1 #LyX 1.2 created this file. For more info see http://www.lyx.org/
10 \papersize letterpaper
15 \use_numerical_citations 0
16 \paperorientation portrait
26 \paragraph_separation indent
28 \quotes_language english
32 \paperpagestyle default
38 \added_space_bottom vfill
55 \begin_inset LatexCommand \label{Joe}
60 \begin_inset LatexCommand \label{April}
76 Spacing Other to set the spacing between lines.
77 A value of .85 is probably the minimum.
102 speakerindent{2.25in}
105 click TeX and enter new values as above.
114 You can put your Speaker names in labels, the insert cross references to
116 The printed version will automatically be capitalized in Speaker even if
117 the label is not capped.
118 This way you can use them in dialogue also, and change all references to
119 your character's names just by changing the label.
126 DRISKILL HOTEL SEMINAR ROOM DAY
129 JOE and APRIL burst through the doors into a clean, well-lit seminar room.
138 Use the description after INT.
140 to keep it on the same page.
141 Narrative is the same, except that it allows a pagebreak before it.
148 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
159 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
166 How could they start without us? We're the main attraction.
170 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
174 catches his breath as he leans against the podium at the front of the room.
178 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
183 \layout Parenthetical
185 looking about the room
192 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
200 You know we've been invited to Austin to discuss script format.
204 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
211 But why is the room empty?
215 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
220 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
224 both look out across the room -- rows of empty chairs and nary a person
229 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
236 Okay, okay, don't panic.
239 She takes three deep breaths.
240 Then she looks at her watch and smiles.
244 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
249 \layout Parenthetical
259 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
271 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
280 Top, 1.0 inches to the body, 0.5 inches to the number.
281 Bottom, 0.5 to 1.5 inches, depending on where the page break comes.
285 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
296 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
304 There are rules for breaking a page.
305 Scene headers remain attached to description.
306 A single line of dialogue is pushed to the following page.
307 A long dialogue passage would be split -- but I'll get to that later.
311 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
322 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
329 Courier, 12 point, 10 pitch.
330 Make sure it's a non-proportional version of Courier.
332 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
336 's grimace suggests that he's deep in thought.
340 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
347 What about bold-face or italics? Or a Gothic font? I love to jazzup my scripts.
351 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
358 No bold, no itals, no script fonts, no Gothic, no Helvetica, no Times Roman.
360 That's the industry standard.
364 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
371 Oh, we're talking about industry standards?
375 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
379 bolts from behind the podium and runs out into:
382 DRISKILL HOTEL HALLWAY DAY
386 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
390 glances up and down the hallway, then reaches back to open the door.
394 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
399 \layout Parenthetical
405 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
409 -- come on! There's no one here.
413 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
418 \layout Parenthetical
420 walking through the door
424 Or a slug line, as I was taught in film school.
426 What happens if we \SpecialChar \ldots{}
430 TEXAS CAPITOL BUILDING DAY
434 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
438 pinches himself as he stands with
439 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
443 before the seat of Texas politics.
447 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
458 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
465 There was a cut -- from the hallway to the capitol.
466 What'd you want to do -- ride in a cab?
470 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
481 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
490 Of course, you can cheat those a tad.
494 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
501 So, you have about 3.0 inches for each line of your dialogue?
505 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
513 Though you can go out another three or four spaces to the right and no
514 one will hold it against you.
518 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
522 jots down several notes on a 3 x 5 card, studies the card for a moment,
523 then scribbles another note.
527 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
532 \layout Parenthetical
537 And the position of the character's name?
541 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
548 All CAPS, and tabbed to about 4.2 inches.
549 Some writers center all the characters' names.
555 Use More to break up a dialogue across a page boundary.
556 It will put (MORE) at the bottom of the page, and insert the current speaker
557 name and (CONT'D) at the top of the next page.
558 You should not break mid-sentence.
566 Personally, I don't think it matters.
567 The look of the script pages is slightly different in either case.
571 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
582 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
589 A page break appeared in the middle of my dialogue.
590 You use MORE at the bottom of the page to show that the character's dialogue
591 continues onto the next page.
592 Then CONT'D next to the character to show that it has roots in the previous
597 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
604 But not everybody uses MOREs and CONT'Ds, do they?
611 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
615 stares up into the dome.
617 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
621 examines the portraits of Texas governors on the nearby walls.
