Script Analysis: “Luca” — Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

After a first pass, it’s time to crack open the script for a deeper analysis and you can do that by creating a scene-by-scene breakdown. It is precisely what it sounds like: A list of all the scenes in the script accompanied by a brief description of the events that transpire.

For purposes of this exercise, I have a slightly different take on scene. Here I am looking not just for individual scenes per se, but a scene or set of scenes that comprise one event or a continuous piece of action. Admittedly this is subjective and there is no right or wrong, the point is simply to break down the script into a series of parts which you then can use dig into the script’s structure and themes.

The value of this exercise:

• We pare down the story to its most constituent parts: Scenes.
• By doing this, we consciously explore the structure of the narrative.
• A scene-by-scene breakdown creates a foundation for even deeper analysis of the story.

Today: Luca (2021). Download the screenplay here.

Screenplay by Jesse Andrews & Mike Jones, story by Enrico Casarosa & Jesse Andrews & Simon Stephenson, story consultant Julie Lynn & Randall Green.

Plot summary: A young boy experiences an unforgettable seaside summer on the Italian Riviera filled with gelato, pasta and endless scooter rides. Luca shares these adventures with his newfound best friend, but all the fun is threatened by a deeply-held secret: he is a sea monster from another world just below the ocean’s surface.

Luca
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
By Denise Devoy
GoIntoTheStory.com

Pg.1–3: Two Italian fisherman are at sea. They talk about the possibility of sea monsters seen around a nearby island. The younger fisherman fears they are real. They listen to a gramophone playing Puccini as they head towards the good but potentially dangerous fishing spot.

A purple scale covered arm reaches out of the ocean to steal things from the fishing boat. It is seen by one of the men and both fisherman and sea monster panic. The sea monster (revealed later as ALBERTO) gets caught in the fishing net. As the fisherman struggle to reel him in, the boat rocks and the gramophone falls into the ocean. Alberto escapes as they throw harpoons at him. They turn the boat back home before the monster comes back.

Pg. 3–5: An undersea world. A young boy sea monster LUCA,12, is an ocean shepherd. He takes his school of goat-fish out of the barn but struggles to keep them all together.

TITLES as;

Luca passes through his undersea community, greeting the friendly, peaceful an very unmonster- like residents.

Pg. 5–6: Now with his flock of fish all together, Luca lets them graze in an underwater pasture.

He finds an alarm clock and a playing card amongst the sea grass and looks up as a boat drives on the surface above. In fear, he hides in a cave with all his fish.

He daydreams about seeing above the water and the surface world beyond.

Luca’s mother calls him for lunch. He hides his found treasures and takes his herd home.

Pg. 7–10: A family lunch. Luca’s mother DANIELA was worried about him. She warns him about the boats with land monsters in as they want to kill him. Luca’s father LORENZO is getting his pet crabs ready for this year’s crab show.

Luca’s GRANDMA shocks him when she reminisces about her trips to land monster town. Luca asks his grandma if she experienced the ‘change’ when she went to the surface. Daniela shuts down the talk of the surface and tells him to never go near it. Daniela worries about Luca a lot.

Pg. 10–13: Luca is out in the pastures again and finds more human objects. He spots the gramophone from the fishing boat and approaches it. A figure in an old diving suit comes from behind and frightens him. Removing his helmet, Luca meets ALBERTO, 14, the sea monster from earlier.

Alberto picks up his gramophone. He doesn’t live down here and bolts to the surface with his haul as Luca follows him.

Luca is shocked as Alberto exits the sea and stands on the sea shore of the island. Alberto has changed and now looks like a human boy. Alberto pulls Luca out of the water and drags Luca to the shore. As he dries off, Luca also transforms into a human boy. Luca freaks out and dives back into the sea.

Pg. 13–15: Luca can’t sleep. The next day in the pasture, he makes a rock statue, a decoy to stand in for him, and leaves his flock as he heads to the surface. Meeting Alberto again he follows him as they both breach the water and transform in to human boys once again. Luca is amazed, Alberto has seen it all before. Alberto coaches Luca as he begins to walk.

