Scriptwriting Research Notes

How to Write for Animation - Jeffery Scott 

A premise is a simple telling of the story. It lays out the beginning, middle, and end of the story, and not much else. Make your premise as short as possible, but long enough to tell the story. Less is more. Every word should count, don’t be redundant or use unnecessary adjectives or flowery prose. 

Then it is time to flesh out your premise into an outline. An outline is a complete story, in written prose form, layout out every scene that will be in the final script. Scenes are often called beats, and beats can be anywhere from five seconds long to three or four minutes. Typically in a half hour episode you would have fifteen to twenty-five story beats. 

Then comes the script, which lays out every scene in the story by means of: description of environment and action, dialogue, and any necessary transitions or camera angles/movements. 

Start with the A-story, which is the main action plot, and figure out the beginning middle and end. A B-story is a sub-story that is usually character driven and complicated or places a barrier in the way of the A-story. 

Be careful to not give yourself too many beats, as you may not have time to fully develop them. If this happens, your story will feel shallow and rushed. Ask yourself “what are the scenes that MUST be there?” Make a list of numbered beats to see clearly what might be missing and if any scenes are out of order. Find more beats by connecting the scenes that must be there. Every scene must advance the story, otherwise it will feel gratuitous and slow the pacing. Less is more: try to write it in one scene instead of three, or say it in one line instead of two. 

When coming up with scenes you don’t have to worry about the order you think of them in. In order to write a good story it must be logical, and every scene must logically follows it’s predecessor. Ask yourself: is this what would happen next? Is this what this character would say/do next?

Movement creates interest. You must keep the story moving to keep the audience engaged. Movement that can be predicted is less interesting than movement that cannot be predicted. One of the simplest ways to keep a story moving is to cut between your A and B plots. It is also best to not end your scenes, as the end is a stop: the script will be choppy and constantly starting and stopping. A better way to write scenes is to begin one and get through a portion of it before advancing to the next scene before the first is completely done, eg leaving something yet to be done or a mystery to solve in the next scene. 

When fleshing out beats into an outline you will be:

- Filling in any gaps you left in the story 

- Correcting anything that doesn’t work as you flesh it out 

- Adding details, like names of people and places

- Expanding your sparse beats into more descriptive pictures 

- Further developing the characters and their interrelationships 

- Making it read easier and more smoothly 

There are many acceptable outline forms. One is just straight prose writing to tell the story from beginning to end, like a novel. Another is to number your scenes, like your beats. A third is to start each scene with a slug line, setting up the location and time of each scene. It’s a good idea to number your scenes for editing purposes.

There are two basics methods to writing cartoon scripts. One is the master scene method where you simply use a slug line to set up the scene and the rest of the action is handled with description, without the mention of camera angles. The other is the shot-by-shot method, where each shot is called out as you envision it. The writer has the choice whether to direct the shots via writing or whether to leave camera angles to the storyboarder. Always use Courier 12-point font and number your pages. 

An easy way to start writing is to cut and paste the outline directly into the script. When you write, write, and when you edit, edit: never do both at the same time. This allows you to get into more of a flow rather than stopping and starting and switching. Writing is the process of creating concepts and putting them down on paper. Editing is the process of reading what’s written, finding what’s wrong with it, and rewriting it to better communicate the concepts. 

Description (sometimes called action) is the telling of the physical part of the story. This includes all of the action that takes place, as well as the environment and what is in it, such as vehicles, characters and anything else you may see on screen. It also includes any camera angles and moves as well as any notable sounds or special effects necessary to fully communicate the vision. Description is always written in third person, present tense. Immediacy, revealing the story as it happens. It only represents in simple words what the viewer will see; flowery prose and abstract concepts can’t always be conveyed visually. 

You must be able to visualise what you are writing in your mind, and find the words that best communicate what you see. 