625 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
632 Some writers just plan their page ends so as to avoid them.
636 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
641 \layout Parenthetical
646 What about parentheticals?
650 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
657 Start them about 0.5 inches to the left of the character name tab mark.
658 In our case that would be at 3.7 inches.
662 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
669 And what are they for?
673 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
680 For years, parentheticals were used to express emotion, the manner in which
681 a character spoke her lines.
682 Loudly, passionately, sadly, and so on.
683 In recent years writers have often used them for brief bits of action.
687 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
692 \layout Parenthetical
701 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
706 \layout Parenthetical
715 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
722 How wide are parentheticals?
726 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
733 Not very -- about 1.5 inches.
734 And they should wrap to the following line when they extend beyond that
736 \layout Parenthetical
738 pointing up to the top of the page
741 If you place a parenthetical in the middle of a dialogue passage, it should
742 remain distinct from the dialogue.
745 MISSISSIPPI RIVERBOAT NIGHT
748 A gambling boat rolls slowly along the mighty river.
750 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
755 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
759 wander about its upper deck.
763 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
770 I have to ask -- what happened to CUT TO:s between scenes.
774 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
781 Many writers still use transitions such as CUT TO: and DISSOLVE TO: between
786 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
793 Those would introduce a new scene header?
797 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
804 And typically a different time and/or place.
805 But many writers have dispensed with such transitions, feeling that a new
806 scene header signifies a cut without the need of any additional indicator.
810 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
814 stares out at the river.
818 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
825 How did we reach the Mississippi and when did the sun set?
829 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
836 If you'd like \SpecialChar \ldots{}
843 A jet liner cruises East across Texas.
849 A customized interior, replete with lounge chairs and sofas.
851 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
856 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
864 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
875 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
882 Or it could be tomorrow.
890 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
895 \layout Parenthetical
900 You see, a few weeks have passed.
904 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
911 Okay, I didn't notice.
912 But I thought only DAY and NIGHT were allowed on scene headers.
916 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
923 Production managers would certainly prefer it that way, but many writers
924 use headers as a means of showing a particular time of day, especially
929 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
940 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
947 On writer's drafts, without a doubt.
951 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
962 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
969 Essentially, any draft that hasn't been paid for.
970 Any draft to be sent to agents, studio execs, production companies, development
972 Those are writer's drafts.
973 And they all should be FIRST DRAFTs, no matter how many versions the writer
974 has actually written.
978 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
989 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
996 That's my recommendation.
1003 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
1007 drives along Austin's Congress Avenue as
1008 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
1016 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
1023 You speak any foreign languages?
1027 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
1032 \layout Parenthetical
1037 Why do you ask? (Pour quoi tu demandes?)
1041 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
1048 What about action scenes?
1051 SUDDENLY, A BLACK CADILLAC whips around a corner, racing quickly towards
1054 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
1058 punches the accelerator and -- THE BLUE CAMARO leaps forward, leaving a
1060 The Camaro takes a left, then a quick right to accelerate into -- A DARK
1061 ALLEY The Camaro quickly reaches a dead end, just as -- THE BLACK CADILLAC
1062 pulls into the alley, sealing it shut.
1069 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
1073 leads a dazed and confused
1074 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
1082 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
1089 That's one way to do an action scene.
1090 It's a variation on the Bill Goldman style that's used by many writers.
1094 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
1099 \layout Parenthetical
1104 But other writers just use normal description and standard scene headers
1105 for action scenes, don't they?
1109 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
1119 DRISKILL HOTEL ENTRANCE HALL -- PHONE BOOTH DAY
1122 A slightly less dazed
1123 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
1127 speaks on the phone.
1131 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
1138 I thought we were walking together.
1142 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
1147 \layout Parenthetical
1152 Well, we were, but I realized a phone call was needed.
1156 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
1168 STATE CAPITOL PHONE BOOTH DAY
1171 With the dome looming large behind her,
1172 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
1176 speaks into the phone.
1180 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
1187 Only when you hear my voice over the phone.
1188 Radio voices and phone calls often are filtered, though it's a convention
1189 that isn't used by everyone anymore.
1193 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
1200 Let's try something easy.
1201 What about page numbers?
1205 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
1212 Number each and every page, though you can start with page two.
1213 The numbers should appear in the upper right hand corner, about 0.5 inches
1214 down and 0.75 inches from the right page edge.
