Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
From trilane.com
FADE IN:
Table of Contents
measurements
typeface
margins and tabs
page numbers
scenes
characters
character introductions
character names
character cues
character introductions
SUPER, SCROLL, words on TV
INSERT
sounds, MOS
special effects (FX, SPFX, SFX)
POV, CLOSE UP, PULL BACK
slow motion
music, music lyrics
movie clips
unseen characters, phantom POV
action stacking
then we see ...
dialog
miscellaneous
must be 12 point Courier or 12 point Courier New - everything from the title page to the
last page of the script
(if you use still a typewriter - use PICA font)
no bold print, no italics
can be underlined in very rare cases
o when you really need to emphasize a word
(as every single word in the script should be important, I wonder when you might
have to use this option)
margins:
dialog must not exceed 3.5 inches in width, that means it must not extend more than
6.0 inches from the left side of the page.
Many writers use only a width of 3.0 inches for dialog and 1.9 inches for actor‟s
instructions.
page numbers appear in the upper right corner of the page, 0.5 in from the top, flushed
to the right margin
page numbers
or
<Camera Location>:
<Scene Location>:
[<Time of Day>]:
[<Clarification>]:
This can be anything. For example, a specific date, a time of day etc. - if it is really
important to the plot.
Remarks:
Scene Headings are also called sluglines or slugs. Master scene headings are often
referred to as primary slugs, secondary headings as secondary slugs.
If you used a master scene heading to establish a location, you can use secondary
headings to move around within the area defined by the master scene heading.
Secondary headings thus break up a potentially large scene into smaller scenes.
Example:
KITCHEN
LIVING ROOM
HALLWAY
etc. ...
The Screenwriter‟s Bible mentions ways of breaking these rules that you might get
away with:
If it improves the flow of the scene you can alternate between INT. and EXT.
locations.
Example:
HALLWAY
LAWN
TOOL SHED
etc.
That said, you can also break the rules by using names as secondary slugs.
Here an example from Kill Bill, Volume 1 (imdb link), written by Quentin Tarantino:
THE HOUSEWIFE
hops off The Bride, runs into the kitchen, opens a drawer
and comes out with a huge butcher knife.
THE BRIDE
Note: The original text contains elements that are not recommended for spec scripts (author‟s
intrusions, liberal use of capitals etc.) which have been modified to match the recommendations in the
Screenwriter‟s Bible.
LATER
Another possibility of breaking the rules and getting away with it is the proper use of LATER. For ex
HANK’S KITCHEN - LATER could be condensed into a simple secondary heading LATER, if w
„later‟ happens in the same place.
Special Headings
This page shows the formatting of special headings for montages and series of
shots. They are not needed often. Their presence in a script does not
automatically increase its quality.
Montage
A montage is a sequence of brief shots that express the same or a similar idea.
-- <brief shot>
-- <brief shot>
etc.
BACK TO SCENE or END MONTAGE
If the montage is short, a new master scene heading is sufficient to indicate the
end. See the example below.
<montage title>
<brief shot>
Here and example adapted from Braveheart (imdb link), screenplay by Randall
Wallace:
...
There is more than one acceptable way to format a montage. The following
approaches will raise no eyebrows either:
-- <location> - action/dialog
etc.
or
etc.
Just as the first version these are terminated with and END MONTAGE or BACK
TO SCENE or - if the montage is short - just with a new master scene heading.
Some more examples further down on this page.
Series of Shots
The Series of Shots can be used to bundle a few shots with more diverse pieces of
action that have a less obvious underlying theme. The boundaries are soft,
however, and a montage is often used here, too.
The formula:
A) <brief shot>
B) <brief shot>
C) <brief shot>
etc.
with
<series title>
<brief shot>
Here an example adapted from from Castaway (imdb link), screenplay by William
Broyles, Jr.:
However, nobody will blame you if you use a montage here, too:
Flashback
A flashback is used to jump to an earlier point in time. There are several accepted
ways to write one:
FLASHBACK - <explanation>
or
or
or
<explanation>
A picture says more than a thousand words, so here follow a few examples.