Ensure continuity, no discrepancies when cutting from scene to scene so that everything flows smoothly for the viewer, both visually and conceptually. Ask yourself, “is there anything about what has just happened that doesn’t make sense in light of what has happened so far in the story?”

Pacing is the speed at which a scene or story plays out (also the “energy level” of a script). In animation writing, pacing is affected by the quantity of words used in description, the number of shots called for in scenes, and the amount of dialogue. Suspense often has very slow pacing to drag out the tension of the scene, whereas action should be faster - comedy is a delicate balance of both, generally fast with lulls to anticipate and react to a gag. Make sure the pacing of your script is as fast as it can be without detracting from what you are trying to communicate. 

Writing for Animation - Laura Beaumont and Paul Larson 

Character Goals 

Goals drive stories. A goal is something a character wants, and they set out to get them. A goal with no action or pursuit by the character is just a thought, and a thought on its own does not give us a story. Your character has to want the goal badly enough to spring into action. The more your character wants to achieve the goal, the better your story will be.

A good goal also has to be specific. A good way to do this is to make it “tickable”; if your character were to write their goal down on a piece of paper, they would know when it could be ticked off as achieved. This is why “being happy” isn’t a good enough character goal. So how do we make it more specific? We make it physical, something concrete and tangible that everyone can see.

The next thing we need is to give the goal a time frame. We don’t always know the time frame from the beginning, but the better stories introduce one at some point. This is often called the “ticking clock” or the “time lock”. Sometimes the time frame changes throughout the story - usually getting shorter to increase the tension. 

So, we know that our character must deeply desire their goal. It has to be specific, physical, and tickable. It’s also better if it has a deadline.

Obstacles 

All stories have obstacles for characters to overcome. While a goal drives your story, it’s the obstacles that make it interesting. These obstacles can range from a small obstacle within a scene to a huge obstacle that spans across an entire movie. They fall into two main categories; obstacles that come from outside a character and obstacles that come from within.

Historically films were visual-only, so the obstacles that the characters faced had to be physical. Examples include:

1. The Opponent - a character in direct opposition to the character you are following. This can be an arch villain or just someone who is causing a small problem for your character 

2. Natural - a natural obstacle, such as a desert or storm

3. Created - unnatural obstacles, created by the opponent or characters we never see. Could also be the form of a magical potion that limits a characters abilities 

Animators find it difficult to portray inner conflict, but changes in technology have made it more possible to portray a depth of emotions in facial expressions. The two main internal obstacles are:

1. Fears - animated characters, like us, can have fears that haunt us and hold us back in some way. It is important the fear be appropriate to the story. A fear is irrelevant if it doesn’t challenge the character on their journey 

2. Promises - a promise that limits your character’s ability can be useful, but can also be frustrating to the audience if not used wisely. If breaking the promise is going to make the character’s life a lot easier, there has to be a really strong reason for them to keep it.

Identifying the Central Character 

Many stories have more than one character, but they need one central character. As viewers immerse themselves into a different world they need something to latch on to, and it’s easier to see the world through one person’s eyes. We start to feel that character’s emotions and root for them. If the viewpoint shifts back-and-forth, that emotional engagement starts to get watered down.

How to Identify the Central Character?

1. Who has the main goal that you follow through the story 

2. Who is the most proactive character in the story?

3. Which character spends the most time on screen?

4. Who changes or learns the most by the end of the story?

An episode may have an A plot and a B plot. Each plotline is effectively its own story and will have its own central character and goal. Sometimes the two plots will overlap and interact with each other, but they can also be completely separate. They might be part of one bigger story but they are still two different plotlines. The A plot is the main drive of the episode and will take up the most screen time. 

The Three-Act Structure 

The three-act structure gives us the changes in direction that a story takes, that work as a cohesive whole, in order for the characters to have completed a satisfying story journey. 

Changes in direction could be seen as the beginning, middle and end of a story. In act one, a character is going a particular direction in life until something happens. This event changes the character’s goals or intentions and the story changes direction. Act one ends and act two begins. The character pursues this direction until another major event changes the direction of the story again. This signifies the end of act two and we go into the final act. All three acts work together. 

