SCRIPT FORMATS. Dialogue or Narration: (on camera) Double space between sentences, and triple space between thoughts.

Transcription

1 SCRIPT FORMATS There are different acceptable formats for scriptwriting, each with its own purpose and convention. When looking at the different options, note the difference in alignment and margins. Text is still left aligned, it only appears to be centered. In reality, margins are adjusted to help set different types of text aside. 1A. The Corporate Teleplay A script for a teleplay, a piece created for television. Commercial and Infomercial scripts often take this format. LOCATION DESCRIPTION Thoroughly describe the visuals. Where are you? What do you see? Whom do you see? What action takes place? Someone reading this should be able to clearly picture the scene. (L0) SFX: Describe sound effects or background sounds. (L1, R1 ) MUS(IC): Describe style and where it should come UP, UNDER, or OUT. Dialogue or Narration: (on camera) Lip sync dialogue and narration should be written in upper and lower case, single spaced. Note the alignment of the left margin is further indented than description of location and SFX/Music. (L1.5, R1.5 ) Double space between sentences, and triple space between thoughts. VO NARRATION SHOULD BE WRITTEN IN ALL UPPER CASE, DOUBLE SPACED. TRIPLE SPACES BETWEEN SENTENCES, QUADRUPLE SPACE BETWEEN THOUGHTS. (L2, R0.5 )

2 Transition to: (next scene or shot) TIME SCHEDULE The time schedule provides estimates for what is happening on- screen and when. It helps the segment or show producer to ensure the entire production runs in the time allotted. Video Audio Segment Time Time Band 2:00 9:25-9:27 Introduction of Coach 5:00 9:27-9:32 and Players Interview with Coach 3:00 9:32-9:35 Cheers 3:00 9:35-9:38 1B. The Two- Column/Three- Column/Four- Column Script Especially when in pre- production for commercials, but useful for documentary filmmaking as an editor s tool, the column script (usually 3- column) provides step- by- step planning support. Creating a table formatted to identify Shots, Video & Graphics, Audio and time, this is a detailed guide. Here is an example of a 3- column shooting script for a commercial: Shot# Video Audio Time 1 Fade from black to company logo Music playing 0:00-0:04 2 Graphic: Statistics about food safety related deaths and illnesses VO Did you know that an estimated 3,000 Americans die from a foodborne illness each year. 0:04-0:10 3 Graphic: CLEAN Video: various shots showing cleaning surfaces and proper raw food handling 4 Medium Shot: Spokesperson standing behind a kitchen counter talking. 5 Transition to family eating around a table and putting food away VO Clean is all about your workspace when preparing food. Illness- causing bacteria can survive in many places around your kitchen, including your hands, utensils, and cutting boards. Unless you wash your hands, utensils, surfaces... Some foods are more frequently associated with food poisoning or foodborne illness. With these foods, it is especially important to: Clean. Wash hands and food preparation surfaces often. And wash fresh fruits and vegetables carefully 0:11-0:22 0:22 0:28 0:28 0:32

3

4 2. Screenplay Format is the standard format for the feature filmmaking. Edit note for new scene, all caps, L0 The Slug Line introducing the location for the next scene. Formatted as Interior/Exterior Location Day/Night. All caps, L0 Stage Directions Describing the setting in visual terms only. When characters are first introduced in a scene, their names are written in ALL CAPS. Subsequent mentions in a scene are in Upper/Lower case in. L0 Within dialogue, character names and dialogue are realigned. Character names are in all- caps. Dialogue follows standard Upper/Lower case grammar. Even when characters are yelling, try to avoid using all- caps for dialogue. Excellent font choices include: Arial or Courier New 12 pt Lines are skipped between each, example below: FADE IN: INT. HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASIUM - DAY Describe the setting. Cheerleaders cheering along the sideling while crowd gathers in the stands. CHARACTER NAME and CHARACTER 2 are at the baseline talking. CHARACTER NAME (ALL CAPS L2.5 R1.5 ) The dialogue is written below the character name. It is NOT centered, you simply adjust the margins. That way, when your line of dialogue is multiple lines long, it still looks clean and formatted. (L1.5 R0.5 ) CHARACTER 2 I don t know Character 1, it seems like a bad idea. (Stage direction for characters within a line of dialogue, realigned L2.5 R0.5 ) Don t want the person I m talking to hear me say things.

5 CHARACTER WHO CAN T BE SEEN (O.S.) [O.S. means offscreen voice] I want you to hear me, but I don t want the audience in the theatre to see me, so I will speak from off screen. CHARACTER 2 We should go somewhere else so we can sample stage directions for the class. Character Name and Character 2 walk across the court and meet up with BILL THE MASCOT CHARACTER 2 Hey Bill? How s life dressed as a goat? They all start to leave the gymnasium. Play/Stage Scripts can be written in a few different ways. FADE OUT. Some look similar to screenplays with stage directions Aligned L0 and Dialogue formatted similarly with an adjusted left alignment. Others keep everything aligned L0 with directions in paragraphs, often in italics (sometimes in parentheses), and character names all in CAPS with a line skipped between lines of dialogue and descriptions. Scene breaks are usually centered. Version 1: HARRY s living room on Christmas Eve. HARRY, a middle- aged guy who looks suspiciously like Jimmy Stewart, enters. Merry Christmas, one and all. He looks around to realize there is no one in the house. Hey everyone! Everyone! I m having a Christmas moment by myself out here! TIFFANY, his teenage daughter, runs in.

6 Hey Dad. Can t talk. Where are you off to? Bye. Version 2: HARRY s living room on Christmas Eve. HARRY, a middle- aged guy who looks suspiciously like Jimmy Stewart, enters. Merry Christmas, one and all. He looks around to realize there is no one in the house. Hey everyone! Everyone! I m having a Christmas moment by myself out here! TIFFANY, his teenage daughter, runs in. Hey Dad. Can t talk. Where are you off to? Bye. Version 3 HARRY s living room on Christmas Eve. HARRY, a middle- aged guy who looks suspiciously like Jimmy Stewart, enters. Merry Christmas, one and all.

7 He looks around to realize there is no one in the house. TIFFANY, his teenage daughter, runs in. Hey everyone! Everyone! I m having a Christmas moment by myself out here! Hey Dad. Can t talk. Where are you off to? Bye. Version 4 (HARRY s living room on Christmas Eve. HARRY, a middle- aged guy who looks suspiciously like Jimmy Stewart, enters.) Merry Christmas, one and all. (He looks around to realize there is no one in the house.) Hey everyone! Everyone! I m having a Christmas moment by myself out here! Hey Dad. Can t talk. Where are you off to? Bye. (TIFFANY, his teenage daughter, runs in.)