There are a few ways to deal with telephone conversations in screenplays. If only one party is seen and heard, treat it like other dialogue, with pauses or beats or actions to break up that character’s dialogue and indicate when the other party is talking. Clara puts down the bucket and answers the phone. CLARA […]
What is the difference between V.O. and O.S.?
V.O. (voice over) and O.S. (off-screen) are similar terms, but they have slightly different applications. Both are used to indicate that dialogue is spoken by someone not currently seen on the screen; the difference isn’t where the speaker is not, but where the speaker is. O.S. is used when the character is in the scene […]
What does SUPER mean?
SUPER means that something is superimposed over the image, usually text. For example, you may see: SUPER: The Whitehouse. 7:14pm. Day of the Democratic Primary. That would mean that this text is displayed over the image when we enter the scene. This is not the only way to handle on-screen text, though. The links below […]
How are multicamera TV scripts formatted?
Multicamera television scripts (think: anything with a laugh track) have the most unique formatting elements of the common script variations. Multicamera shows are shot on a stage in front of an audience, so their scripts look like a hybrid of screenplay format and play format. While each show has its unique variations, there are formatting […]
How do you deal with a character speaking in a different language?
John August has this advice: If it’s just a word here and there, and the meaning is obvious in context, don’t bother translating it. An example is when a ubiquitous foreign bad guy shouts at his men to do something. Since it doesn’t really matter what he’s saying, just use the foreign word if you […]
What is a pre-lap?
A pre-lap is when the dialogue (or any sound) from the next scene starts before we cut away from the previous scene. They are a common and useful transition. Pre-laps are often inserted in editing, but they can also be written into scripts. Dialogue pre-laps are indicated with the parenthetical “(PRE-LAP)” next to the character’s […]