This one is adapted from The Sixth Sense (imdb link), screenplay by M. Night
Shyamalan:
etc.
MALCOLM
(screaming)
Anna!
From Constantine (imdb link), screenplay by Kevin Brodbin and Frank Capello:
JOHN (V.O.)
Things I wasn't supposed to.
WAITRESS (O.S.)
Coffee?
or
or
Given this plethora of options it‟s hard to believe that one might need an even other way
to write a flashback scene.
Before dealing with sequences of flashbacks, dreams etc. I‟d like to mention that I made
mixed experiences when purely applying Trottier‟s suggestions. Almost every reader -
peer reviewer or professional - took offense that the format confused them. Only after I
sandwiched the sequence between a BEGIN/END FLASHBACK SEQUENCE-pair did
the confusion end. Within the sandwich then everything was sufficiently clear.
Example:
...
...
This remark also applies to all the other sequences like DREAM SEQUENCE, VISION
SEQUENCE etc.
Flashback Sequence
A flashback that extends over several scenes can be handled with a flashback sequence:
Then conclude the sequence with PRESENT DAY at the end or the next master
scene heading:
etc.
Putting the FLASHBACK SEQUENCE at the beginning of the line isn‟t such a great idea,
because it moves the more vital scene location half way across the page.
Whatever you decide, it‟s good advice to be consistent in the use of these patterns.
Quick Flashes
A situation where a character recalls a series of quick flashbacks should be handled in the
same fashion as a montage or series of shots. That gives us four ways of doing it:
-- <brief shot>
-- <brief shot>
etc.
or
etc.
or
or
A) <brief shot>
B) <brief shot>
etc.
with
<explanation>
<brief shot>
Then end the sequence with END QUICK FLASHES or BACK TO SCENE. If the
sequence is short a PRESENT DAY at the end of the following master scene heading will
suffice.
Special Headings
This page shows the formatting for dreams,
daydreams, visions and animations. They
are not used very often. Their presence in a
script does not automatically increase its
quality.
...
...
...
Dream Sequences
<master scene heading> - DREAM SEQUENCE
The following example is adapted from Kundun (imdb link), screenplay by Melissa
Mathison:
Incense smoke curls into the air. Prayer wheels are turned,
hand drums are played - the burial men stand off to one
side, their hatchets and knives in view.
...
Daydream
By now you got the pattern ...
Daydream Sequences
<master scene heading> - DAYDREAM SEQUENCE
Imaginings
IMAGINING - <location or event>
Visions
VISION - <location or event>
Vision Sequences
<master scene heading> - DREAM SEQUENCE
The Screenwriter‟s Bible finally mentions an animated scene and it makes the
following two suggestions to handle that.
Animation
ANIMATION - <location or event>
or
It probably depends on whether they take the Screenwriter‟s Bible literal or not.
Whatever you decide - be consistent in the use of the pattern you choose.
Establishing Shots
An establishing shot sets up the environment of a scene, normally at the beginning of
that scene.
Examples are a shot of the outside of a building followed by a scene inside the building,
or showing details of a room before turning to conversations between individuals in that
room.
They give an idea of the location and the mood of the environment where the action
takes place.
Here an example of an establishing shot which doesn‟t say so in the slugline (adapted
from Men in Black (imdb link), screenplay by Ed Solomon):
However, “if you have a driving desire to triple-space before each new master
scene heading, that‟s okay.” (The Screenwriter‟s Bible)
Spacing between Lines
A script page should contain about 54 to 55 lines - plus two for the page number
and the empty line following the page number.
Scene Transitions
The Screenwriter‟s Bible recommends to not use DISSOLVEs, CUT TOs etc. and
vehemently discourages the use of camera angles.
