Resources
Script Revision Colors: How to Track Your Screenplay Changes
Colored pages are used in film and television to keep track of revisions to a script as it goes into production.
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Resources
Interrupted Dialogue: How to Format Character Interruptions
One easy way to show one character interrupting another is to use double-dashes or an ellipsis to indicate the first character’s dialogue is being interrupted.
Resources
V.O. vs O.S.: Voice‑Over & Off‑Screen Dialogue Explained
V.O. (voice over) and O.S. (off-screen) are similar terms, but they have slightly different applications.
Inneresting
🎞️ #278 - Do we need a canon?
"I can't believe you haven't seen (x)!" In Scriptnotes episode 713, Danya Jimenez & Hannah McMechan talked briefly with John about how one element of film school is how it forces you to watch a lot of things you wouldn't necessarily seek
Inneresting
🤖 #277 - Do we want to be more human?
While it's a long way from large language models to generalized artificial intelligence in the real world, there are plenty of stories where artificially sentient beings question their humanity (and if they really need any). Frequently stories about artificial life, whether created by science or magic, focus on
Inneresting
🥪 #276 - Making a run for it
Earlier this week we did a close reading of the sequence in Ted Lasso where Roy Kent quits his TV job and rushes back to Nelson Road to give coaching a chance. Let's pull back a little bit to talk about the overall impact of a climactic run
Inneresting
The Mad Dash Toward Love (feat. Roy Kent)
It’s easy to come up with quick setups for when a character needs to run away from something. All it takes is showing them in a place with someone or something they don’t want to be near. But what about when a character needs to run toward something
Inneresting
🥪 #275 - Recipes for Leftovers
Sometimes the leftovers are the best part of the meal. Yes, on their own you can have yourself a microwaved portion of the same meal for several days, but because you can get creative. Just like how Monica Gellar invented the Moist Maker sandwich out of food from Thanksgiving dinner,
Resources
Beat Writer’s Block: Screenwriters’ Creative Reset
John talks about how to define those moments when the writing isn’t happening when you need it to.
Scriptnotes Recap
Scriptnotes Recap: Episode 712, Wicked: For Good Co-Writer, Dana Fox
For those who don't know, I am John's assistant first and foremost. My role as the producer of Scriptnotes falls under the umbrella of my assistant duties. It's basically two full-time jobs smushed into one, but – and I mean this objectively – it'
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☄️ #274 - Emotional Hot Potato
The blog Sketchplanations does a pretty concise job describing this week's topic. What happens when stress and anger become contagious? The 30 Rock episode "Chain Reaction of Mental Anguish" shapes its story around the same concept. Liz needs somebody to unload her problems on since she&
Resources
Residuals for Screenwriters: What You Must Know
John looks back at the Writers Guild contract negotiations with the AMPTP, and explains an important part of how screenwriters are paid for their work.