Pg. 16–18: Alberto formally introduces himself with his learned human behavior; a handshake and an overheard Italian phrase. He shows Luca human things like air, gravity, sky and the sun.

Alberto also shows him his house on the island. It’s an abandoned tower, full of his collected objects. Alberto says his father isn’t there much.

Luca sees the gramophone from yesterday. Alberto claims it is broken but Luca easily fixes it.

Alberto is impressed as they listen to Puccini together.

Pg. 18–20: Luca marvels at a poster Alberto has of a Vespa. Alberto explains that the Vespa is the key to exploring the world. Luca daydreams about flying over oceans on a Vespa. Looking around the tower Luca realizes that Alberto has enough parts to make a Vespa. Excited, Alberto suggests they make one together.

They get to work and minutes turn to hours. Luca stays much longer than he intended. Several hours later they have constructed a rough Vespa. It’s night and he has stayed much too long.

Pg. 20–21: Luca rushes home. He’s late and his mom questions him about where he’s been. Grandma makes an excuse for him. Luca is too excited to sleep.

Pg. 21–23: The next day on the island Luca and Alberto test the Vespa . Alberto rides it as Luca holds a ramp at the bottom of the steep hill. Alberto rides it downhill towards the ramp. The Vespa falls apart as Alberto dives from the ramp into the water.

Pg. 24–25: A montage:

Luca and Alberto hang out and listen to music.

Another homemade Vespa is ridden downhill.

Daniela checks up on Luca and is fooled by his decoy statue.

The boys dive from a cliff into the ocean.

Daniela discovers the statue is not her son.

The boys redesign their Vespa.

Luca’s parents watch as Luca adjusts his decoy statue and swims up to the surface.

Pg. 26–28: Alberto suggests they ride the Vespa over the ramp together but Luca is terrified.

Alberto teaches him a phrase to chant to help him overcome his fear, “Silencio Bruno!”. Alberto doesn’t understand it but it works. While chanting this Luca rides on the back of the Vespa, down the hill, up the ramp and into the ocean. He lives.

Pg. 28–31: Sitting around a campfire on the tower roof Alberto explains to Luca that the moon and stars are sleeping fish. Luca is impressed and wants to explore more. They look at HUMAN TOWN in the distance. Luca dreams about himself and Alberto riding Vespas in the sky. He wakes up and rushes home.

Pg. 31–34: Late home again Luca tries to sneak in but his parents are waiting for him.

Luca is told off for going to the surface and he lets slip he has made a friend there. He is in big, big trouble now.

His parents have bought in UNCLE UGO to deal with the problem. Uncle Ugo is from the deep ocean. Uncle Ugo explains it is safe and dark there. There is nothing to see or do and no trouble to get into. Luca is to go with him for the rest of the season and maybe longer. Luca is upset, he doesn’t want to go to the deep and storms off to his bedroom.

Pg. 34–36: Luca runs away. He tells Alberto about his parents plans to send him to the deep ocean.

Alberto suggests they both go to human town to avoid being found by Luca’s parents.

In the town they could find Signor Vespa and ask him to build a Vespa of their own so they would be free.

Pg. 36–39: Luca and Alberto swim to human town. They sneak ashore and try to blend in (as long as they don’t get wet). They are amazed when they discover a classic Italian town with a bustling piazza full of people. They unsuccessfully try out some Italian phrases offending many locals.

Everywhere they look they see posters and statues of humans slaying sea monsters. Luca wants to leave, it’s too dangerous in this town.

Pg. 39–43: ERCOLE ,16, the local bully arrives on his pristine Vespa. His Vespa nearly falls over but his henchmen, CICCIO and GUIDO, catch it’s fall with their bodies and dust it off. All the town kids are scared of Ercole.

Ercole introduces himself to the out-of-towners, Luca and Alberto. They think he is Signor Vespa. Ercole is the five time winner of the local triathlon, the Portorosso cup. He mocks them and their clothes and accuses Luca of smelling bad. Ercole drags Luca to the fountain to wash him. As he’s pushed closer to the water and splashed, Luca’s skin starts to change to scales.

Pg. 43–44: Before Luca gets wet Ercole is interrupted by the arrival of GIULA, 13, on her bike and pulling a cart of fish. She isn’t afraid of Ercole.