Act one is the story’s setup

1. Introduces your central character and most of the other main characters 

2. It sets up the world of your story

3. It reveals the main problems that exist in the character’s life and creates sympathy for them 

4. It states the main goal of the character and the specific goal of act two. Audience needs to know who the central character is as soon as possible. Look at how main characters are introduced, eg via camera angles and shots. It also sets up the community (characters), environment (place) and genre of your story, and you must stick to the rules of that world. Most stories start with a problem; doesn’t have to be big yet, but things aren’t usually perfect for our central character, or won’t be for long. There is a lot of information to set up in act one, which can be a challenge. A mini tickable goal can keep the visual elements of act one moving without getting completely weighed down by the setup of your story.

Act two is the central drive of the story and can often make up as much as half of the total screen time. It is the backbone of your story. There has been a change in direction. A character might have a goal or an emotional need from the beginning of the story, but a strong act two follows a central character pursuing a specific, physical, and tickable goal. 

The main functions of this act:

1. To show our central character actively pursuing their goal 

2. To raise the stakes for our central character in the story 

3. To increase the pace of the story by showing our central character facing increasingly difficult situations and overcoming them 

The more things a character does for themselves, the more the audience will be invested in the story, bonding with them and see things from their point of view. As we move into act two, something must be at stake; if there are no consequences to not achieving the goal, then there is nothing to engage the audience. Once the character crosses into act two, their life can never be the same. They will either achieve their goal and their life will be better, or they will fail and their life will be worse. As the act progresses, the character will face a series of obstacle to achieve that goal, which should increase in difficulty as the story moves forward (eg more problematic, more hazardous, introducing a deadline, or all three). The number of challenges will dictate the length of the story.

Act two ends when the story takes a new direction, often in the form of a new goal or a disaster destroying the old one. 

Act three is the final act. As it is the most exciting part it shouldn’t be too short or too easy for the lead character; should be their final conflict or biggest obstacle so far

1. To be the most exciting or dramatic part of your story 

2. Provide a satisfying ending that makes everyone glad they watched your film

Remember that at the end of act two the story should change dramatically again:

1. Make your character face the biggest challenge/obstacle so far

2. Increase the consequences of failure 

3. Tighten the deadline 

Anything that makes the success of our character more urgent will increase the drama of the final act.

At the end, the central character has achieved their goal, or maybe failed if it has a downbeat ending, and we’re about to see a new beginning. We see all the plot lines and issues resolved, and usually catch a glimpse at what life in the future will be like for the main characters. 

If your ending isn’t having the big impact you would like, you can make it stronger by using “callback and payoff”. This storytelling device uses something that has happened earlier in the story that pays off in the final scenes; eg an item we see, a piece of information the audience is given, or something the character hasn’t succeeded at until now. When it first appears the callback device shouldn’t seem overly relevant, until the payoff takes the audience by surprise and ideally has them thinking “of course! I should have seen that coming!” Using the callback is as simple as going back through your story to see what has happened so far; is there anything that has appeared that will be useful in the end?

While we recommend plotting act two first, remember that what you plotted is not written in stone; you will find yourself going back-and-forth between the acts trying to make the script work as a cohesive whole. Once you know the ending you want, go back through the script and plot the necessary changes to make it work.

