Question on Script Formatting

[Buckyrig]

What is the standard (or at least your individual preferences if there is no standard) when breaking down dialogue to go into compound balloons? (I don't know if that's what you call them, where it is one larger balloon sectioned. Like the balloon on the lower left or the second from the left in the middle row. Or the in the box on the bottom right.)

http://www1.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/230385/2/istockphoto_230385_comic_book_word_balloons_1.jpg

1. CHARACTER #1
Is it better to just write the whole paragraph under one character heading?

Breaking up the dialogue where you want the balloon partitioned...


1. CHARACTER #1
Or is it better to break it up with a new character heading each time?

2. CHARACTER #1
My concern here would be making two distinct balloons when it is not what I am looking for.

Or am I talking indecipherable nonsense at this point? :D

Thanks for your help.

[Jason Arthur]

Any letterer worth a damn will know how to break it up either way you type it.

I prefer the version where the script breaks it up with:

Character A (1): this is the first bit of text.
Character A (2): this is the second.

Usually I try to keep those together in joined balloons with the final bit of dialogue leading the reader's eye toward the next important piece of info (be it art or more dialogue).

cheers,

-- J

[JMan]

Just remember that in comics, space = time. If you separate the balloons, you indicate a short elapsation of time, a pause, a break. The more space, the more time is inferred. Joined balloons have very little pause between them, but there is a pause. Separated balloons have more pause. Separated balloons at opposite corners of a panel would have the most pause. Depends on where and how much you want the reader to take a break between jots and tiddles.

[Amadarwin]

I'm not sure what you're asking. Are you asking this from a writer's perspective or from a letterer's?

When lettering, keep this in mind: Just remember that in comics, space = time. If you separate the balloons, you indicate a short elapsation of time, a pause, a break.
If you break the balloon in the wrong spot, it could make the character sound retarded. Think about how Captain Kirk sounded - that's many wrong spots. :laugh:

As for writing, personally, I break it up where I want it partitioned, and most times, it's not mid-sentence without a dash or triple dot (word for this eludes me). I leave it up to the letterer to decide whether to make it a compound balloon or two separate balloons. Usually, when I break up sentences in writing, they are separate thoughts as well as special emphasis. Some examples below...

Example 1:

Tom: Sally let me diddle her behind the barn yesterday.

Tom: It was awful.

Example 2:

Tom: Sally let me diddle her...

Tom: ...behind the barn yesterday.

If you read it aloud, you can hear the pauses.

Bottom line though, as a writer, it's you're job to make it as clear as possible for all the members of the creative team. As a letterer, you should be flexible enough to decipher all kinds of script formats...that's just my opinion.

[Clem Robins]

here's a really swell tip, while we're on the subject of script formatting.

since most comics type faces contain two upper case alphabets, a regular and an alternate, try doing a series of global search-and-replaces on the script so as to mix your regular and alternate characters. for example, every time EE appears, have your computer change it to Ee. this whole routine can be automated to do the job in a few seconds.

if this renders the script practically unreadable — i.e.…

iF thIS RENDers THe scrIPt practiCALly UNReadABLE

…you can always make yourself a script font that contains two identical or similar upper case alphabets.

i cannot believe that i am telling you this stuff, except that most of you are probably doing it already.

[Buckyrig]

Thanks guys.

I'm asking from a writer's perspective. I am fairly confident in my dialogue break ups. That's not the problem. I generally break up dialogue that represent different thoughts or where I intend a pause or change in character cadence or inflection. I mainly want to make sure that I clearly comminicate my intent to the letterer.

[Buckyrig]

Any letterer worth a damn will know how to break it up either way you type it.

I prefer the version where the script breaks it up with:

Character A (1): this is the first bit of text.
Character A (2): this is the second.

Usually I try to keep those together in joined balloons with the final bit of dialogue leading the reader's eye toward the next important piece of info (be it art or more dialogue).

cheers,

-- J

Ok cool. I have always formatted with numbered dialogue.

1. CHARACTER 1
blah blah blah

2. CHARACTER 2
blah blah blah

3. SFX
WHAP

etc.

So, would you format it for a compound like this...?

1. CHARACTER 1 (1)
blah blah blah

2. CHARACTER 1 (2)
blah blah blah

or

1. CHARACTER 1 (1)
blah blah blah

1. CHARACTER 1 (2)
blah blah blah

?

Thanks

[Amadarwin]

I generally break up dialogue that represent different thoughts or where I intend a pause or change in character cadence or inflection. I mainly want to make sure that I clearly comminicate my intent to the letterer.
Sounds like you're doing it fine to me...

The only time I can see a letterer breaking something up at a bad spot when all the best circumstantial criteria is met by the writer, is when an artist doesn't allow enough room for the dialogue written, and the letterer has to find a way to cram it in there.

[Kep!]

Example of how to break it up in a script.
Character One: Bite me.