They trash talk about the upcoming race. Ercole mocks her, nicknaming her Spewlia, because she threw up in the race last year. She asserts Ercole’s ‘reign of terror’ is coming to an end this year. She takes Luca and Alberto away on her cart.

Ercole overhears the local police talk of a prize for catching the sea monster. Ercole is going to win that prize too.

Pg. 44–48: Giulia rants to Alberto and Luca about Ercole and how the underdogs have to stick together. She is training for the race while delivering her father’s fish. Luca wants to find out about the Portorosso race because Ercole said its got him his Vespa.

Giulia tells them about it and how they win prize money. She explains money to them. The money isn’t enough for brand new Vespa but points to an old rusty one. It could buy that. Luca thinks this decrepit Vespa is beautiful and fantasies about riding it.

Alberto announces he and Luca will win the race. This annoys Giulia as she is going to win it and beat Ercole. She explains it’s an Italian triathlon of swimming, cycling and eating pasta.

Alberto announces that she can join his team. Giulia wants to see what they’ve got before they join her team.

Pg. 48–51: Luca tries to ride a push bike. He is given tips by Alberto and Giulia. After multiple crashes he gradually manages to ride it. Giulia puts him through an obstacle test. He crashes. Alberto and Luca tell Giulia they can’t swim.

She’s unimpressed by them until Luca tells her he is a runaway and he wants to be free. She loves their hunger to win and agrees to team up with them. They just need to get the entry fee from her dad.

Pg. 51–57: Giulia’s dad is a giant one-armed fisherman, MASSIMO. She brings Luca and Alberto to her house for dinner. Massimo shows them a photo from the newspaper of a sea monster. The boys are nervous and accidentally get wet. Nobody sees except MACHIAVELLI the grumpy pet cat.

They eat pasta for the first time ever. Yum. They use their hands as they don’t know about forks.

Massimo doesn’t want Giulia to do the race again and money is tight. Massimo needs more fish.

Giulia promises to work harder. Luca and Alberto volunteer to help get more fish. Alberto and Luca can stay in Giulia’s treehouse. Alberto looks forward to getting a Vespa and getting out of human town.

Pg. 57–58: Luca’s parents come out of the ocean onto the beach to look for him. Daniela and Lorenzo both change into human land monsters and frighten each other.

Pg. 58–61: Luca wakes up in the treehouse to see the overnight rain has transformed him and the sleeping Alberto back into sea monsters. They dry and change back to humans before Giulia or Massimo see them.

Massimo gets the boys to work on his fishing boat but he’s not catching much. Alberto and Luca know where the fish will be at this time of day. In the town Giulia delivers the fish in her fastest time yet.

Massimo is pleased as the crew return with a massive catch, and is proud of Alberto. Giulia can sign them up for the race now.

Pg. 61–62: Daniela and Lorenzo steal some clothes and sneak into town to look for Luca. Lorenzo, believing a boy to be Luca, pushes him into the water. He cries. They flee.

Daniela knows she’ll recognize Luca in human form when she sees him. They walk into the busy piazza which is full of kids. She can’t recognize him.

Pg. 62–67: Luca, Alberto and Giulia queue to sign up for the race. The sponsor introduces the race, the route though the town and the rules. Ercole pushes in and signs up first. He mocks Giulia and her team of out-of-town weirdos. Alberto wants to fight Ercole who has snatched their entry fee. He continues to bully them until Luca cracks a joke about Ercole and everyone laughs.

Ercole gives them back their entry fee but vows to destroy them. Giulia is proud of Luca for standing up to bully Ercole. Alberto feels left out. They sign up for the race as a team of three.

Pg. 68–69: They begin training for the race. Giulia coaches Alberto on how to eat pasta with a fork.

Luca struggles to cycle uphill and crashes as he tries to cycle downhill. Alberto and Luca watch unimpressed as Giulia swims.

Pg. 69–71: Ercole is out looking for sea monsters and nearly crashes into Luca and Alberto. Alberto gets knocked overboard and is transformed into a sea monster. Giulia berates Ercole while Luca pulls Alberto onboard and hides him under a tarp before anyone sees him.