1215 Those dimensions are not set in stone, but the numbers should always be
1216 placed in the upper right hand corner.
1219 DRISKILL HOTEL HALLWAY DAY
1223 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
1227 walks slowly towards the seminar room.
1231 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
1238 You know, that pronouncement almost seemed godlike.
1242 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
1249 If it were, I probably would have spoken in a voice over and not on the
1254 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
1258 searches the ceiling, trying to decide just where this disembodied voice
1263 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
1275 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
1282 Oftentimes for narration, for a narrator's voice.
1283 In film noir the protagonists often filled the audience in on their thoughts
1285 Documentary films are filled with voice over.
1288 DRISKILL HOTEL SEMINAR ROOM DAY
1292 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
1297 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
1301 to reach the podium first.
1303 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
1307 walks slowly past the still-empty chairs.
1312 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
1316 gestures with his hands as if he were making a major political speech.
1320 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
1324 sneaks up behind him and mimics his movements -- until he notices.
1326 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
1330 spins to confront her.
1334 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
1341 Why I ought'a \SpecialChar \ldots{}
1346 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
1353 I was just demonstrating the way many writers break description into shorter
1355 I've seen blocks of description covering an entire page.
1359 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
1366 That makes for tough reading, doesn't it?
1370 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
1377 I know studio readers who just skip long description and read only dialogue.
1381 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
1388 But there are pros who write scripts with extended descriptive passages.
1392 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
1399 When you make a half-million or so per script, you can pretty much use any
1404 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
1408 climbs atop the podium.
1412 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
1419 But when you're like me, you have to stick to format.
1420 Is that what you're trying to say?
1424 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
1435 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
1439 jumps down from the podium and runs out the door just as conference ATTENDEES
1444 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
1449 \layout Parenthetical
1454 By the way, the first time you introduce a character in description, you
1456 And when you break dialogue with description, the standard is to place
1457 "continuing" within parentheses when a character chatters on and on.
1461 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
1465 watches as a number of people sit down before her.
1469 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
1474 \layout Parenthetical
1479 Of course, many writers have dropped "continuing" from their repetoire.
1480 I mean, it's obvious that I'm still speaking, isn't it? And that I never
1485 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
1490 \layout Parenthetical
1492 shouting from beyond the door
1496 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
1501 There's a buffet at the hotel and a shuttle leaving in two minutes.
1505 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
1510 \layout Parenthetical
1515 We haven't mentioned master scenes.
1519 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
1523 enters, then glances about the room as he slowly approaches the podium.
1527 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
1535 No CLOSEUPS, no WIDE SHOTS, no shots of any sort.
1536 Just scene headers, description and dialogue.
1537 And no scene numbers.
1538 Those are left to shooting scripts.
1542 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
1549 Don't worry, I would never let you miss a meal.
1550 Do you know how to make a script sandwich?
1554 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{Joe}
1565 \begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{April}
1572 You need your script, two sheets of plain manila binding stock, a three
1573 hole punch, and three one inch brass brads.
1574 No title or name on the binding stock.
1575 When you get it all assembled, you can hammer the brass brads down to make
1586 FADE OUT used to be FADE OUT:
1589 This will cause minor breakage in old scripts.
1598 <-------------------- FORMAT GUIDE STOPS HERE ------------------->
1601 [NICHOLL FELLOWSHIPS in SCREENWRITING]
1604 http://www.oscars.org/academy/nichollindex.html
1607 Formatted text courtesy of Ann Garretson
1610 http://www.halcyon.com/aga
1613 Copyright 1998 by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
1628 Source: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (A.M.P.A.S.)
1631 - The NICHOLL FELLOWSHIPS in SCREENWRITING
1634 - http://www.oscars.org/nicholl/index.html
1637 - E-mail: Greg Beal, gbeal@oscars.org
1640 File Info: April, 1998 (online)
1643 - http://www.oscars.org/nicholl/format_a.txt
1646 - View in a monospaced font -- preferably 12-point Courier.
1649 Copyright 1998 by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
1655 Permission to use this script as a LyX example file was kindly granted by
1656 Greg Beal, gbeal@oscars.org.
1659 I added a few lines at the end of script about binding.
1660 The original script ended with the words
1661 \begin_inset Quotes eld
1664 I'd never let you miss a meal.
1665 \begin_inset Quotes erd
1668 Apologies and kudos to Ann Garretson.
1669 Be sure to thank her when you get your Oscar.