MATCH CUT
A match cut is used when the beginning of a scene picks up an image from the end
of the previous scene. Here is the example from The Screenwriter‟s Bible:
...
The previous scene ends with Calcutta, who is in a telephone call with the
professor, slamming the receiver of her phone. The next scene starts with the
professor slamming his receiver on his phone.
It‟s obvious what happens here, but if it weren‟t then this is how a MATCH CUT
would be used:
MATCH CUT:
Characters
Character Introductions
When a character first appears in the script, you can take this opportunity to briefly
suggest relevant aspects of his personality - for example by describing how he/she
dresses, moves, reacts at that moment. The main characters should definitely be given
a few lines of description. This is your opportunity to establish him as the good or bad
guy, clumsy or refined, dashing or cautious etc. Lesser characters need less words,
some can live without any introduction at all.
At the time of his/her first mentioning in the narrative of a script the character‟s name
appears in capital letters - like ROCKY, SAM, OLD MAN or PROFESSOR. All following
mentionings are done with only the first letter(s) capitalized: Rocky, Sam, Old Man,
Professor.
MIKE
What about Jack? I haven’t seen
him all morning.
JACK (O.S.)
Who mentioned my name?
JACK
Good morning, everyone. This is
what we’ll do.
This is not
recommended::
MIKE
What about JACK? I haven’t seen
him all morning.
JACK (O.S.)
Who mentioned my name?
Character
Names
Names must be given to
the major characters and
the important minor
characters. Characters that
appear only shortly may be
given names, too. Not
giving a name to a
character signals the
reader to not focus on
them. If the function of a
character is more
important than their
individual identity that
function can be used to
name them:
TECHNICIAN, COP 1,
COP 2, PROFESSOR etc.
Character
Cues
These are the character
names that precede the
dialog lines, like JACK and
MIKE in the examples
above.
Character Introductions
This issue is being dealt with on the page on characters. Here a short
summary: A character introduction consists of a few words up to a few lines
of description that suggests something about the character. Normally the
character‟s name appears for the first time as part of the character
description. In that one case the name is capitalized. Following the
introduction the character‟s name is not capitalized except for the character
cues, which are always in caps.
This site dedicates an area for script analysis - or better script dissection
where we list character description taken from scripts of produced movies.
Go there to read a few and see how it‟s done in scripts of well known
movies. Careful though, many scripts available on the internet are shooting
scripts not spec scripts. When it comes to formatting your spec script, the
Screenwriter‟s Bible is a well accepted authority.
Sounds
Sounds can be capitalized in the narrative, but don‟t have to. Some writers
only put important sounds in caps.
MOS
MOS stands for „Mit Out Sound‟ and it means „without sound‟. It allegedly
traces back to German director Eric von Stroheim, who used to say things
like “Ve‟ll shoot dis mid out sound.”
On the other hand, you could just write it into the narrative:
Special Effects
The Screenwriter‟s Bible advises against announcing special effects in a spec script. The
movie may require them but there is no point advertising them, as they are expensive to
implement.
It‟s up to a production crew to comb through the script and find what actions require
special effects.
That said - should you read FX, SPFX or SFX in a script this is what they mean:
Camera directions
(POV, CLOSE UP, PULL BACK etc.)
Don‟t use them. Period.
Okay, the Screenwriter‟s Bible says that sometimes the POV is used for story reasons,
but it doesn‟t make a single case for an instance where the POV or another camera
direction is indispensable for the script.
On the other hand it disturbs the flow of reading, so better don‟t use them. Take it as a
creative challenge for your writing to make clear what‟s going on without using POVs,
CLOSE UPs and all the good things that directly control the camera.
Keep in mind, that every single word you write has to be filmable and will end up on
screen once the movie is made. So, you are directing the director anyway with every
word of your script. Read the article „Write the shots‟ to see how that should be done in a
spec script.
Another professional way to suggest a point of view are secondary slugs.