Pg. 71–73: Luca’s parents continue to search for him with no success. A load of kids are playing football in the piazza. Daniela kicks the ball back to a kid and accidentally knocks him into the fountain, giving her an idea. She plays football and keeps knocking kids into the fountain as Lorenzo checks them to see if they have turned into their sea monster son.

Luca sees his parents and ducks into Giulia’s house.

Pg. 73–75: Luca tells Alberto he has seen his parents. Alberto dismisses him. Massimo asks Alberto “the strong one” to help him with the fishing nets.

Giulia gives Luca a pep talk and they discuss what they will do when they have won the race.

Luca will travel with Alberto and Giulia will say “I told you so” to everyone. Giulia talks about feeling like an outsider and Luca does too.

Pg. 75–78: Giulia shows Luca her telescope and explains the stars aren’t actually fish, but stars. Luca fantasizes about flying through space, above Rome and Pinocchio.

Back to reality and Luca is absorbed in Giulia’s schoolbooks about space, Rome and Pinocchio. Giulia explains the vastness of towns, the world and the universe. Luca is mind-blown. Giulia promises to tell Luca everything she learns at school. Alberto interrupts them and calls Luca away. Giulia gives Luca one of her books about the universe.

Pg. 78–82: Alberto takes Luca to look at the Vespa they want to buy. He has drawn up a plan of what they can add to it. Luca wants to add a telescope. Alberto draws one on that shoots out lightning.

Luca corrects him, which irritates Alberto. Luca wants to visit Giulia at school on the Vespa which makes Alberto jealous. Alberto tells him sea monsters can’t go to school.

Ercole interrupts to bully them again. This time Alberto argues with Ercole. Ercole and his minions Ciccio and Guido push Alberto against a wall and punch his stomach. Luca defends him with a harpoon and they run home. Luca is angry at Alberto who always thinks he’s right.

Pg. 82–84: Alberto and Luca wake up in the treehouse. A montage of the build-up to the race day:

Alberto struggles to eat pasta with a fork.

Luca pedals uphill, past his parents who are still drenching innocent kids with water.

Alberto and Luca befriend the cat Macchiavelli.

The boys sleep and wake up again.

Alberto is fishing with Massimo, who mistakes seaweed for a sea monster and tries to kill it.

Lorenzo and Daniela are still looking for Luca.

The tired boys are woken up again and given espresso to perk them up.

Luca pedals faster uphill, cheered on by onlookers.

Luca’s parents are desperate, spraying water anywhere and everywhere.

Massimo teaches Alberto how to twirl pasta onto a fork.

Luca and Giulia read books together to the annoyance of Alberto.

Pg. 84–85: Luca’s parents regret disciplining Luca. Luca cycles past them with Giulia and Alberto on the cart behind. His parents overhear as Giulia calls Luca’s name and he is spotted. Luca pedals faster as they chase him through the streets and he escapes. Luca reaches the top of the hill in his fastest time yet.

Pg. 85–87: Giulia points out the train that goes to her school. Luca asks about school but a jealous Alberto cuts short the conversation.

Luca anxiously prepares to cycle downhill. Alberto and Giulia argue over how to help Luca.

Impatient Alberto takes charge and cycles off downhill on the bike with Luca. They are going too fast and loose control crashing into the ocean.

Ercole is on a boat looking for sea monsters. He hears them splash into the water. Giulia is searching for Alberto and Luca.

Pg. 88–92: Alberto and Luca exit the water in a secluded cove. They argue about the crash. Alberto dismisses Luca who tells him again, he has seen his parents. Luca blurts out that he wants to go to school. They argue more and begin to fight.

Giulia finds the both and hugs them in relief. The atmosphere is tense. Still angry Luca takes the opportunity to ask Giulia if they can go to her school. She is thrilled and Luca shakes her hand. Feeling betrayed Alberto asks if the school accepts sea monsters which confuses Giulia.

To make his point Alberto dips into the water and emerges as a sea monster. Giulia screams. Luca pretends to be shocked and scared, throwing Alberto under the bus. Alberto is betrayed.

