Term
| When do you all-cap words in a script? |
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Definition
1. Introducing a speaking character
2. Describing SFX and O/S Sounds (sound *and* object making sound)
3. Describing Camera Direction
(also superimpositions) |
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Term
| When (according to rule of thumb) is a sound considered a SFX? |
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Definition
| If it's not produced live by an actor or on camera |
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Term
| What do you all-cap in relation to camera moves? |
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Definition
1. The word "CAMERA"
2. MOVEMENT the Camera makes
3. PREPOSITIONS relating to Camera or its movement |
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Term
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Definition
| It's fine, but try to avoid inserting the reader into the story like that. Cut out if you can |
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Term
| What do you put in quotes? |
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Definition
Superimposition text
Signs, banners, headlines
Text messages (also indent like dialogue)
Emails |
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Term
| Underline, bold, italics, all caps for expression? |
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Definition
You can underline for emphasis. Never underline words in a phrase individually, use one big underline for the whole phrase.
Never use italics or bold.
Avoid all caps - use sparingly. |
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Term
| What's the max number of lines for a paragraph in a script? |
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Definition
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Term
| Don'ts for parentheticals? |
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Definition
- Don't put them in the dialog itself
- Never end dialog with one; put into action line following
- Don't begin with a capital letter
- Don't end with a period
- Don't include name or pronoun of character
- They can only relate to the speaker, not any other character |
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Term
| How to change a name after first speaking line? |
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Definition
Before name mention:
FIREFIGHTER
First time after name mention:
LORI (FIREFIGHTER)
Every time afterward:
LORI |
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Term
| Abbreviations/numbers in dialog? |
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Definition
You have to spell it out the way you want the actors to say it. So "F.B.I." (eff bee eye) as opposed to "FBI" (fubby?). Lieutenant as opposed to Lt (lit?). Nine-one-one, not 911.
It's fine to keep it as numbers for long numbers, phone numbers, times, or other obvious numbers. |
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Term
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Definition
| Make sure to set the addressed person's name apart using a comma: "Hi, mom!" |
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Term
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Definition
Make sure the interrupted has a double hyphen at the end and the interrupter has a double hyphen at the start.
OR put "(interrupting)" in as a parenthetical. |
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Term
| Five elements of a shot heading? (in order) |
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Definition
1. INT. or EXT.
2. LOCATION(S) (general to specific)
3. TIME OF DAY (followed by date or time context)
4. TYPE OF SHOT
5. SUBJECT OF SHOT |
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Term
| When do you need to add a new shot heading? |
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Definition
1. When there is a change in location or time
2. When necessary for the visual telling of the story
3. When logic requires it
4. Don't add a shot head where there is no new shot
5. To break up long passages of action and increase temp |
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Term
| When to underline shot headings? |
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Definition
Flashback
Memory Hit
Dream Sequence
Imagination
Underline "FLASHBACK" and make sure when it ends to write and underline "END FLASHBACK" (or memory or dream or whatever) |
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Term
| Which shots must be ended with a BACK TO SCENE? |
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Definition
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Term
| How to deal with montages? |
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Definition
Put "MONTAGE" or "SERIES OF SHOTS" at the end of the slugline
OR list the shots as a series of slugs using letters: A)... B)... C)... |
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Term
| How to deal with back-and-forth shots? |
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Definition
Write both locations with a slash between them, or something like "INT./EXT. CAR - DAY"
For phone conversations, use INTERCUT |
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Term
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Definition
- No articles (a, an, the)
- No action in the shot head
- "BUD'S POV" not "POV BUD"
- The POV character cannot appear in his own POV |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Always put a space after the last period |
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Term
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Definition
| Make sure they're set apart using punctuation |
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Term
| What are the 12 stages of the Hero's Journey? |
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Definition
ACT ONE
1. Ordinary World
2. Call to Adventure
3. Refusal of the Call
4. Meeting the Mentor
5. Crossing the Threshold
ACT TWO
6. Tests, Allies, Enemies
7. Approach to the Inmost Cave
8. The Ordeal
9. Reward/Seizing the Sword
ACT THREE
10. The Road Back
11. Resurrection
12. Return with Elixir |
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Term
| Hero's Journey: What is the Ordinary World? |
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Definition
| The Hero's everyday life before the adventure begins. We're introduced to the Hero - just a relatable guy in a relatable world. |
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Term
| Hero's Journey: What is the Call to Adventure? |
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Definition
| Something disrupts the Hero's ordinary world and calls him to take action |
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Term
| Hero's Journey: What is the Refusal of the Call? |
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Definition
| The Hero may initially refuse to take action and begin his quest, or he may still need to overcome some fears or other obstacles before moving forward |
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Term
| Hero's Journey: What is Meeting the Mentor? |
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Definition
| A mentor figure provides the Hero with needed guidance or some important object that equips the Hero to overcome his present obstacles and enter the adventure |
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Term
| Hero's Journey: What is Crossing the Threshold? |
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Definition
| The Hero leaves his ordinary life behind and enters the Special World, or adventure! |
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Term
| Hero's Journey: What is Tests, Allies, Enemies? |
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Definition
| The stuff that happens before the Hero's big, defining challenge - various trials and characters thrown his way |
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Term
| Hero's Journey: What is the Approach to the Inmost Cave? |
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Definition
| The Hero must make final preparations before entering the big, defining challenge. Old fears/obstacles may resurface |