INSERT
INSERT is used to bring something very small into full frame, for example a letter, a
newspaper ad, a sign, a box of chocolates. It is not used to insert quick shots into the
action and also not for bigger objects like a television. An INSERT should be followed
with a BACK TO SCENE unless a master scene heading or a secondary headings
follows anyway.
Directions like INSERT disturb the flow of reading so it is good advice to use them
sparingly. For example, the following INSERT is not such a good idea:
BACK TO SCENE
Here are two examples of INSERTs. The first is from Witness ( imdb link),
screenplay by Earl W. Wallace, William Kelley, Pamela Wallace:
INSERT WATCHFACE
It reads 4:30 a. m.
BACK TO BOOK
as he stares at it in disbelief.
The next is from An Officer and Gentleman (imdb link), screenplay by Douglas Day
Stewart:
She turns on her side. And her eyes open surreally. Ever so
slowly, she turns her head fully facing the TV. Carol Anne
smiles. A smile much too sophisticated for five-years-old
child.
TV SCREEN
The snow mixes with new imagery. Forms. Vague but luminous.
Always mingling. Impressionistic. Never hard-lined.
...
For example:
The words to be superimposed always appear between quotation marks. They can
also be capitalized and/or indented. Thus, the following three versions are
equivalent to the one above:
SUPER:
“TWO YEARS LATER”
SUPER:
“Two years later”
The indented versions are normally used for longer text, but it‟s okay to use them
like above.
If you want the words to scroll across the screen you should use the term SCROLL
instead.
If you want to superimpose a quote on the screen before the movie begins the
Screenwriter‟s Bible recommends this way:
BLACK SCREEN:
SUPER:
FADE IN:
...
Words on TV
You should not use SUPER when a character watches TV and the words appear
on the TV screen. In that case better use a secondary heading to focus on the TV
and write the words that appear there into the narrative.
Example:
TELEVISION
Every line in the example above contains a separate visual image and thus
belongs into its own paragraph. If these paragraphs don‟t exceed one line, you can
use this kind of action stacking.
The Screenwriter‟s Bible doesn‟t encourage it‟s use, saying that most readers are
used to the traditional way.
It should go without saying that if you decide to do it, you should use it consistently
throughout your script.
Slow Motion
If you read the other pages, this goes without saying: Don‟t use slow motion just
because you think it‟s cool. Use it only if it is important to the plot. That said - if you
have a story related reason then the Screenwriter‟s Bible suggests a format similar
to the montage:
TIME LAPSE
Jane and Frank at the crime scene. Frank takes the position of
Richard when he was shot. ...
TIME LAPSE
-- <first shot>
-- <second shot>
-- etc.
Here the time lapse sequence is terminated by the next master scene heading. If
you want the action to continue within the same scene after the time lapse, then a
BACK TO SCENE should do the job.
Music
Refer to music only if it is relevant for the story. If it is, this is a way to do it:
Because music is sound, you could also describe it as such - putting the sound in
caps, if you want:
Do NOT indicate specific songs unless you own the rights. If you know how much
the rights for „Sympathy for the Devil‟ cost the makers of Fallen (imdb), a 1998
movie written by Nicholas Kazan then don‟t hesitate to email. They certainly came
at a considerable fee.
Music Lyrics
The same as for music goes for music lyrics: If you don‟t own the rights, then don‟t
include them in your script.
In all other cases, for example if the song is in the public domain („Jingle Bells‟, ...),
a character sings nonsense or you create the lyrics yourself (in which case you own
the rights) then these example from The Screenwriter‟s Bible suggests how to do it:
McKAY
“Well, you take the high road
And I’ll take the low road,
And I’ll be in Scotland before you.”
Alternatively you can use slashes instead of the line breaks - may save space
occasionally:
McKAY
“Well, you take the high road/and
I’ll take the low road/and I’ll
be in Scotland before you.”