Emotional Connection 

Physical goals are important in driving a story, but the next important ingredient is emotion. Emotion gives us the reason a character wants to achieve their goals, and gives the audience a reason to engage and want them to achieve it. There are tools that can help an audience connect with a character:

1. Give Them Skills And Abilities - the oldest stories of myths and legends include characters with incredible abilities, and in animation such exaggeration and fantasy is more easily accepted. For example; Lightning McQueen is introduced as self-centred and arrogant, but his ability on the racetrack makes the audience want to see more of him and is a good enough reason to follow him into the story 

2. Make Them Funny - a character who is good at everything is rarely funny, flaws are what can make for comedy. In fact the more inept a character is the funnier they are, generally. Being skilful and funny are also not mutually exclusive 3. Get Your Character On Screen As Soon As Possible - the simplest way to get an audience to latch onto a character quickly. If they are not the first character you see, they may be the first to speak or the first face you see. Sometimes an animation will open up with a prologue introducing backstory or a villain, but these are usually shot in a way that indicates we will not be following them 4. Unwavering Resolve - if we see a character that never gives up, no matter how much they are knocked down, this is something an audience is attracted to. As discussed previously, the central character should be proactive, and this goes one step further 5. A Little Niceness Goes A Long Way - give your character likeable qualities so the audience will start to like them too. Once the audience has connected to a character, you can start to reveal more of their negative aspects6. Jeopardy, Hardship or Adversity - will immediately create sympathy for them and the audience will want them to succeed and get out of the predicament. The more undeserved these hardships are, the stronger the bond between audience and character 

Emotional Goals

These character journeys are often an intrinsic part of the animated story but they are not as essential as the physical goal. While the physical goal gives us the “what”, the emotional goal gives us the “why”, why the character is behaving in a certain way and why the audience should care. While the physical goal is something the character knows they want to achieve, the emotional goal in the story usually comes from something missing in the person’s life. This is often something they don’t know or even believe is missing until the end of the story. Unlike the physical goal, it is not something that can just be ticked off when achieved. The character has the emotional need from the beginning of the story, the audience may realise they have it before they do. A character demonstrating negative behaviours (perhaps based on their past) feels no need to change it at the start of the movie as it has served them well until now. The emotional goals lies in the background of a story and is not as clearly stated as the physical goal. The character’s emotional change at the end of a story may seem sudden but can only happen if the right plot points have been threaded. 1. Defining the Destination - think about journey and where the character needs to go (what they need to learn, heal, or change about themselves to be fulfilled). 2. Establishing where the character is emotionally at the beginning of the story (usually the opposite of the end)3. Creating the stepping-stones to join up the start and end story points. 4. Showing both new behaviour and old, negative behaviour. The character will sometimes appear to be changing for the better, only to revert back to their original negative behaviour. This emotional see-saw effect helps to make that final big change believable when it happens. These moments also serve as a reminder for the audience that this is where they are going but are not there yet. 

Character and Archetype 

Plot and character have a symbiotic relationship. Character archetypes are models of typical characters that perform a particular function in a story, so putting archetypes in place can usually minimise the chance of characters performing the same roles. A character can also be a mix of more than one archetype. Some common archetypes include:- A Step Behind - not too bright but not stupid, just know less than the others through naivety, lack of intelligence or because they are new in some way. Usually endearing and puppy-like innocence.- Long-Suffering - the character with common sense who can see the chaos that the others are causing. Sometimes labelled as “boring” as they don’t participate in the wacky shenanigans, but gives us the audience’s viewpoint (eg how the audience may react in that situation).- Dreamer - has ambitions and dreams and believes these are attainable (although when a comedic character usually it is not). Dreamers have a ton of ideas, a strong desire to achieve their goals, and a boundless energy to try and fulfil them, a combination that while funny can also be tragic.- Pompous or Arrogant - whether they’re a puffed up academic or just someone who thinks they know it all, they never learn their lesson and everyone enjoys seeing them brought down a peg or two.- Uptight - range from a little worried to full-on anxiety-ridden disorders. Audiences love to see them get wound up or wind others up with their controlling obsessions.- One-Track Mind - a character that only has one overwhelming obsessive desire, eg food or money.- Zanni - where “zany” derives from, madcap clowns that cause mischief and mayhem wherever they go.- The Villain - sometimes purely evil, sometimes just in their nature, sometimes sympathetic backstory. Villain is in direct opposition to the central character, meaning they either want the exact same goal or the exact opposite, nothing between. Write down goals of the central character and the Villain at the outset.- Servants of Darkness - characters that will create obstacles for your central character to overcome, such as minions or henchmen of the main Villain or characters they come across along the way.- The Trickster - driven by mischief and trickery, often ensnaring or outwitting opponents or just causing chaos for the sake of it. 