Ercole is hunting for sea monsters and overhears the screams. He spots sea monster Alberto. Alberto is distraught at being betrayed by Luca. Ercole fires harpoons at him. Luca cries out as the harpoons nearly hit Alberto. Alberto dives into the sea to escape. Luca is heartbroken.

Pg. 92–94: At home Massimo has made pasta. Luca covers up the incident, simply saying Alberto has left. Massimo is upset and goes out to look for him.

Alone with Luca, Giulia throws water over him and he is exposed as a sea monster too. She knew it! She doesn’t understand why they came here because it’s so dangerous for them. She tells him he has to leave even though she doesn’t want him to.

Luca leaves.

Pg. 94–97: From the shore Luca sees a campfire on top of the island tower and swims to it. On the island Alberto has tossed out some of his possessions onto the ground. Luca walks past them and climbs up the tower. Inside are more of Alberto’s trashed possessions, including a ripped drawing of their Vespa plan.

Alberto is sulking in the dark. Luca apologizes to him. Alberto shrugs and goes to the tower roof. The Vespa poster has been ripped off the wall to reveal a wall of tally marks underneath it.

On the roof Luca asks about the marks. Alberto explains to Luca they are a count of the days since his father left him, until he stopped counting. Alberto thinks his father is better off without him as he ruins everything. Luca is better off without him too. They should never have been friends and Alberto yells at Luca to leave. Tears well up in Luca’s eyes.

Before leaving Luca proclaims that he will win the race on his own, and then they can ride away on the Vespa together.

Pg. 97–98: The day of the race Luca registers for the race solo. Giulia will also race alone but is worried how Luca is going to do the swim.

Luca’s parents become race volunteers, handing out cups of water to the kids. Perfect opportunity for them.

Pg. 99–100: All the race entrants line up on the shore starting line, bar one. Luca turns up in a heavy duty diving suit. Ercole mocks him while dowsing his team member Ciccio in olive oil, to help him glide faster in the water.

The race sponsor assures them they are all safe from sea monsters, despite any recent sightings. The fishermen have harpoons and nets to catch any sea monsters. Luca gulps.

Pg. 100–102: A cloudy day. The race begins, and all the swimmers steam ahead of Luca, who is stomping along the sea floor.

Giulia is in the lead while the olive oil coated Ciccio is being nibbled by fish. Luca’s helmet glass has shattered, and he has turned into a sea monster.

Giulia exits the water first and heads to the pasta eating table.

Luca plods out of the sea next but is tripped up by Ercole and his helmet falls off. He hides inside the suit as he dries off, and once in human form sits next to Giulia at the table. They all frantically stuff pasta into their mouths.

Ciccio is last, and Ercole drags him to tag his second teammate Guido who joins the pasta table.

Giulia finishes the pasta first and burps and belches, as she moves onto her bike. Ercole physically stuffs food into Guidos mouth and tags himself and sprints off on his bike.

Luca is the last to finish and join the bike race.

Pg. 102–104: The clouds darken. Luca’s parents are waiting at the water table, ready to pounce on the kids who are swerving to avoid them. Luca cycles past them as they lunge towards him begging him to stop.

Lucas speeds away fast, overtaking the other racers.

Ercole who was in the lead is outraged when Luca overtakes him. Luca is in the lead and could win the race!

Pg. 104–108: The dark skies open and rain begins to fall. Lucas arms begins to transform into a sea monster’s from the raindrops.

Lucas’ parents cover themselves in a table cloth to get protection from the rain.

In the piazza umbrellas pop up, and Massimo watches as someone under a cafe umbrella runs up the hill in the opposite direction to the cyclists.

Luca waits under an awning at the top of the hill as the rain falls harder. Cyclists pass him by. Luca sees Alberto running up the hill with a large cafe umbrella. He is here to help Luca. Ercole passes Alberto and kicks him. His umbrella falls and Alberto is again transformed into a sea monster. The crowd are horrified.

Luca wants to help his friend but Alberto tells him to stay safe, as a human. As Alberto goes to run away a fishing net is thrown over him and he struggles to get free.

