FROM THE PAGE

From the Page: Oscar Scripts: Part II - Sorkin's 'The Social Network'

by Cate Hahneman
February 18, 2011

Let's continue our brand new From the Page series on scripts with Aaron Sorkin's highly acclaimed The Social Network, nominated this year for Best Adapted Screenplay at the Oscars. The Social Network is a lush and lengthy screenplay, topping out at 167 pages when the average script is around 90-120 pages. But Aaron Sorkin began his career as a playwright and has an undeniable affinity for dialogue, something that easily fills the page count. I have to admit it was a challenge to even find a scene short enough in the script to fit in my post below, so I encourage you to read the entire script if you get the chance (see note below).

Aaron Sorkin had already written a stage play called A Few Good Men when he was hired by Castle Rock to adapt it for the screen. Then he wrote the feature scripts for Malice and The American President (a personal favorite that I highly recommend) for the big screen before scripting Sports Night starting in 1998 and, of course, The West Wing to air on TV for seven years. After a handful of other notable projects, Sorkin agreed to adapt Ben Mezrich's novel The Accidental Billionaires for Sony and producers Scott Rudin, Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti. And thus "The Facebook Movie" was born.

The script chronicles the rise of Harvard computer-tech Mark Zuckerberg (played by Jesse Eisenberg) as he creates the now globally famous website Facebook. Though the factual accuracy of the story has been argued, there's no denying that Sorkin created a meticulous structured narrative for the film. In the opening scene Mark argues with his soon-to-be-ex girlfriend Erica about his need to be accepted to one of Harvard's exclusive final clubs. After insulting her several times, Erica dumps Mark and walks out of the bar. Just like that he's 0 for 2; he doesn't have a girlfriend and he's not a final clubs member. As Sorkin writes it, these are the two main driving forces of Mark's character. His pursuit of creating the site, at all costs, is a way to win the approval of a woman he scorned. Facebook is Mark's own exclusive club (since a member must invite friends to join, originally) and he is the President. The stage is set for Mark and for the readers.

The Social Network has an interesting, non-linear structure, jumping between present day legal depositions and several years earlier in the timeline as the website is first coming to fruition at Harvard and beyond. I chose a few pages that highlight the ways in which the screenplay (and thus the film) pull us back and forth. Because we see that Eduardo (played by Andrew Garfield) has sued Mark before the site is even an entity, the reader anticipates that their relationship will crumble. We're waiting for it to happen and it delivers an anxious energy that is a highlight of the script's tone.

In the excerpt I chose to feature from The Social Network script, you should note that Mark has learned in a previous scene that Eduardo has been accepted into The Phoenix, one of Harvard's exclusive clubs. It's a strike on his ego to be sure. Also, the character "Gretchen" is Eduardo's lawyer, and "Sy" is Mark's. Read on:

I bow to Aaron Sorkin. That is some incredible writing! Even for two and a half pages. Eduardo's testimony for the deposition is a clever way of explaining how individuals will use Facebook (for anyone who might not know the site). He references its exclusive nature and how that would naturally mirror our culture's social structure because, in the end, that is what draws users in. Eduardo may be retelling the story but just as he is about to repeat what Mark said years previous, the script jumps and the words exit from Mark's own mouth. It makes the transitions seamless and encourages the reader to keep up with the story as it unfolds.

The emotional impact of the scene resonates on the final beat. In the depositions Mark scoffs at the notion that he would be jealous of Eduardo's Phoenix Club membership. He already has all the money in the world (remember?). He could buy the club. It's a ridiculous charge, until we return to the Quad again and Eduardo runs off to a party. Mark is alone again and we're reminded this is a pattern that will always haunt his life.

You can download Aaron Sorkin's entire screenplay for The Social Network (and of The King's Speech from Part I of this series) at mypdfscripts.com, which has officially downloadable copies of many screenplays.

From the Page - Oscar nominated scripts: The King's Speech, The Social Network, Inception, Black Swan and more coming! Have you read Sorkin's screenplay? What are your thoughts on his dialogue?

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