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Term
| Hero's Journey: What is the Ordeal? |
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Definition
| The Hero confronts the big, defining challenge and things get hairy. Is this the end?! (this is usually the Hero's low point) |
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Term
| Hero's Journey: What is Seizing the Sword? |
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Definition
| The Hero overcomes his greatest personal challenge and emerges from battle a better, stronger person, often having gained some sort of reward which will come in handy later. |
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Term
| Hero's Journey: What is the Road Back? |
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Definition
| The Hero treks back to the ordinary world from which he came. This often requires a last push or great challenge. |
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Term
| Hero's Journey: What is the Resurrection? |
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Definition
| The climax - the Hero faces his greatest challenge yet. Stakes high as can be. And he emerges victorious. |
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Term
| Hero's Journey: What is the Return with the Elixir? |
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Definition
| The resolution - the Hero returns to the ordinary world a changed man, or his world is changed for the better. |
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Term
| True or False: Parenthetical character direction should be kept to a minimum |
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Definition
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Term
| What is the correct font to use in a screenplay? |
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Definition
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Term
| What size font is used in a screenplay? |
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Definition
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Term
| True or False: As a general rule in writing screenplays, it's better to have lots of white space on the page than lots of type. |
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Definition
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Term
| True or False: Screenplays are always written in the present tense. |
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Definition
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Term
| How to write interior/exterior heading? |
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Definition
INT. or EXT.
Not INT or EXT
Not INT - or EXT - |
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Term
| How to write POV heading? |
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Definition
HUCK'S POV
Not POV HUCK
Not POV - HUCK
Not HUCK's pov |
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Term
| True or False: When readers see large block paragraphs of type in a screenplay, they suspect the writer is an amateur. |
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Definition
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Term
| What's the difference between OS and VO? |
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Definition
OS means the character speaking is physically present in the scene but out of view.
VO means the character speaking is not present - this applies typically to narration. |
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Term
| True or False: The transition "DISSOLVE TO:" should align on the left margin |
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Definition
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Term
| Which side of the page do transitions belong? |
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Definition
| The right margin, unless it's FADE IN |
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Term
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Definition
Never break in the middle of a sentence
Never break right after a slugline
Never break right after a transition unless it's FADE OUT or FADE TO BLACK |
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Term
| Where does the phrase "Save the Cat" come from? |
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Definition
| It refers to a scene in a well written script where we meet the hero and he does something - like saving a cat - that defines who he is and makes us like him |
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Term
| What are the first and second most important log line elements? |
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Definition
| Irony, then a killer title |
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Term
| What is a "four quadrant" picture? |
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Definition
| A movie that appeals to both men and women under and over 25yo, and can most times all but guarantee a hit |
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Term
| True or False: Don't begin pitching your log line until you have finished writing your first draft |
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Definition
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Term
| In the words of Blake Snyder, "When it feels like a cliche..." |
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Definition
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Term
| Genres: What is Buddy Love? |
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Definition
| It's marked by characters who initially dislike (or hate) each other. But their adventure brings out the fact that they need each other; they are, in fact, incomplete halves of a whole. And realizing this leads to even more conflict! |
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Term
| Genres: What is Rites of Passage? |
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Definition
| The problem sneaks up on the beleaguered hero and the story is that hero's slow realization of who and what the problem is. In the end, these tales are about surrendering, the victory won by giving up to forces stronger than ourselves. This can be comic or dramatic |
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Term
| Genres: What is Whydunnit? |
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Definition
| It's not about the hero changing. It's about the audience discovering something about human nature. |
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Term
| Genres: What is Out of the Bottle? |
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Definition
| It's about wish fulfillment. |
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Term
| What are the three character-related "must haves" for a perfect logline? |
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Definition
1. An adjective to describe the hero
2. An adjective to describe the antagonist
3. A compelling goal we identify with as human beings |
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Term
| True or False: Once you develop a great *idea* for a movie, your choice of characters won't make much difference. |
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Definition
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Term
| True or False: Amping up a great logline with a hero who makes the idea work best is how the idea comes to life. |
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Definition
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Term
| The best ideas and the best characters in the lead roles must have _____ needs, wants, desires, and stakes. |
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Definition
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Term
| What are the elements of a compelling lead? |
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Definition
1. I can identify with him
2. I learn from him
3. I have a compelling reason to follow him
4. I believe he deserves to win
5. He has stakes that are primal and ring true for me |
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Term
| What, in order, are the most important elements in writing and selling your screenplay? |