Luca can’t take it anymore he peddles out from his safety into the rain and transforms into a sea monster. He hoists Alberto onto his bike and they speed downhill followed by Ercole and Giulia.

Lucas parents spot Luca as two sea monsters whizz past them on a bike. Ercole is now throwing harpoons at the boys. Giulia smashes into Ercole taking him out. Giulia crashes to the ground as the boys ride into the piazza. The boys skid off their bike to see if Giulia is ok and help her to her feet.

Pg. 108–112: A crowd surround the sea monsters threatening them. Massimo picks up a harpoon and approaches them.

Giulia defends them and when Massimo realizes that the sea monsters are in fact Alberto and Luca he drops his weapon.

Massimo lifts Alberto’s hand in the air and announces them as the winners of the race. The race sponsor analyses the bike wheel which is over the finish line. She confirms it. They are the race winners.

The confused crowd disperses. Ercole is disgusted and tries to rally Ciccio and Guido. But Ercole’s reign of terror is over. They won’t obey him anymore and dump Ercole in the fountain.

Pg. 112–113: Lucas parents rush in and embrace him, equally proud and angry with him. The sponsor hands the race trophy to the underdogs, Luca, Alberto and Giulia. The town is confused as other townsfolk reveal themselves to be sea monsters.

The three winners ride their newly purchased rusty Vespa as they are cheered by the kids as the new Champions of Portorosso!

Pg. 114–115: A celebration dinner in Massimo’s garden with both human and sea monster as guests. Daniela and Lorenzo are served pasta. Surprise guest Grandma joins them as she’s in town most weekends. Daniela wonders if Luca will ever be accepted here. Grandma replies that not everyone will accept him but he will find the good ones who will.

Luca, Alberto and Giulia laugh as they goof around on the Vespa. Giulia asks what the boys will do next? Hang around to fix the Vespa before traveling the world Alberto boasts.

Talk of travel reminds Giulia she has to pack to leave for school tomorrow. Luca becomes sad that she is leaving for school but cheers up when she promises to leave him her books. Alberto has gone quiet as he takes in the interaction of his friends.

Pg. 115–119: Giulia is on the station platform saying goodbye to her dad and the boys before leaving on the train to school. It’s raining but they’re sheltered. She hugs Massimo and the boys and then jumps aboard the train. She and Alberto wink at each other as Luca wipes away his tears.

Luca sighs and turns back to leave and fix the Vespa, expecting Alberto to follow. Alberto breaks it to him that he’s sold the Vespa and bought him a train ticket to Genova.

Luca’s family arrives with a packed bag. Luca is trying to make sense of what’s happening. They tell him he’s going to school with Giulia and staying with her mom. Everything’s been taken care of and Alberto is the one responsible for persuading everyone. Alberto nods shyly. Luca is excited. He hugs his family and reassures his concerned mom he will be safe and that he loves them.

Luca runs to train with his packed case telling Alberto to hurry up. He realizes Alberto doesn’t have any luggage and Alberto awkwardly explains he’s not coming but staying with Massimo. Luca is worried, he tells Alberto he can’t face this new adventure without him. Alberto produces the ripped Vespa drawing, mended with tape, and tells Luca he’s never without him, every jump off a cliff, every “Silencio Bruno!” is him. Luca is still worried, how will he know if Alberto is ok? Both boys tear up and hug. Alberto tells Luca, he got him off the Island, he’s OK.

They shake hands one last time and as the train leaves they release their grip. Alberto runs after it and off the platform into the rain, transforming into his sea monster self, he punches the sky and shouts “Go Luca!”.

Luca hangs outside the train to catch a last glimpse of Alberto just before it goes through a tunnel. Luca is sad but as the train emerges, he is transformed by the rain to his sea monster self and wipes away his tears. The town and island disappear from view as he smiles and swings round towards his brilliant future.

Writing Exercise: I encourage you to read the script, but short of that, if you’ve seen the movie, go through this scene-by-scene breakdown. What stands out to you about it from a structural standpoint?

To download a PDF of the breakdown , go here.

Kudos to Denise Devoy for doing the scene-by-scene breakdown.

To see 100+ screenplay scene-by-scene breakdowns, go here.