Anthropomorphism 

When creating nonhuman characters for animation, there is a good chance the characters will be anthropomorphic to some extent - they will have some kind of human characteristics. We can use the suffix “-centric” to describe your non-human character; toy-centric, car-centric, rabbit-centric, etc. The “-centric” in this case refers to the aspects of your character that are not human. It is important to define how human your character is, what are the rules surrounding anthropomorphism in your world? The rules may not make sense but they should at least be consistent. When you give a nonhuman character human traits, it is usually beneficial to make the nonhuman aspects of their character relevant in some way

Putting Your Character Together 

Five tools can be used to breathe life into your characters:

1. Physicality - how big or small is your character? Fast or slow? Strong or weak?

2. History - where did they grow up? Jobs or school? Defining everything the character has done up until we meet them on screen. In some cases the history will be part of the story, but often it is just there to give the character an extra dimension 

3. Speech patterns/mannerisms/catchphrases - history may influence this, eg location brought up in, but can also be independent. Not every character needs an individual speech pattern/mannerism/catchphrase, but consider which ones may be effective as you write down your ideas 

4. Skills/Ineptitudes - what is your character good and bad at? A character that has both strengths and weaknesses is more realistic and engaging

5. Likes/Dislikes - these can be big or small 

Be as specific as you can when answering these questions; the more specific your answers, the stronger your character will become 

Exercise:

1. What is your character? Do you need a “-centric” descriptor?

2. What main archetype do they fall under?

3. Are they a mix of two archetypes? 

4. Describe them physically 

5. Where were they born? What has their life been like until now? What, if any, jobs have they done?

6. Give them a speech pattern (eg a dialect or accent based on their history) or a mannerism

7. Give them one thing they are good at and one thing they are bad at 

8. Give them something they like and something they dislike 

9. Finally, if you haven’t already, give them a name

Once you have completed the process, try to think of five interesting scenarios you could put this character in; these scenarios could reveal more about your characters as they come to life in your mind (these could even form the basis of a short film spinoff). The point is to think about your characters in a new and exciting way.

The Script 

The script must be written in such a way that every following department can easily access the information they require to do their job. Most scripts are still delivered in Courier font, like a classic typewriter 

To an extent you are directing the page. By including various camera angles and shots, you are showing one possible way that the story could be realised on the screen, and inspires the reader to visualise your screenplay as they read. 

At the top of a page is the scene heading with INT or EXT (interior or exterior), location and DAY or NIGHT, so everyone knows we’re starting a scene and where/when it takes place. 

In the next paragraph we have some stage direction (or action) to tell us what’s going on in the scene and who is in it. In the layout we don’t always give a camera angle or the details of a shot, but we can still direct to a degree. Separate shots are given their own separate paragraph. Depending on the description, you may visualise a close-up or wider shot even if not specifically stated. 

The first time a character appears their name is in CAPITAL letters. Character’s description should follow their first appearance, so the capitals makes it easier to find again.

Certain words or phrases appear in <POINTY BRACKETS> which refer to special sound effects that are necessary and need emphasis. Sound team will add whatever backgrounds sounds they feel are necessary. Eg <FLASH> or <BOOM>. 

The character and the dialogue are set inward from the other paragraphs, to make it clear which parts are stage directions and which parts are a character talking. Animation is a visual form, so sim to have more stage directions than dialogue. 

At the end of a scene include a transition. CUT TO is the most common one, if no transition is specifically written then CUT TO is assumed. 

One of the reasons for a standard script format is to get a rough idea of timing. For movies, the guideline was that one page of script was equal to about one minute of screen time, though this is not an exact science.