Character One (attached): Or nibble.

Character One (not attached): I'm sorry, where were we, Mr. President?

the ATTACHED and NOT ATTACHED signal the letterer that you want them grouped or seperate. If no direction is given, it's pretty standard to attach them.

Also, this works accros characters as well so as not to at a connecting tail.

Character Two: You're pandering to the blue states again, Doug.

Character One: I assumed you wanted to win them Mr. President.

Character Two (not attached): Yeah yeah, enough of this, who wants a cheeseburger?

This has the first two balloons grouped together as a response sequence, with the third balloon clearly a beat away but not worth it's own panel.

JASON: I agree that any letterer SHOULD know how to do it...but any writer SHOULD DO IT. I do NOT like trying to read my writer's minds with how they would like it inflected. Every time a balloon is placed it changes the way the dialog is spoken...otherwise, it's prose. It's the writer's job to understand the proper place to put them.

When I, as a writer, break up a dialog sequence I try to find places where a breath might naturally be taken or a beat might be needed and make that a new balloon. I will also put in MASSIVE balloons if I want the character to sound like he's lecturing or droning on.

As a letterer, when I come across a sequence I believe needs to be broken up, my first question is to the writer...just to make sure he's cool with it. If he is, great...if he's not, I do it as writ and pray the Eisner judges will forgive me. More often than not the writer says "Do what ya gotta do, man" and that's that...but there have been times...OY!

[Buckyrig]

Thanks Kep.

Re:

Example of how to break it up in a script.
Character One: Bite me.

Character One (attached): Or nibble.

Character One (not attached): I'm sorry, where were we, Mr. President?

That's so simple I feel idiotic for not thinking of something like that myself. :(

I will also put in MASSIVE balloons if I want the character to sound like he's lecturing or droning on.

I've always been wary of this, but I guess there are places it makes sense. I think instinctually I am more comfortable with longer passages in captions, but not balloons.

EDIT: Do you guys prefer dialogue as follows:

CHARACTER: blah blah blah

or

CHARACTER
blah blah blah
?

I thought the latter would be easier for cut-and-paste.

[Kep!]

I use either. All I ask is don't use tabs or carriage returns to format with...I have to remove them all before I can cut-and-paste correctly. It's a small thing, but it helps.

[Buckyrig]

The tabs thing reminded me...I saw somewhere in here that the double space between sentences can be a problem. How big of one?

I can try to remember not to, but double spacing at the end of sentences has been drilled into my head since the 9th grade.

[Jason Arthur]

The tabs thing reminded me...I saw somewhere in here that the double space between sentences can be a problem. How big of one?

I can try to remember not to, but double spacing at the end of sentences has been drilled into my head since the 9th grade.

HUGE.

Comics do not use a double space between sentences. Of course, you can type as you're used to, but then save a version with the double space replaced by a single one (Use Edit>Replace in Word).

cheers,

-- J

[Kep!]

Double spaces shouldn't be anywhere on the internet at all, and if you're using properly kearned fonts you don't need them in printed work at all except by tradition. With a typewriter it was needed since the characters where monospaced, but with electronicly produced media it is a dinosaur.

Like you though, I double space by habit and really have to think about it to not do it.

When I get any script I do a search and replace for all double spaces and swap them for single spaces. No matter how hard we try, there's always a few...and often a hundred.

[Amadarwin]

I want to clarify, do you mean No double spaces for one continous sentence?

asking because what I do is single space lengthy sentences, then separate the next sentence by the same character (or the next verbose piece) with a double space to indicate a new balloon, like so:

C1: blahblhablahblah
blahblahblah!

C1: Blaggity!BLah!

[Buckyrig]

I can see where that got confused...no.

I am pretty good with what Kep put up there.

The double spacing I was referring to was in between any two sentences in dialogue. <<(like that). If you took a typing class back in the days of actual typewriters they drilled into your head that you must put a double space at the end of all sentences. I've been typing that way for way too many years to be able to untrain myself for a long time.

Thanks everyone for responding. :thumbs:

EDIT: Hey wait! Looks like the board auto-removes the extra spaces. Oh well, I guess no one would ever have known I was doing it. :whistlin:

[Amadarwin]

Ah, ok, I see what you're saying. Yeah, I took a typing class as well. Fortunately, I ignored that rule.

I confused double spaces with double returns, sorry bout that. :cool:

[Kep!]

I want to clarify, do you mean No double spaces for one continous sentence?

asking because what I do is single space lengthy sentences, then separate the next sentence by the same character (or the next verbose piece) with a double space to indicate a new balloon, like so:

C1: blahblhablahblah
blahblahblah!

C1: Blaggity!BLah!
That's not a space, it's a carrage return. A double space is using the space bar.

BUT! that's not enough either, letterers aren't smart and we need all the help we can get. If you're calling for another balloon, please indicate the character again.