Script Analysis: “Waves” — Part 6: Takeaways

Read and analyze the script for the lauded indie drama.

Reading scripts. Absolutely critical to learn the craft of screenwriting. The focus of this bi-weekly series is a deep structural and thematic analysis of each script we read. Our daily schedule:

Monday: Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Tuesday: Plot
Wednesday: Characters
Thursday: Themes
Friday: Dialogue
Saturday: Takeaways

Today: Takeaways.

This week, we have been reading, analyzing, and discussing the script and movie Waves. In some ways, today’s exercise is the whole point of the series: What did you take away from the experience of reading and analyzing the script?

Written by Trey Edward Shults.

Plot summary: Traces the journey of a suburban family — led by a well-intentioned but domineering father — as they navigate love, forgiveness, and coming together in the aftermath of a loss.

Major kudos to Savanah Mears for doing this week’s scene-by-scene breakdown.

To download a PDF of the breakdown for Waves, go here.

For Part 1, to read the Scene-By-Scene Breakdown discussion, go here.

For Part 2, to read the Plot discussion, go here.

For Part 3, to read the Character discussion, go here.

For Part 4, to read the Themes discussion go here.

For Part 5, to read the Themes discussion go here.

To access over 80 analyses of previous movie scripts we have read and discussed at Go Into The Story, go here.

I hope to see you in the RESPONSE section about this week’s script: Waves.