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Definition
1. What's it about?
2. Who's it about?
3. Who's it for?
4. Structure structure structure! |
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Term
| What are the Save the Cat story beats? |
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Definition
ACT ONE
1. Opening Image
2. Theme Stated
3. Set-up
4. Catalyst
5. Debate
ACT TWO
6. Break into Two
7. B Story
8. Fun and Games
9. Midpoint
10. Bad Guys Close In
11. All is Lost
12. Dark Night of the Soul
ACT THREE
13. Break into Three
14. Finale
15. Final Image |
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Term
| What is the matching beat for the "Midpoint" in Save the Cat? |
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Definition
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Term
| Save the Cat: What is "Bad Guys Close In"? |
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Definition
| The forces that are aligned against the hero (internal and external) tighten their grip |
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Term
| What is the "thematic premise"? |
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Definition
| The debate about the pros and the cons of a particular point of view. It is a question raised and answered by the movie. |
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Term
| What words does Save the Cat use for Acts 1-3? |
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Definition
| Thesis, Antithesis, Synthesis |
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Term
| Save the Cat: What is "Fun and Games"? |
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Definition
| The "promise of the premise", the scenes that exploit the premise of a film to its maximum. This is in the middle of the movie, the meat of the film, the source of most of the trailer fodder |
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Term
| Save the Cat: What is the "Midpoint"? |
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Definition
| In the exact middle of the film, the stakes are raised and our hero often experiences a "false victory" |
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Term
| Save the Cat: What is "All is Lost"? |
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Definition
| Where the "whiff of death" occurs - that moment when something metaphorically, or actually, dies. |
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Term
| What are the four main elements of a successful logline? |
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Definition
1. Irony
2. A compelling mental picture (you can see the movie in your head).
3. Audience and cost.
4. A killer title. |
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Term
| Genres: What is Monster in the House? |
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Definition
| You put people in a confined place with a monster. Some sort of sin is committed that creates or summons the monster. Now: DON'T GET EATEN. |
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Term
| Genres: What is Golden Fleece? |
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Definition
| The quest, or "road movie." The hero goes "on the road" in search of one thing and ends up discovering something else: himself. It's all about internal growth, each event serving as a milestone in further character development. |
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Term
| Genres: What is Dude with a Problem? |
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Definition
| An ordinary guy finds himself in extraordinary circumstances, usually an immense, unexpected challenge. How will they handle it? |
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Term
| Genres: What is The Fool Triumphant? |
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Definition
| The underdog story. Pit against the big Bad Guy, the reject gets his chance to ultimately shine. |
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Term
| Genres: What is Institutionalized? |
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Definition
| Group or family films. One breakout character (usually a newcomer) sets out to expose the group's goal as a fraud. The danger of losing one's identity to a group is explored. |
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Term
| Genres: What is Superhero? |
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Definition
| Extraordinary people put in ordinary situations. This explores the difficulty of being so special; how to deal with the world's mediocrity, misunderstanding, and jealousy? |
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Term
| Save the Cat: What is the "Opening Image"? |
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Definition
| The first impression, setting the tone, mood, and scope of the film |
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Term
| Save the Cat: What is the "Theme Stated"? |
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Definition
| Where the question or concept is established that will be explored throughout the film |
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Term
| Save the Cat: What is "The Setup"? |
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Definition
| Where the hero is introduced, including his laundry list of things he needs fixing, the stakes, the goal, and the other characters |
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Term
| Save the Cat: What is the "Catalyst"? |
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Definition
| Some life-changing moment that calls the hero to a new life |
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Term
| Save the Cat: What is the "Debate"? |
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Definition
| The hero deliberates whether or not to act on the catalyst, overcoming his own fears and doubts in order to proceed |
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Term
| Save the Cat: What is the "Break into Two"? |
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Definition
| The hero jumps into the adventure |
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Term
| Save the Cat: What is the "B Story"? |
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Definition
| The "love story" - a brief diversion and home base of sorts as we're introduced to the "adventure" world |
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Term
| Save the Cat: What is the "Dark Night of the Soul"? |
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Definition
| The hero must process what he lost in the previous beat - what to do now?! |
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Term
| Save the Cat: What is the "Break into Three"? |
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Definition
| The hero receives his revelation and comes up with the solution |
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Term
| Save the Cat: What is the "Finale"? |
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Definition
| Lessons learned and applied. Bad guys defeated in ascending order. |
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Term
| Save the Cat: What is the "Final Image"? |
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Definition
| The final impression of the story, to contrast with the Opening Image and show the change that has taken place. |
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