HELLO, CLASS!
Decode Me!
Decode Me!
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WRITING
Decode Me!
Y
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TELEVISION
Decode Me!
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SCRIPT
TELEVISION
SCRIPTWRITING
Objectives
a. identified the key elements in TV scriptwriting;
b. recognized the importance of crafting a TV script
through
c. composition; and c. written a two-column
television news script.
Television Scriptwriting
contains the complete
message written down in
narrative manuscript that has
to be read and followed
strictly especially in studio
broadcast.
Key Elements in TV
Scriptwriting
Scene Heading
Action Lines
Key Elements in TV
Scriptwriting
Character names
Parentheticals
Key Elements in TV
Scriptwriting
Specific camera shots
Transition between
scenes
Key Elements in TV
Scriptwriting
The start of the act, and
end of the act.
Few things to remember in TV
scriptwriting:
1.Address the entire script to a wide
variety of audience. Your viewers are
composed of a heterogenous group.
2.Win your viewer’s interest right away
with attention-getting lead paragraph
One person was killed and three injured
when a car and truck collided yesterday
on an icy section of Street Road in
Bensalem, police said.
3. Write simply, expressing your ideas in
direct, concrete, brief and clear manner,
putting a little element of suspense
where needed.
4. Make all main points stand out.
5. Choose sequence signals properly
and use transitions effectively.
6. Develop the script into an informal
conversational style as if addressing a
small group rather than a large
audience.
7. Make your sentence clear and
reasonably short. However, avoid
choppy sentences.
8. Plan the script to fit the time limit.
She took dance classes. She had no
natural grace or sense of rhythm. She
eventually gave up the idea of becoming
a dancer.
She took dance classes, but she had no
natural grace or sense of rhythm, so she
eventually gave up the idea of becoming
a dancer.
9. Limit consonants with hissing sounds
such as (s) and (z) which are magnified in
the microphone.
10.Avoid technical expressions as much
as possible. To avoid confusion, arrange
your script into an orderly a-b-c logical
method.
Tips of Writing TV News
Copy:
1. Type into the video column each
scene in the videotape and its running
time into the video column on the same
line of the text where it occurs and
matches the narration.
2. Do not overwrite the text.
3. Sentences should be short.
4. Do not state what is understood.
5. The text should compliment the video (TV
image), but it also should be capable of
standing by itself.
6. If the video (image) is very clear and well
understood, refrain from over explanation.
7. The style of writing is conversational.
8. Give the viewers time to watch and listen
9. Type the scripts on a standard bond
paper, double spaced for easy microphone
reading.
Voice-Over Narration
- is a narration that will
accompany the visuals. This
underlying principle in this kind
of writing is that the words and
the picture must work together to
tell the stories.
Drafting TV Script
1. Observe unity, coherence, and
emphasis in the whole script.
2. Read finished paragraph aloud
several times and rewrite those
sentences that sound out of tune.
3. Type the scripts on a standard bond paper,
double spaced for easy microphone reading.
4. Mark portions that can be cut in the event
you run out of time.
5. At the end of the script, include materials
that can be added or cut as the actual
speaking time allows.
Television Split Page Layout
• Allows production crew and
performers deal
simultaneously with both
visual and sound.
• VIDEO is usually placed on
the left side of the page.
Guidelines for Split Page TV
Layout
1. Divide your script into two parts: AUDIO
and VIDEO.
2. The basic layout is double spaced. The
audio copy is double-spaced, too. However,
VIDEO, instructions are single spaced if the
lines form part of the same instruction
3. Anything that is spoken should be in cap
and lower case (clc).
Anything that is not to be spoken should
be written in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS (all
caps), such as music cues, stage direction,
and stylistic instructions.
TV News Copy Layout
1. The slug line is similar to that used for
radio:
a. A one or two-word identified of the story. b.
Date possibly time
c. Writer’s name, page number if the story
exceeds a single page; and possibly the
length of the story.
2. The audio column will contain the copy to
be read by the authors or other reporters on
the set. Each anchor’s lines are identified. The
cut-off is marked
3. The video column contains a wide range of
instructions to the crew depending on the
types of inserts that may be used in the story.
Script Format and Content
A script consists basically of two sections:
The VIDEO (image) and the AUDIO (talk)
components. The usual format is to break up
the page 2 into two sections - the AUDIO at
the left column and the VIDEO at the right
column.
The AUDIO column includes narration and
dialog, the description and directions. for the
sound effects and music.
The VIDEO contains description of scenes,
shots and angles. It will also contain directing
cues for transitions, camera moves, lighting
cues graphics and all essential visual
information that will be needed to carry out the
video portion of the program
The Audio (Talk) Column
The words of the narrator are typed in cap
and lower case for easy reading. Character's
names are in capital letters. The dialog is
separated by typing it in a block format
following each character's name.
The Audio (Talk) Column
Sound effects and directions for music are
capitalized. Everything including dialog is
double-spaced.
The Audio (Talk) Column
If the scene continues to the next page, type
the word CONTINUE in capital letters at the
lower right-hand comer of the page and as
the first item on top of the next page. When
you reach the end of the script, type THE
END in capital letters at the bottom of the
page.
The Video (Image) Column
• Use sketches to show a scene
description in cap and lower case. All
camera directions are typed in capitals.
• When a type of scene transition is
suggested, capitalize instruction and
isolate between the by double spacing.
The Video (Image) Column
• The length of the scripts varies
depending on the purpose of the video
program or on the duration of time that
the program will be shown. A 10-minute
program would take about 12-15 pages.
Activity
In a ½ crosswise. Create your own 30-
second two-column television news script.
Thank You
F o r Yo u r A t t e n t i o n
