Glossary of Common Script Format
Terms and Abbreviations
[From Screenwriting for Narrative Film and Television by William Miller,
Columbus Books, London, 1980. pp.230-232.]
Shots:
ANGLE : Used to refer to a new angle in the scene without the
writer trying to specify just what the shot should be. Can
sometimes be seen as: ANGLE ON HAROLD, ANGLE INCLUDING GEORGE, ANGLE - VIC, ANOTHER ANGLE,
ANGLE WIDENS, NEW ANGLE, REVERSE ANGLE.
BACK TO SCENE, SCENE: A shot description which might be
used after an insert, signifying returning to the scene as it was
previously shown.
CLOSE, CLOSER: A general designation to move the camera
closer, as, CLOSE ON MONITOR, CLOSER ON HILDA, CLOSER
ANGLE.
CU : Close-up as from shoulders up.
ECU : Extreme Close-up, as of the eyes.
ELS : Extreme long shot. A very long shot as of a village, or of
characters who are very small in the distance. Even wider is a
panoramic shot, which covers the horizon.
FAVOR : To compose the shot so that it favors, say, one person
over others in the shot, as, FAVOR MEREDITH.
INCLUDE : To include in the shot someone who was previously
not there, as, INCLUDE MARION, INCLUDE GUESTS.
INSERT : A close shot of some object in the scene, usually
inserted into shots of characters, as, INSERT - PRESCRIPTION
BOTTLE.
INTERCUTS : To intercut back and forth between elements, as,
INTERCUT : GEORGE - GLORIA.
LS: Long shot, as a shot of two or three persons showing the
complete person. Sometimes called a full shot.
MCU : Medium Close-Up, tighter.
MLS : Medium Long Shot, tighter in.
MS : Medium Shot, as from waist up.
OS : Over-Shoulder, a shot of someone over the shoulder of
someone else, as, OS - JEAN.
POV : Point Of View. A shot taken as a character would see
something , as, JOHN’S POV.
RESUME-SHOT : A return to a shot after cutting away for an
insert or point of view, as, RESUME- JOHN.
TCU : Tight Close-Up, as face.
TWO-SHOT : Two persons, usually in medium shot.
VLS : Very Long Shot, as, of a crowd.
Transitions:
CUT, CUT TO : An abrupt shot transition. Since it is used so
frequently, it is often not typed in the script but assumed to be
there if no other transition is given.
DISSOLVE, DISSOLVE TO : A transition from one shot or scene
to another, involving an overlap during the transition.
FADE IN, FADE OUT : To come up on a picture from a blank screen,
or to go to a blank screen. Used to begin and end a film, and for some
internal transitions, usually those involving a large change of time and
space.
Other less popular transitions include the WIPE, SPIRAL,
DEFOCUS-FOCUS, SWISH PAN or WHIP, BLUR, PAN TO.
Generally, avoid gimmicky transitions unless you have a good
reason to use one.
Camera Movements:
ARC : A combined dolly and truck, almost always with the
camera moving in as it moves right or left. Can be used to maintain
constant subject distance as camera moves side ways. Often used
in live television.
CRANE SHOT : The camera moves up and away. Sometimes
used to end films
DOLLY IN, DOLLY OUT, DOLLY BACK : Camera moves
toward or away from the subject. Sometimes seen as pull back or
move in.
PAN : Left or Right movement from a stationary camera.
TILT : Up or down movement from a stationary camera.
TRAVELING : A general term meaning the camera moves. Useful when
following action. Also FOLLOW.
TRUCK : Right or left movement of the camera.
ZI, ZO, ZOOM IN, ZOOM OUT : In or out movement of the
zoom lens of the camera.
Other Abbreviations and Terms:
EXT : Exterior location.
FREEZE FRAME : A frame of the film is frozen as a still picture.
INT : Interior.
MONTAGE : A series of short shots combined for their total
effect.
MOS : “Mit Out Sound ,” as when the scene is shot without any
recorded sound, or is played without sound originating in the
scene.
O.S : Offscreen.
offscreen.
Describing an action or sound happening
RP : Rear Projection, as of a city skyline outside an apartment
window on a studio soundstage set.
SPLIT SCREEN : Dividing the screen - usually into two halves with different action in each half, as in showing two characters
talking on the phone to each other with both on the screen.
SUPER, SUPERIMPOSITION: The superimposition of one image on top
of another for a double-image effect.
VO : Voice Over, as a narrator’s voice laid over the visual image.