Capitalization and Sound Effects - Format Fun

RainbowDragon · Mar 11, 2007

Quick poll--what words (if any) would you capitalize in the following examples? Let's see how diverse the responses are:

1. The phone rings.

2. He plays the guitar. Nothing but feedback.

3. The garbagemen yell to each other as the cans hit the pavement with a metallic clatter.

4. Chester clears his throat.

5. Canned laughter resonates through the studio.

6. Jesse laughs so hard he snorts!

7. The students whisper to each other. Suddenly, they all drop their books to the floor at once. The teacher covers her ears, too late.

8. The fire crackles as the kids break sticks and start roasting marshmallows.

Feel free to add any other interesting examples. . .

dpaterso · Mar 11, 2007

1. The phone RINGS.

2. He plays the guitar. Nothing but FEEDBACK.

3. The garbagemen YELL to each other as the cans hit the pavement with a metallic CLATTER.

4. Chester clears his throat.

5. CANNED LAUGHTER resonates through the studio.

6. Jesse laughs so hard he snorts!

7. The students whisper to each other. Suddenly, they all drop their books to the floor at once. The teacher covers her ears, too late.

8. The fire CRACKLES as the kids break sticks and start roasting marshmallows.

No guarantees, that's just how I'd do it.

Feel free to add any other interesting examples. . .

Mike puts the gun to Bob's head. Blam!

The missile hits the enemy tank. Boom!

-Derek

maestrowork · Mar 11, 2007

Personally, I am not crazy about CAPS. I only use it for emphasis, and less is more. I once read a script in which almost every other word is capitalized. Drove me crazy.

In your examples, I would only cap these:

3. The garbagemen yell to each other as the cans hit the pavement with a METALLIC clatter.

7. The students whisper to each other. Suddenly, they all DROP their books to the floor AT ONCE. The teacher covers her ears, too late.

clockwork · Mar 11, 2007

RainbowDragon said:
Quick poll--what words (if any) would you capitalize in the following examples? Let's see how diverse the responses are:

1. The phone rings.

2. He plays the guitar. Nothing but feedback.

3. The garbagemen yell to each other as the cans hit the pavement with a metallic clatter.

4. Chester clears his throat.

5. Canned laughter resonates through the studio.

6. Jesse laughs so hard he snorts!

7. The students whisper to each other. Suddenly, they all drop their books to the floor at once. The teacher covers her ears, too late.

8. The fire crackles as the kids break sticks and start roasting marshmallows.

Feel free to add any other interesting examples. . .

I wouldn't do many. I might do--

1. The phone RINGS. (but probably only if it were going to be a shock to the character)

5. CANNED LAUGHTER resonates through the studio. (because it's canned)

I might do parts of No. 7 but I'd have to rewrite it--

7. The students whisper. Then, BANG! Books drop to the floor.

Joe270 · Mar 11, 2007

I would go with dpat's version except on #3 and #7.
I agree with Maestro on #3.
Clockwork has the solution for #7, a rewrite is a must for that line.

Funny how everyone has different preference. Is this sound effect capitalization bit becoming a thing of the past? Do soundmen actually read the script looking for caps to plan their effects? I sort of doubt that.

jonpiper · Mar 11, 2007

I found the following in my notes. Unfortunately, I didn't note the source.

All sounds, including sound effects and sounds from people and animals, that originate off screen are written in caps.

All sound effects, not other sounds, that originate on screen are written in caps. Sound effects are any natural, artificial, or mechanical sound not made by a live person or animal.

When capitalizing for sounds and sound effects, always capitalize the thing making the sound along with the sound.

A BOMB EXPLODES. In the other room TOM SCREAMS. Julie, holding her dog, screams in response. If we follow those rules, I think Rainbow's list would look like:

1. The PHONE RINGS.

2. He plays the guitar. Nothing but FEEDBACK [from the SPEAKERS.]

3. The garbagemen yell to each other as the CANS hit the pavement with a metallic CLATTER.

4. Chester clears his throat. [no caps assuming Chester is on screen]

5. CANNED LAUGHTER resonates through the studio.

6. Jesse laughs so hard he snorts!

7. The students whisper to each other. Suddenly, they all drop their books to the floor at once. The teacher covers her ears, too late. [No sound effects, no caps]

8. The FIRE CRACKLES as the kids break sticks [no sounds, no caps] and start roasting marshmallows.

Mike puts the GUN to Bob's head. BLAM!

