent I'm sure you can sell it). One writes differently when they're writing for themselves, and it's not the same as spec writing.

i have to say i've done both.

I've taken a lot of scripts from the BBC Writersroom and they tend to put stuff up after they've broadcasted it, obviously.

Although i did record the pilot to Survivors and read the script first. It was quite well written. i could see why the BBC had commisioned it at any rate but whilst reading my mind did start to wander.
When i watched it - it for me didn't live up to what was on the page and again i got bored and my mind started wandering and i gave up watching it. I later struggled through watching it.

I also read the matrix just to see how they did action scenes and went into bullet time and saw what they changed etc.

One thing I like to do is find a script that I have not seen the movie to. Then I like to see who the actors are on IMDB as I read through the script. It helps me fit faces with names in the script as I go.

I recently read through pineapple express without looking at the actors prior to reading it. I found I had the two main characters mixed up through half of the script until I looked them up on IMDB.

I knew both the actors faces already and thought I had them correct as I read the script then eventually came to some dialogue that I couldn't see the actor saying. To my surprise I found I had the two backwards.

I also read Basic Instinct script and knew Michael Douglas was in it. I still had to associate his face to the name. I think it helps the script go faster.

I also think its interesting to read a script before a movie to see how I comprehended it or see how it comes across from the directors POV when I actually see the movie.

But if it's a movie you want to see don't spoil it with the script.

Jerm said:

But if it's a movie you want to see don't spoil it with the script.

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That's the damn problem with scripts, they spoil everything!