Movie Clips
It all boils down to the rights - do you own them or not. If you don‟t own the rights
then don‟t make your script dependent on a specific movie or movie clip.
However, you can briefly refer to other movies. The Screenwriter‟s Bible quotes
„Sleepless in Seattle‟ (imdb link) (story by Jeff Arch, screenplay by Nora Ephron),
which has this passage:
On the other hand, The Screenwriter‟s Bible advises not write ”He turned on the TV
and the sinking scene from TITANIC was showing.”
Balance these two suggestions in your mind and heart.
Unseen Characters
If you follow the rule to write only what can be seen on the screen then why
bother with unseen characters?
You do it when these unseen characters affect what’s seen on the screen. Here an example from
The Screenwriter’s Bible:
It could easily be argued that only the click is relevant here, even if the unseen
person is introduced later. Thus you might settle for the following:
Phantom POV
Sometimes the movie shows the scene from the point of view of an unseen
character. That could include a change of color, use of a filter etc. like in
Predator. Or it could simply mean that the camera takes the perspective of a
character that doesn‟t appear in the scene at this time.
While the others dance, Pam peers down into the lake.
To understand what‟s happening here note the scene heading of the second scene:
EXT. UNDERWATER.
That means the camera looks at the beach from below the water. In both cases we
see the same events, but the second version prepares the reader for the monster
which undoubtedly will appear rather sooner than later.
Those that are against it say it‟s a weak way of describing what happens. And that it‟s
redundant, because you anyway should write only what can be filmed and then seen. So,
of course, we see - why mention it.
Indeed, often „we see‟ can simply be dropped from the narrative without causing any
damage:
We see a huge, white bird fly across the complex and settle
on the temple.
Or you could write:
The second version actually feels a bit more dynamic. Right? And it‟s a few letters
shorter, so not using „we see‟ might even save you a line every now and then.
The fact is that many people love to write it, don‟t mind to read it, some studios
allegedly insist that writers use it. Another fact is that a lot of professional scripts
use „we see‟, sometimes extensively.
What now? It seems simple: some professional readers don‟t seem to mind, but
some others may flag your script „unprofessional‟ when they find a „we see‟.
So, if you don‟t have a name in the industry yet and depend on the approval of a
reader, the best advice is: No matter what they tell you, avoid it like the plague. If
somebody requests it, use it enthusiastically.
Similar arguments are brought against the word „then‟. Indeed it seems to weaken
the description. Or not:
Jake takes the bat from the locker, then dashes out the
door.
„Then‟ is not required, because the context makes the sequence of events obvious.
What about the following?
Jake takes the bat from the locker, dashes out the door.
The second version lacks nothing that the first one has and it‟s even shorter. Space
is important, too.
Whatever you decide, keep in mind that The Screenwriter‟s Bible advises against
the use of „we see‟ and „then‟.
I feel similar about words that push what should be obvious from the context, like
„suddenly‟, for example. But maybe that‟s just me.
Dialog
In the vast majority of cases your dialog will consist of a character cue followed by
one or two lines of what that character says. (One line is better.)
Like this:
JACK
Helen, say something.
JACK is the character cue (or character name). It should start 3.7 inches from the
left physical border of the page or 2.2 inches to the right of the left margin which is
1.5 inches from the left of the page. See the page on measurements for details.
Wrylies are put into parentheses. In your script they are to start 3.1 inches from the
left physical border of the page (1.6 inches from the left margin which is located
1.5 inches from the left of the page):
JACK
(to Helen)
You talk too much.
Use actor‟s instructions to clarify in case of need. In the example above the wryly
makes it clear that Jack is addressing Helen.
Even if he is in the scene and hears his own voice but his lips don‟t move - that‟s
still a voice over.
Moreover, the Screenwriter‟s Bible says that any kind of narration is a (V.O) - no
matter whether the character who talks appears physically in the scene or not.