Creating the Short

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines the duration of a short animation as a film with a running time of fourty minutes or less. Telling a good story in ten minutes, five minutes, even two two minutes takes ability and that’s an ability that develops with practice. It is possible to take all the principles mentioned so far and apply them to a film in the longer range of shorts, maybe ten minutes minimum if you are concise and adept at conveying information quickly and visually. 

Many short films are the same length as episodic tv shows, but comparing the two is like comparing designing a washing machine with creating a sculpture out of washing machine parts. With the short film, you are freed from the requirements of broadcast time slot, regular cast, and animation style. 

You need to start with what kind of animation you are going to make. Is there a duration you need to adhere to for a particular project, festival or competition? Have you already decided what technology you want to use? Does the film have a narrative structure or is it more abstract?

The short films that employ basic storytelling techniques are often the ones that engage viewing panels. We suggest that if you are making a showcase film to make it less than five minutes; quicker to film and quicker to get feedback. As your skills develop, then extend the length of your projects. 

Assuming the idea is to create a narrative, when making a short you should create an emotional connection with the character and give your character a goal. When you only have a few minutes to grab an audience, the more efficient you are at getting your viewer to engage with your character the more compelling your stories will become. In a short it is possible to tell a story without a goal being central to the plot, you can watch things “just happening” to a character. The aim though is to engage an audience, and a character with a goal is usually more engaging than one without. The shorter your story, the most simplistic and quickly understood by your audience your goal will need to be. 

The more inept a character is, the more they produce comedy. Therefore, it stands that the less inept a character is, the less comedy they produce - and they produce drama instead. Next time you watch a sitcom and it moves you emotionally, notice that the characters in that moment are not being inept. 

Gardner’s Guide to Animation Scriptwriting: The Writer’s Road Map - Marilyn Webber 

There are seven major types of cartoon genres: action, comedy-action, character, fantasy, gag, sitcom and spoof. There can be crossover, but examine the overall tone and structure to establish the genre. 

What does your character learn? Often a character will state the moral or lesson, usually in the resolution. Spoken aloud or not, your moral or lesson must be embodied in a character who will complete it, not just until the end of the story. 

You will develop the moral around a central story idea if your cartoon has a moral woven into its plot. The central idea sums up inna sentence or two who and what your story is about. Set up the idea keeping in mind how long you have to tell your story. The central idea is the fuel that drives your script. Should be strong and depict conflict for your characters and be identifiable to an audience. Three basic plots include:

- Man vs Man - a race to the end, survival, the hero struggles against life or death. The plot can also be about non-threatening competition, the level of tension and emotion depends on what is at stake 

- Man vs Nature - generally also life or death, dealing with a natural event such as a storm or flood

- Man vs Himself - a character type story usually with an internal conflict 

The central question of your story is the focus of your plot, and the question which is answered in the climax. All the scenes you construct will lead into it. 

Most important factors to know about your characters are: their goal and need, what they fear most, and their character arc. You have to know your character or you won’t be able to write them convincingly or consistently.

Supporting characters illuminate the character’s traits and/or further the plot, as well as being a target to bounce dialogue and humour. Sidekicks function the same but they are often “attached” to a character and don’t interact much with the rest of the main cast. Can be more fun to write as they don’t have to be as serious or driven as the hero.

Once writing, the FIRST time a character is introduced their name is in CAPS and then followed by a one or two sentence character tag (description) summing them up, so the story editor can quickly get a grasp of who they are.

You have decided in the central plot whose POV the story is told from. Think of how to narrate; beginning to end, or flashbacks? Stakes must keep being raised until the hero only has one choice left to solve the problem. The plot and character are dependent on each other.

Watch examples, how far in in real time does each act or scene occur? Determine approximate time for the script.

