# BEGIN-HEADERS # The above line is necessary if you want any header information included # If you don't use headers, then start your script with a blank line # # Sample.txt - Sample screenplay for screenplayformatpro.pl # Copyright 2003 by Fletcher T. Penney All Rights Reserved # # http://aeon.freeshell.org/ # # NOTES # This sample is extraordinarily long and complex. That is because it was # designed to demonstrate every feature available. # # The bare minimum required to get going is simply a blank line at the top # of your screenplay. After that, you only need to add headers if you wish # to customise something. # # Keep in mind that the most time saving feature can be aliases, but you are # not required to use them. ;) # # You may find that you have a preferred set of features that you use frequently. # If so, you can create a template that includes these settings that you use # whenever you start a new screenplay. # # # # # The headers must be at the beginning of the line to be recognized # This means you can disable a feature by deleting the setting, or by simply # adding a # in front and converting it into a comment. # # Also, all settings are case insensitive, but are typed in all CAPS here for easy # recognition. # # You can override the margin settings by including them in your script as below # The default numbers are included here for reference # (measurements are in inches) # # LEFT MARGIN 1.5 # Measured from page left # RIGHT MARGIN 1 # Measured from page right # TOP MARGIN 1 # Measured from top of page # BOTTOM MARGIN 0.5 # Measured from bottom of page # TRANSITIONS 4 # Measured from left margin # LEFT CHARACTER NAME 2 # Measured from left margin # RIGHT CHARACTER NAME 0.2 # Measured from right margin # LEFT PARENTHETICAL 1.7 # Measured from left margin # RIGHT PARENTHETICAL 2 # Measured from right margin # LEFT DIALOGUE 1 # Measured from left margin # RIGHT DIALOGUE 1.5 # Measured from right margin # SCENE OFFSET 0.5 # Offset scene numbers to left of margin by this amount # # You can also override the default formatting for certain strings as below # # DEFINE VO: (V.O.) # used to replace v, -v, -vo, vo, etc at end of character name # # DEFINE OS: (O.S.) # replaces o, os, -o, -os, o.s., etc # # DEFINE NIGHT: - NIGHT # # DEFINE DAY: - DAY # # DEFINE CONTINUE: (CONT'D) # replaces c, cont, cont'd, -c, -cont, etc # # DEFINE INT:INT. # # DEFINE EXT:EXT. # # DEFINE IE:INT./EXT. # # # HIDE TRANSITIONS # This setting tells screenplayformat to ignore transitions. # # HIDE FADES # This causes fade in and fade out lines to be ignored. # NUMBER SCENES # This enables automatic scene numbering # # REMOVE COMMENTS # This tells formattextpro.pl to remove comments in the cleaned up text version # of your screenplay. # USE FORMFEED # Apple's TextEdit program doesn't respect the \page keyword in rtf, so # this uses a formfeed (^L) instead # Note: because the # was removed, this setting is active # # SINGLESPACE SLUGLINES # put only one blank line above a slugline, rather than two # # \title ScreenplayFormatPro Sample Script # NOTE: You can disable printing the title page by adding a "#" in front of the \title line # above, this way you can leave the information intact # In other words, no title page is created if there is no \t setting. # \writer Fletcher T. Penney \company AeonSoft \address 123 Some Street\n Some City, AA 12345 # Note that \n means "newline" and is used to insert a blank line within a category \phone (111) 555-5555 \revision First Draft # This allows you to put any desired information regarding revisions of the script here # # # Aliases # Character Alias Alice = a|al # Now, whenever I type A or AL in a character name, it will be replaced with ALICE # These are case insensitive. # Use the '|' symbol to separate various shortcuts. # # You can also use an alias in other lines by following it with a '*'. This will not be # capitalized, but will use the capitalization as defined. # You can also use this to create shortcuts for other words that are used commonly # throughout the script. # # Because you may or may not use aliases for character names, you must manually capitalize # all names the first time that they appear within the action lines. # Character alias Bob = b|bo # LOCATION ALIAS office = o|off # This will only be used in sluglines to determine locations # Also case insensitive. Use in other lines by following with a '$'. # # DEFINE TRANSITION:FADE AWAY. # See the end of this document for a list of recognized transitions. You can use this # to add your own. Certain special characters can "confuse" the program, so if you # are using characters other than letters and something strange seems to be # happening with this, email me. # # You can put other comments here as well, or anywhere in your script # as along as it starts with a " #" # # The following line is necessary to end the header section # END-HEADERS fade in: # Transitions can be in lower case, but do need to be typed out completely, including # punctuation. # Blank lines don't matter, they get stripped out during formatting i o -d # That is shorthand for INT.(i) Office(o from location aliases above) - DAY (d) # Easier to type, huh? # ScreenplayformatPro is case _in_sensitive, and will recognize the following slugline shortcuts: # i, int, i., int., e, e., ex, ex., ext, ext. # These must be at the BEGINNING of a line # # It also recognizes -D, -DAY, -N, -NIGHT (there must be a space before the hyphen) # # Lines that start with int. or ext. are detected as sluglines, capitalized, and formatted # appropriately. The scene number is also added, if turned on in options (see above) # Now for some dialog # Remember, we set up aliases for ALICE and BOB in the headers above a Hi, Bob. How are you? b Just fine, thanks. # Notice that by using two tabs, we signify a character name # a single tab indicates dialog a I've been meaning to ask you something. I noticed that we seem to be talking about a lot of useless stuff. Is there any reason for that? # Now, you can see that once you start dialog, you don't need to tab the following lines # for it to remain dialog. # However, if you wanted to indicate some action, you need a blank line to reset the formatting. # Like this.... b To be honest, I am not sure. Suddenly, bo* keels over dead, lying on the floor of the o$. # This demonstrates the use of aliases in an action line. a (Between screams) OH MY GOD! # You can use one OR two tabs before a parenthetical. If you run the formattextpro.pl script, # it will set it to two tabs, as this makes importing the text file into other screenplay # programs a little easier, if you ever wanted to do that. For our purposes, either is fine, # as long as the line starts with a "(" # # if your parenthetical runs over a single line, then do NOT insert tabs before it, like this: # ( Some really long explanation # of what the character is supposed to be # doing.) # If you go into something besides dialog, you should put a blank line after this. fade out. # The following are recognized transitions: # CUT TO: # MATCH CUT TO: # JUMP CUT TO: # DISSOLVE TO: # BACK TO: # FADE IN: # FADE OUT. # FADE TO BLACK. # These may be entered in any case, but must be typed as above, except # FADE can be shortened to any of the following: # f, fa, fad, or fade # # HELPFUL HINTS: # I have tried to make ScreenplayformatPro fairly "intelligent" when it comes to figuring out # how something should be formatted, but neither I nor the program are "mind readers." # # If something does not seem to be formatted properly, try inserting a blank line # in front of it, to "reset" the parser. # # You can also run the program through the FormatTextPro program to get an idea of how the # trouble spot is being interpreted. # # Also, check to see that your file is saved with UNIX or PC style line endings, rather than # Macintosh line endings. # I try to correct this automatically before processing, but that might not always work. # # If this doesn't work, email me with the plain text version of the sample script or # pertinent section and tell me how it should be formatted and I will try to help.