The MISSLE hits the enemy tank. BOOM!

Bill punches Tom. Tom screams. Swings a bat. The CRACKING of Bill's SKULL echoes
in the cave.

whistlelock · Mar 12, 2007

None of them.

Either your writing has the intensity it needs or it doesn't. Playing games with the font won't give it to you.

jonpiper · Mar 12, 2007

Whistlelock I agree with you; however, I've read that the reason for capitalizing sounds in a script is not to intensify the writing but to note for the reader where sound effects or voice over of sounds will be needed.

Perhaps there is no reason to note sound effects in a spec script, so you may be correct. Let the reader and director determine where sound effects will be needed in our well written spec scripts. In a great novel, sounds are rarely, if ever, capitalized.

Is it standard to capitalize sound effects in spec scripts?

RainbowDragon · Mar 12, 2007

All the references I've seen so far have said that some caps are necessary for sounds in spec scripts, having nothing to do with writing intensity, which of course must be supplied by the writer and not the caps. . .

but people's styles of course interpret which words to capitalize differently. . .

bison · Mar 12, 2007

"but people's styles of course interpret which words to capitalize differently. ."

Unfortunately, accepted format doesn't allow people's various styles!
I agree with jonpiper. He is 100% correct.

dpaterso · Mar 12, 2007

As with all things, write whichever way your personal preference swings, no big deal. Me, I'll continue to cap SFX 'cause that's the way the traditional how-to guides say it should be done. Just like we (V.O.) telephone conversations to tell the filmmakers the voice on the phone needs dubbed (added to the film soundtrack), SFX get capped to tell the filmmakers the CLANG or BANG or BOOM needs dubbed too.

-Derek

icerose · Mar 12, 2007

The caps is merely to make the sound effects stand out from all the other text for the soundguy. Every spec script I've read had the sound effects capitalized. So that's how I'm doing it.

maestrowork · Mar 12, 2007

jonpiper said:
Whistlelock I agree with you; however, I've read that the reason for capitalizing sounds in a script is not to intensify the writing but to note for the reader where sound effects or voice over of sounds will be needed.

I have never heard of that "rule" except maybe it's one person's preference. There are plenty of scripts out there without CAPS. To me, every time someone caps a sound effect, I think of the old Batman TV show... WHAM! BAM!!! POW!!! ZAPPPP!!! And I cringe.

zeprosnepsid · Mar 12, 2007

I personally don't like caps, but most professional script writers will tell you it helps get your script sold. You need to write for execs as if they are children and keep them interested. It's silly, but it works.

That being said, I think an action/thriller/horror script should absolutely have them while a drama doesn't necessarily profit from it.

Do sound guys read the script? I guess it depends what stage of production they come in at.

whistlelock · Mar 12, 2007

bison said:
"
Unfortunately, accepted format doesn't allow people's various styles!

Yes, it does.

If it didn't we'd just be filling in the blanks, and not writing.

Boo_Radley · Mar 13, 2007

I was working on revisions with the director who signed on for my script last year and he drove me crazy with caps. Every time I'd send back new pages, he'd ride me like a Harley on a bad piece of road for not using caps as much as he wanted me to.

He wanted every ACTION and SOUND in caps; he wanted ITEMS introduced into the scene in caps whether they were important or not; he wanted every NEW CHARACTER in caps, even if they were unimportant, had no dialogue and you never saw them in the script again; he wanted GROUPS of people such as CROWDS, DINERS, CUSTOMERS, etc. in caps. My shift key was actually offering me money to leave it the hell alone.

Going by what he insisted upon (most of which I disagree with) your examples would look something like this:

1. The PHONE RINGS.

2. He PLAYS the GUITAR. Nothing but FEEDBACK.

3. The GARBAGEMEN YELL to each other as the CANS HIT THE PAVEMENT with a METALLIC CLATTER.

4. Chester CLEARS HIS THROAT.

5. CANNED LAUGHTER RESONATES through the studio.

6. Jesse LAUGHS so hard he SNORTS!

7. The STUDENTS WHISPER to each other. Suddenly, they all DROP THEIR BOOKS to the FLOOR at once. The TEACHER COVERS HER EARS, too late.

