Here is a script from the opening of ‘Mean Girls’ (2004);


Cady’s Dad

This is your lunch, ok? Now, I put a dollar in their so you can buy some milk. You can ask one of the big kids where to do that.

Cady’s Mum

Do you remember your phone number? I wrote it down for you, just in case. Put it in your pocket, I don’t want you to loose it. Ok? You ready?

Cady

I think so

Cady’s Dad

It’s Cady’s big day.

Cady (a narrator)

I guess it’s natural for parents to cry on their kids first day of school. But, you know, this usually happens when the kid is five. I’m 16, and until today, I was home-schooled. I know what you’re thinking, “home-schooled kids are freaks”…

X-Y-L-O-C-A-R-P.Xylocarp.

Or that we're weirdly religious

or something.

And on the third day, God created the Remington bolt-action rifle so that Man could fight the dinosaurs. And the homosexuals.

- Amen.

- Amen.

But my family's totally normal. Except for the fact that both myparents are research zoologists and we've spent the last years in Africa. I had a great life. But then my mom got offered tenureat Northwestern University. So it was goodbye Africa

and hello high school.

I find this script really useful, as it does everything and opening script should do. It introduces 3 of the main characters – with all the focus being on Cady we can immediately assume she is the central character. The genre is signified clearly because there are funny lines and she is on her way to high school. Therefore we know it’s a high school/teen comedy. The comedy comes from her parents babying her even though she is 16. As she is not in shot at first, the audience could think they are talking to a 5 year old, they way they say she should ‘buy some milk’ and ‘ask the big kids’ so it is very funny when it is revealed that she is 16, and very clever script writing. It’s definitely an engaging opening sequence because it is funny right from the start which always catches people’s attention and draws the audience in. As well as this we want to find out a bout her going to high school, whether she’ll fit in or not, so we’re eager to know more. Furthermore it completely sets up a storyline for the film, but a storyline where the out come could not be easily predicted at all. So from the opening, the audience will know where the film is going however it is not all boring or predictable, hence holding the audiences attention.