For example, if a character explains something about pages in a book and the
camera shows the pages or images while he is talking - that‟s a voice over. It
doesn‟t matter whether he closes the book later in the scene and goes on talking.
Of course, the direct talk after closing the book will be neither (V.O) not (O.S), but
just ordinary dialog.
JACK
No, I’m right. No way this could
work. It’s a pipe dream. People
tried it and failed. Of course, I
don’t mean it could never work. I’m
not perfect. I can make mistakes.
(MORE)
28.
JACK (CONT’D)
Like two years ago, when for two
minutes I thought I was wrong.
Of course, as your dialog won‟t often exceed a line or two, situations like this won‟t
come up often, if ever. Even then it‟s worthwhile to consider adding a few line feeds
and move the entire dialog section to the next page.
The (MORE) and (CONT’D) can also appear in all lower-case letters: (more),
(cont’d).
JACK
No, I’m right. I’m absolutely
sure. There is no way it could
work that way. It’s a pipe
dream. People tried it and
failed.
JACK
Of course, I don’t mean it
could never work. I’m not
perfect. I can make mistakes.
JACK
Like two years ago, when for two
minutes I thought I was wrong.
Obviously, shorter dialogs make for more dynamic. The central question now is:
Does Helen throw the bottle, do they both break into laughter or does only Helen
laugh while Jack wonders why?
Telephone Conversations
Dialog on the telephone is a bit of a challenge because at least one of the
participating characters on not physically present.
1. The audience neither sees nor hears the other party. The content of the
conversation is reflected in what the one character says.
2. The audience sees one character and hears the other one - or several - on
the phone.
3. The movie switches back and forth between two (or more) characters as the
conversation proceeds.
In this case the responses of the other (unseen) party are implied by what the
visible character says and does:
HELEN
Hello, Jack ... Are you sure?
... Do you have her number?
HELEN
Once more please.
HELEN
Three-Seven-One ... Five-Five-
One-Eight.
HELEN
That’s Cory’s number.
HELEN
Hello, Jack!
JACK (V.O.)
Hello, I got a call from Kate.
She’s back in the country.
HELEN
Are you sure?
JACK (V.O.)
Of course, I’m sure. She wouldn’t
lie to me.
HELEN
Do you have her number?
...
If both parties should show up on screen you have several options to handle this
situation. Two involve using INTERCUT:
HELEN
Hello, Jack!
JACK (V.O.)
Hello, I got a call from Kate.
She’s back in the country.
HELEN
Are you sure?
JACK (V.O.)
Of course, I’m sure. She wouldn’t
lie to me.
HELEN
Do you have her number?
...
Method 3B: INTERCUT with details
HELEN
Hello, Jack!
JACK (V.O.)
Hello, I got a call from Kate.
She’s back in the country.
HELEN
Are you sure?
JACK (V.O.)
Of course, I’m sure. She wouldn’t
lie to me.
HELEN
Do you have her number?
...
Both methods using INTERCUT give the director complete freedom when to switch
between the locations (Helen‟s kitchen and Jack‟s car). Directors are said to like
freedom.
If you need more control over the change then you should use master scene
headings:
JACK
Where is my phone?
HELEN
Hello.
JACK (V.O.)
Hello, this is Jack. I got a call
from Kate. She’s back in the country.
HELEN
Are you sure?
JACK (V.O.)
Of course, I’m sure. She wouldn’t
lie to me.
HELEN
Do you have her number?
HELEN
Once more please.
HELEN
Three-Seven-One ... Five-Five-
One-Eight.
HELEN
That’s Cory’s number.
If you decide to spread a telephone call over an entire page like in the last example
above, then make sure it pays off. Follow Trottier‟s advice: “If you describe how a
character drinks a cup of coffee, then the coffee better be poisoned.”
Another method of showing both parties of a phone call is to use a split screen. It
appears to be gaining popularity. However, the pages here are a reference to the
recommendations in The Screenwriter‟s Bible and split screens aren‟t mentioned
there.
