Scripting: Edstead

Brief:

Write a powerful, concise 3-minute documentary script (450–500 words) that tells a complete micro-story with emotional impact and strong visuals. The segment should be able to stand alone or work as part of a larger film.

Theme and Concept:

The documentary will focus on the traditional printing art form of Dabu. The script aims to cover the significance, process, and rival of the Dabu print by engaging with the artisans from the Chippa community, who have sustained the tradition of Dabu throughout centuries.

INT. PRINTING WORKSPACE- ESTABLISHING

[Sound: The sound of the worker's movement. A worker rhythmically uses wood blocks dipped in a paste to transfer a design on the fabric laid out in front of them. The worker then proceeds to scatter handfuls of sawdust on the fabric.]

VO: Every day, white fabric sheets spring to life, imprinting a legacy of dedication, artistry, and mud.

[ON SCREEN TEXT: TITLE]

EXT./INT. AKOLA, RAJASTHAN -  MORNING 

[Sound: Soft, low, melodious music. Shots of the city. People bustle about the streets with vehicles and animals crowding the space. A group of washers beat yards of cloth against a stone slab as the camera shifts to another work sets different wooden blocks and vats of paint inside the workspace.]

VO: In the winding lanes of Akola, Rajasthan, the age-old tradition of Dabu printing is kept alive by the Chippa community. Unlike other Rajasthani prints, Dabu is distinguished by its mud-resist technique and organic dyes often made from vegetable scraps.

INT. PRINTING WORKSPACE - CONTINUOUS 

[A close-up shot of a worker mixing black clay, lime, wheat chaff, and gum in a bucket. The paste is poured into a wooden tray.]

VO: Widely popular during the Mughal period, Dabu fabrics faced a decline in the 20th century with mechanised printing and synthetic dyes coming into the picture. Despite the tumultuous journey, the Chippa community has preserved this printing tradition.

INT. PRINTING WORKSHOP - CONTINUOUS

TALKING HEAD/INTERVIEW SNIPPET - LOCAL ARTISAN

[The artisan sits beside the printing station. Soft lighting on the face. They talk about how the tradition has been passed down in their family OR how they started working as an artisan.]

INT THE WORKSHOP - SERIES OF SHOTS

[A series of shots: the fabric is washed and dried, the wood block is dipped into the dabu paste and put on the cloth, sawdust is sieved over the cloth, the cloth is dyed in colour, the cloth is washed and dried.]

OS: [The artisan talks about how Dabu printing is a labour-intensive process, including tasks such as wood carving, paste making, printing, and dyeing. In doing so, they will briefly explain the process itself.]

EXT. WASHING AND DRYING AREA - DAY

[Sound: A soft, slightly upbeat music that eventually fades as the talking audio comes. A wide shot of two workers drying a freshly dyed and washed piece of fabric by jolting it in the air before setting it down on the ground.]

OS: [Audio from the interview. The artisan talking about the current reception of the print in markets, whether there is a shift towards artisan fabric and how it has impacted their life.]

INT THE WORKSHOP - EVENING

[Close-up shots of some finished fabric pieces and the prints, focusing on the colours, patterns, and designs of the clothing.]

VO: With the resistance to fast fashion, people are turning back to traditional print clothing crafted by experienced artisans. The all-natural and organic quality of Dabu also makes the clothing culturally and environmentally significant.

[ON SCREEN: THE END CREDITS]

(The brief in this case study is an excerpt of an assessment given by the firm. The full brief has not been disclosed to respect the confidentiality of the firm's recruitment process.)