dream sequence underline screenplay

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1/29/09 9:creenplay Basics - Zhura

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SCREENPLAY BASICS

A ZHURA Compendium by Johnathan Carr

WRITING IN THE NOWTraditional storytelling recounts past events, whereas screenwriting is locked in the present

- thus you may not deviate from PRESENT TENSE. You may also be tempted to describe

every inch of the world you're creating - don't! Take comfort in the idea that a screenplay isnot meant to have any literary value. As you're writing, be mindful to preserve only the

most important details: information that will advance the story.

FADE INAt the beginning of a feature film script, often but not always, the first line will be: FADE

IN. Zhura defaults the first line to a SCENE HEADING, but you can always change theelement if you'd like to add FADE IN or something else.

BREAK UP ACTION

While you can write a longer ACTION paragraph, think about keeping it under five lines ata time. Break up the paragraph at the start of a new beat to make for an easier read.

CAPITALIZATION IN ACTION

In the ACTION line, be sure to capitalize SOUND EFFECTS, CAMERA DIRECTION andthe first appearance of a speaking CHARACTER.

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PARENTHETICALSUse a PARENTHETICAL to note an action the speaker is performing while speaking or if

you want to indicate whom the speaker is addressing such as addressing a new character in

mid-DIALOGUE. You can also use a PARENTHETICAL to describe the speaker'sdemeanor if that information is important to the story. Limit PARENTHETICALS to no

more than four lines. Also, you would never add a PARENTHETICAL at the end of a line

of dialogue.

OFF-CAMERA DIALOGUEOff camera (O.C.) and off screen (O.S.) are identical, which one you use is really a

personal preference. They indicate that a speaking character does not appear in the frame,

but is physically present in the scene.

VOICE OVER

The voice over abbreviation (V.O.) is used when a speaking character has no physical





presence in the scene (voice on phone, TV, narration, etc.) or for the character's innermonologue.

CAMERA DIRECTION

Describe specific SHOTS only when necessary, not every little bit of CAMERADIRECTION need be mentioned. Remember that a script is not meant to be a shot list.

One technique to get around explicit CAMERA DIRECTION is to hint at particular cameraangles by careful arrangement of ACTION. See how this ACTION line implies a two-shot:

Whereas here the action is broken to suggest a new camera angle on Tymon:

SHOW, DON'T TELLThink subtext. Film DIALOGUE is typically sounds more natural than what you would

hear in a theatrical performance. The real thoughts and emotions are just under the surface.

You cannot write in a script what the audience can't see or hear. That is, you can't write,"He thinks about his wife..." in an ACTION line or "(thinking of wife)" in a

PARENTHETICAL because we can't see or hear that. These would be examples of a note

from the director, or perhaps an actor's note to himself, which he would write into his ownpersonal printed copy of the script.





However you are allowed to use non-visual commentary and even colloquialism if itprovides practical cues for performance and direction (can be communicated through body

language) and can substitute for pervasive description. Read any script by Quentin

Tarantino, he makes excellent use of cool, non-visual commentary.

KEEP IT TIGHTTighten ACTION by careful use of verbs in place of adverbs and simile. Instead of writing:

"Johnson quickly runs out of the room like a puppy dog," you could write: "He scampersaway."

ABBREVIATED SCENE HEADING

An abbreviated SCENE HEADING can be used when the new location is just another partof the previous one. In this case, JOHNSON'S CUBICLE is just another corner of INT.

CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS.

IN AND OUTFor scenes taking place at locations that exist both inside and outside (like an automobile on

a highway) you would choose the SCENE HEADING abbreviation "I/E." indicating

INTERIOR/EXTERIOR.





PHONE CONVERSATIONThere are a few ways to handle telephone conversations and this is one example. If you

want to cut back and forth between the locations where your two characters are speaking

over the phone, you could write, "INTERCUT telephone conversation." Use this in place of rewriting the SCENE HEADING every time you cut back to one or the other location.

DREAM SEQUENCEA DREAM SEQUENCE or FLASHBACK can be written like a SCENE HEADING but is

underlined. Afterwards you must somehow indicate the sequence is over.

MONTAGE

One way to format a SERIES OF SHOTS or a MONTAGE is to write "MONTAGE" in aSCENE HEADING and then write each shot as a new paragraph. Unless you specify

otherwise, the MONTAGE will end before the next SCENE HEADING.

UNDERLINE FOR EMPHASIS

You should use UNDERLINE when you wish to emphasize DIALOGUE and ACTION.

BOLD and ITALICS can get lost in poor print jobs as when photocopies are re-copied. Butif you're only making digital copies, Zhura provides the other font options.





INTERUPPTED DIALOGUEIf a speaking character is interrupted by ACTION, but continues to speak after the ACTION

line, you could add (CONT'D) after the character name. However, modern screenwriting

standards have eliminated this practice except in writing for half-hour television sitcoms.

A NEW CAMERA ANGLEIf you need a new camera angle but aren't sure what the specific type shot should be, justwrite NEW ANGLE and the director will think of something later.

SCREEN DIRECTION

In addition to CAMERA DIRECTION you should also note in capital letters the SCREEN

DIRECTION when a character enters or leaves the frame, but not when they emerge fromwithin the frame.





SUPERIMPOSE

You can add SUPERIMPOSED text when needed by writing "SUPERIMPOSE:" as aSHOT line followed by the text in quotations on another line. Optionally, you may integrate

the text into a line of ACTION and abbreviate as "SUPER: [Your Text]."

THE ENDAt the end of a feature film script, you will often see: FADE OUT. Just like FADE IN, this

isn't necessary. You may choose to write any TRANSITION.

After that write THE END centered and underlined which, for now, you will have to cheat

by making "THE END" a CHARACTER element.

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dream sequence underline screenplay

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