Overlapping Dialog
Occasionally you may want to have two or more characters speak at the same time. The
Screenwriter‟s Bible describes four ways for handling that situation:
JACK
What?
HELEN
(overlapping)
What?
And finally:
JACK HELEN
What? What?
The latter two options also work well when the two characters don‟t say the same
thing:
JACK HELEN
Frank, you must be out Get out of here.
out of your mind.
Computer Conversations
One might think that conversations by email or in chat rooms should be considered
dialog, but they aren‟t. Only spoken words should appear as dialog.
Here an example:
ON THE MONITOR
Karen’s words appear:
BACK TO FRANK
who types
ON THE MONITOR
BACK TO FRANK
ON THE MONITOR
BACK TO FRANK
FRANK
I know where that is?
He takes his gun from the drawer, runs out the room.
The lines „Karen’s words appear:‟ and „Frank’s words appear:‟ can
be omitted if what happens is obvious.
In another situation you could also have a character read out loud the words that he
reads on the monitor. That case would, of course, be handled like ordinary dialog.
Note that The Screenwriter‟s Bible did not suggest to use INSERT, which is used
for small items, like letters, newspaper articles, paper clips etc.
You should not use a camera direction here. This is not an opportunity for using
POV.
Foreign Languages
A major fact to remember in writing scripts is: Audience = Reader.
With that in mind it‟s clear - if you confuse the reader the script stands little chance to
become a movie. Thus, whenever possible write in the language of the eventual reader.
In case that it‟s important that the characters speak in a foreign language, there are a
number of options:
Option 1: Parenthetical
Use a wryly (parenthetical) to clarify that the actor will speak in another language:
LEE
(in Chinese)
How are you?
CHANG
Long time no see.
STEVEN
I was busy.
CHANG
How can I help you today?
STEVEN
I need two Mk 48 and plenty of ammo.
Chang disappears into the backroom and returns with the guns.
He takes ammo from a metal cabinet and puts it on the
counter.
CHANG
Cash or charge?
STEVEN
Cash as usual.
CHANG
The tea is on the house.
STEVEN
I really appreciate that.
The main issue still is: How will the movie audience understand what‟s being said?
If you think what happens on the screen will speak for itself, then go for
That‟s only a good idea if the dialog is short. Here an example from Trottier:
TARZAN
On-gow-ah!
CHANG
Hao jiao bu jian.
STEVEN
Wo hen mang.
CHANG
What do you need this time?
STEVEN
Two Mk 48 and plenty of ammo.
Chang disappears into the backroom and returns with the guns.
He takes ammo from a metal cabinet and puts it on the
counter.
CHANG
Cash or charge?
STEVEN
Cash as usual.
CHANG
The tea is on the house.
STEVEN
I really appreciate that.
Option 4: Subtitles
If characters speak a foreign language throughout the scene and you want the
dialog to be subtitled, it‟s best to mention that in the note at the start of the scene.
Then go on and write the dialog in English.
CHANG
Long time no see.
etc.
etc.
etc.
END OF SUBTITLES
It‟s wise to end the scene with the remark END OF SUBTITLES. Readers tend to
forget.
Useful if only a few sentences are spoken in a foreign language, rather than an
entire scene:
PAK
I will rip your heart out alive,
fry it and eat it.
If the sound of the foreign words is important you can use a format that is
reminiscent of that for simultaneously spoken dialog:
CHEN SUBTITLE
Obo-obo ada-ada. You are out of your
mind.
Telepathic Dialog
The main question here is: How is the audience going to know the contents of
telepathic dialog?
The script has to describe what can be seen on screen. There are two ways to
handle it.
If the audience hears something but nobody speaks - no lips are moving - then
that‟s a voice over (V.O.)- either of a narrator or of the character whose
thoughts are being communicated.
Another way is to just have the recipient - the one who reads/hears/senses the
thoughts - speak them out loud. That‟s ordinary dialog.