8. The FIRE CRACKLES as the KIDS BREAK STICKS and start ROASTING MARSHMALLOWS.

I'm going to assume the reason he had me do that was because by capitalizing, it's a lot like speed-reading; your eye picks up everything in caps while the lower case words -- read: "less important" -- don't really register as your eyes scan across them. I find it rather annoying myself and think it defeats the purpose of well written action/description, but who was I to argue?

jonpiper · Mar 13, 2007

Boo_Radley said:
I was working on revisions with the director who signed on for my script last year and he drove me crazy with caps. Every time I'd send back new pages, he'd ride me like a Harley on a bad piece of road for not using caps as much as he wanted me to.

He wanted every ACTION and SOUND in caps; he wanted ITEMS introduced into the scene in caps whether they were important or not; he wanted every NEW CHARACTER in caps, even if they were unimportant, had no dialogue and you never saw them in the script again; he wanted GROUPS of people such as CROWDS, DINERS, CUSTOMERS, etc. in caps. My shift key was actually offering me money to leave it the hell alone.

Going by what he insisted upon (most of which I disagree with) your examples would look something like this:

1. The PHONE RINGS.

2. He PLAYS the GUITAR. Nothing but FEEDBACK.

3. The GARBAGEMEN YELL to each other as the CANS HIT THE PAVEMENT with a METALLIC CLATTER.

4. Chester CLEARS HIS THROAT.

5. CANNED LAUGHTER RESONATES through the studio.

6. Jesse LAUGHS so hard he SNORTS!

7. The STUDENTS WHISPER to each other. Suddenly, they all DROP THEIR BOOKS to the FLOOR at once. The TEACHER COVERS HER EARS, too late.

8. The FIRE CRACKLES as the KIDS BREAK STICKS and start ROASTING MARSHMALLOWS.

I'm going to assume the reason he had me do that was because by capitalizing, it's a lot like speed-reading; your eye picks up everything in caps while the lower case words -- read: "less important" -- don't really register as your eyes scan across them. I find it rather annoying myself and think it defeats the purpose of well written action/description, but who was I to argue?

Great. The next step would be to eliminate all those useless non-capitalized words and present a really compact script.

How did it finally work out, Boo?

icerose · Mar 13, 2007

Ouch, that's painful Boo.

Teralynna · Mar 13, 2007

Did you have to do the CAPs according to the director's wishes before or after it was sold?

Thanks,
Teresa

bison · Mar 13, 2007

"Yes, it does.

If it didn't we'd just be filling in the blanks, and not writing."

We're talking format, not writing style.
I'll stick to my story. Not using accepted format will get your
script tossed into the trash before being read.
Are we on the same page here?

whistlelock · Mar 13, 2007

Yes. We are. Bison.

But. you. don't. need. to. cap. sounds.

And if you believe that not capping sounds will get your script tossed with a PASS, then....well, good luck.

maestrowork · Mar 13, 2007

Boo_Radley said:
I was working on revisions with the director who signed on for my script last year and he drove me crazy with caps.

Ouch... how old is the director? 12?

dpaterso · Mar 13, 2007

I think it's great, how we can all have such diverse opinions, yet we come together as a close-knit friendly group to discuss--

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!
Bodies spin in slow motion--
Blood spatters the walls--
Open mouths, silent screams--
Tangled bodies fall to the floor--
The deafening gunshots echo--

--these interesting little variants in our writing styles that make each of us unique.

-Derek

Joe270 · Mar 13, 2007

AACK. I've STEPPED in GAK. OUCH, my poor ACHING back.

Jeez, I don't think I could have written for that director.

scripter1 · Mar 14, 2007

What is REALLY

funny about Boo's experience is that when he sells his next script the director will likely go through and tell him to UNcap everything.
"What am I, a moron? You think I can't find the action beats myself!"

My answer to the questions would be, depends on the context.
I generally cap sound effects for the format reasons allready stated.
Everything else I would cap ONLY if it had a significant impact on the story.

Capitalization and Sound Effects - Format Fun

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