SCRIPT TERMINOLOGY
FADE IN – BLACK TO PICTURE
EXT. – EXTERIOR
INT. – INTERIOR
CUT TO – SCENE CHANGE
P.O.V. – POINT OF VIEW
CLOSE – CLOSE UP
CONT. – CONTINUED DIALOGUE
F.G. – FOREGROUND
B.G. – BACKGROUND
F.B.G. – FAR BACKGROUND
V.O. – VOICE OVER
O.S. – OFF SCREEN
TITLE – TEXT ON SCREEN
FADE OUT – PICTURE TO BLACK
Grasshopper...why are you just sitting in front of your computer - staring at the monitor? Chanting and praying won’t put words on the paper - you will have to let your fingers do some walking on the keyboard!
(I know Sensei. I’m just thinking about my characters.
I want them to be real)
Why don’t you let them start to interact with via conversation?
(Let them talk to each other?)
Yes Grasshopper...In the screenwriting world that is know as dialogue. You want your characters to be real - so that the viewing audience can relate to them.
They should have wants and needs - strong points and short comings. You want them to be human - unless, of course, your story is about space-aliens. Your characters must express themselves verbally.
DIALOGUE: The words your characters speak. Hopefully those words are interesting and intelligent. Stay away from a lot of unnecessary profanity. The character’s name [who is speaking] should be centered on the page in all capital letters - above the words she/he is speaking. The actual dialogue [words] should be centered (or indent] on the page and each line should run about 3 inches wide. dialogue is an excellent way for the viewing audience to learn things about your characters.
(Okay Sensei...take a look at this exchange of words and tell me what you think)
INT. JFK AIRPORT - TERMINAL 18 - NIGHT
A KLM jumbo-jet has just arrived from Amsterdam. TSA agents scan each person as arriving passenger’s barge into the terminal. JOHN SANDOVAL stands off to the
side - holding a torn-off piece of cardboard with the word “Kenyatta” Sharpied (in black) onto it. Flight-weary Time Magazine staffer SIMON KENYATTA finds his
way to the cardboard sign that bears his sir name. Sandoval and Kenyatta shake hands briefly.
SANDOVAL
Mr. Kenyatta...it’s a pleasure
to meet you! I’m Sandoval, chief
of security.
KENYATTA
The pleasure is all mine!
SANDOVAL
My car is parked out on the loading
apron. Right this way.
They walk...Sandoval is leading.
SANDOVAL
I like to read - mostly fiction but
I read one of your books. The one
about the Polar War - when you were
embedded with that squad of Marines.
What was the name of that one again?
KENYATTA
Hell Frozen Over.
SANDOVAL
Yeah...that’s it! It was pretty
good. You took great pictures too!
KENYATTA
Thanks.
SANDOVAL
The exit is this way.
KENYATTA
Can I get a cup of coffee first?
SANDOVAL
Sure!
Sandoval swiftly leads Kenyatta toward a bank of see-thru elevators. Kenyatta gets a sour look on his face.
KENYATTA
Can we take the stairs?
SANDOVAL
Don’t tell me you’re afraid of
elevators.
KENYATTA
Not afraid of them...I just don’t
like them.
SANDOVAL
Yeah...I feel the same way about
circus clowns!
They both laugh out loud...and walk toward the staircase.
(Comments...Sensei?)
Impressive Grasshopper! In this verbal exchange the audience will learn that John Sandoval supervises the TSA staff at Kennedy International Airport and he is an avid fiction reader - with an aversion to circus clowns. Simon Kenyatta on the other hand is a published author who works for Time Magazine and does not like elevators. You made them human - the audience will relate to them. Very good! Oh - by the way - are you familiar with the word parenthetical?
(Paren-what?)
Literal translation is things within a parenthesis.
They are writer’s directions - Grasshopper - that clarify certain things about a particular scene. For example - a character is speaking - then there is descriptive text - then the same character speaks again - you add (cont.) to indicate a continuation of dialog. Or maybe we hear the character speaking over the phone - then you add (v.o.) to indicate voice over. Sometimes a character is speaking in a scene but not actually on camera - then you add (o.s.) to indicate off screen. Get It?
(I think so...Sensei)
PARENTHETICAL: Lower-case directions centered over dialogue and under the [speaking] character’s name.
Try it Grasshopper.
(Okay...I’ll give it a shot)
INT. GRACIE MANSION - LIBRARY - NIGHT
NYC Mayor’s official residence (although Mayor Jeter does not officially reside here). Disheartened faces fill the room. Jeter looks at everyone before he speaks.
MAYOR JETER
You all may as well get comfortable
because we start early tomorrow
morning and nobody is going home
tonight.
Mob-boss TONY SPATZ clears his throat (in protest) loud enough for everyone to hear. Jeter ignores him
MAYOR JETER
(cont.)
Room and board for the night will
be provided for you all. So please
phone call your wives, husbands and
partners and advise them of the
situation.
Jeter scans faces again...pausing silently for a moment as his words are absorbed by everyone in attendance.
DETECTIVE SISKO
(o.s.)
Your honor...
Jeter eyes trail over to the window where NYPD Detective JACOB SISKO is standing. Sisko is looking through the glass pane and can see the big tent being constructed on Gracie Mansion’s Astro-turfed front lawn. No snow on
the carpet because of underground heating...but in the background, the city is blanketed in four-inches of
frozen precipitation. Sisko is thinking about his wife
and children.
MAYOR JETER
Yes detective?
DETECTIVE SISKO
Can we tell them why we won’t be
home tonight.
Before Jeter can answer, (his assistant) TYRONE VINCENT JR. voice blares over the public address system.
VINCENT
(v.o.)
Commander Riggs...report to the
control room.
You are performing above and beyond my expectations Grasshopper!
(Thank you Sensei...but there is really a lot of stuff to remember. And making all these manual format changes in my Word program is really time consuming. Couldn’t I just buy scriptwriting software to simplify the process?)
Screenwriting software is great - Final Draft Pro is one
of the best on the market. And as your writing career progresses you will probably want to purchase this type
of software. But it is better to learn the manual ways
of the art. Besides - what if there is a power failure
and you are forced to use a non-electric typewriter? Since you’re in the mood to buy stuff - get “Writing Screenplays That Sell” by Michael Hauge - you’d do well to read it from cover to cover.
Cool?
Until next time...
Write On!
A. SUPREME
CONTACT ME WITH YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS:
nightwriterblog@yahoo.com
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