Mute Dialog
A character may be mute and communicate using sign language. As the general public is
not familiar with sign language the meaning must be communicated somehow - either
orally or by subtitles.
MUTE PERSON
(while signing)
Do you understand me?
MUTE PERSON
(while signing; in subtitles)
Do you understand me?
Another option would be to just have the character sign without speaking, in the
hope that the audience will get the meaning. Trottier doesn‟t mention this option, but
this is a common approach to communication when silence is important, for
example in the usual military scenarios.
Dialog Punctuation
--
The double dash indicates interruption: a sudden shift or break in thought, for
example when one character interrupts another, a character is interrupted by an
event (sound, action), the character interrupts himself by shifting his thought or he
speaks interrupted. Trottier also mentions using the -- when the character speaks
with sudden emphasis.
VIVIAN
I’m sorry you had to wait --
JIM
I’m tired of your excuses.
...
The ellipsis is used to indicate continuity. A character starts speaking, pauses and
continues to speak. Also when a character finishes another character‟s sentence
the ellipsis is used.
VIVIAN
On second thought ... I’m not
that sorry.
(beat)
Title Page
If you follow the recommendations in The Screenwriter‟s Bible, your title page will be
almost empty.
It should contain the title of your script, optionally followed by the word „by‟ or the words
„Screenplay by‟, followed by your name. You may decide to make a comment about
copyright in the lower left hand corner, but it‟s not really common. All of this in ordinary
size 12 Courier or Courier New font.
We’ll see
by
John Smith
wgaw# XXXXXXXXX
Plain size 12 Courier or Courier New font.
No other fonts, no italics, no bold letters or digits. Nothing like that. Nowhere. Never.
You may put the title of your script at the top of page one, but not on any of the following
pages. If you decide to put it on page one, it must be centered, capped and underscored.
You should begin with FADE IN: flush at the left margin. Almost all screenplays do that.
Some readers take this very serious.
You may alternatively start your screenplay with BLACK SCREEN followed by words to be
superimposed on the black screen. That will look this way:
BLACK SCREEN
SUPER:
FADE IN:
...
Note: No page number at the top right corner. Numbering of the pages of the script thus
begins with 2. on the third page if you include the title page which would be page number
0.
Credits and Titles
Don‟t worry about these. If you feel you absolutely need them The Screenwriter‟s Bible
suggests something like ROLL CREDITS or BEGIN CREDITS. In that case end with
END CREDITS. You could also use TITLES instead of CREDITS.
NARRATOR
And they lived happily ever after.
FADE OUT.
Like all pages except for the title page and page one, the last page must have a page
number in the top right corner, of course.
Notes
You shouldn‟t write anything that‟s only meant for the reader. Every line of narrative
should translate into shots that end up on the screen. Don‟t write what people think or
feel, don‟t talk about the past. In the narrative avoid smart terms that only a few readers
may understand.
That said, you might encounter a situation where you have to tell the reader something -
or you think you really have to in that particular situation.
In this case Trottier suggests to write the note in a separate paragraph. Here the example
he gives:
To give you an idea what you may experience when you decide to write a note to
the reader, here an example I made myself with professional feedback.
Reader‟s comments: How will the audience know this? Need to have her reference
it in order to make it clear, because audience won’t have the privilege of this note.
The reader is correct. The note‟s purpose cannot be to tell the reader something
the audience also needs to know and has no way of getting it otherwise. But her
referencing (mentioning) it wasn‟t practical and after checking the narrative again I
found that it was clear enough. So the next time I wrote this:
This time the same reader suggested to append „which only she can see.‟
to the narrative and scratch the note.
However, another reader said: “If the visuals suggest it, you don‟t need to write it.‟
Whatever, all this won‟t kill your script. If things like this happen to you I suggest
picking one option or drop the note entirely and then focusing on the story. That‟s
what really will make or break your screenplay.