In a seven minute structure (this book only talks about episodic writing not standalone shorts) you put a character in a situation and let them zoom through to the finish. Often only an A-plot as there’s not much time to develop more. Has to be a situation that can play out in only seven minutes. Start with a catalyst event to pull character into the story, the character zooms into action and commits to the conflict, before reaching the climax. Must keep upping the gag or the stakes. 

All words that aren’t dialogue, slug lines or character names make up your prose. Prose describes the scene or action of the scene to give all the necessary information to the animator and story editor. Capture the tone you are writing for. Keep the page balanced, break it up with dialogue (how does this work with a nonverbal short?) Keep prose between 2-4 lines per paragraph, try not to exceed 6-8 lines per scene unless you have a long action sequence. Choose action verbs over linking verbs (eg searches for instead of looking for), strong and interesting word choices. Eliminate unnecessary words. Be aware of language differences, eg English expressions that may not translate. Describe actions in broad and/or simple terms. 

Screen Directions include:

- ANGLE ON (CHARACTER OR OBJECT): camera focuses on the character or object named

- FAVOURING (CHARACTER’S NAME): angle favours named character 

- ON TWOSOME (or however many in the group): shot that includes the number of characters specified 

- (CHARACTER’S NAME) POV: camera shoots from that character’s point of view, what the character sees through their eyes

- AERIAL POV: camera shoots far overhead

- BIRD’S EYE VIEW: camera takes bird’s point of view from above 

- OVERHEAD AS CAM SWOOPS DOWN: camera overhead and swoops in to scene 

- BACK TO: camera returns to the shot before it’s preceding shot 

- CAMERA SHAKES: camera shakes to create suspense and feeling of more movement 

- DUTCH TILT ON: camera turned 45 degrees so the angle is tilted. Used in eerie or suspenseful situations 

- ANGLE BEHIND (OBJECT): camera shoots from behind the object named, eg a tree 

- THROUGH (AN OBJECT): camera shoots through the object named, eg window or magnifying glass

- CLOSE ON: close-up of the named character of object 

- TIGHT ON: another way of saying CLOSE ON

- DOWNSHOT ON: camera looks down on object 

- DRAMATIC UPSHOT or UPSHOT: camera looking up at the character or object 

- DRAMATIC ANGLE ON: scene is framed dramatically on character or object 

- FLASHBACK: let’s the animator know the story is moving back in time

- FLASHFORWARD: let’s the animator know the story is moving ahead into the future 

- BACK TO PRESENT: let’s the animator know story is moving to the present again. Always follows a flashback scene 

- INSERT: used for extreme close ups to show a note or a clue 

- LONG SHOT: camera shoots to show the distance of the scene 

- OPEN CLOSE ON: use at the beginning of a scene just after its slugline 

- PAN AHEAD: camera moves to the action ahead in the scene 

- PAN DOWN: camera moves down the scene

- ON (CHARACTER’S NAME) - PANNING: camera follows the character and their action 

- PAN OVER: camera moves sideways across the scene 

- PAN TO: camera moves to another part of the scene 

- PAN UP: camera moves up the scene

- TRUCK IN: camera moves in quickly on scene

- TRUCK OUT: camera moves quickly out from scene 

- SHOT WIDENS: camera lens opens to include more of the scene

- WIDER ON SCENE: use when you want to include full scope of the action 

- WIDE ON: shows a wide shot of the character 

- WIDER TO INCLUDE (CHARACTER’S NAME): used to visually include another character in a scene

Sometimes you will also have certain directions at the end of your scenes just preceding the next slugline. Transitions:

- DISSOLVE TO: dissolves into the next scene, often used to indicate a longer passage of time 

- SMASH CUT TO: smashes or cuts very quickly into the next scene, usually used for humour or suspense. Just cuts more quickly into the next scene than normally 

- CUT BACK TO: return to the previous scene

Always capitalise SFX

Arrive late and leave early to your scenes. Your character must leave each scene needing and/or knowing more than when they entered it. As you write a scene, think of at least three or four ways to approach that scene; by the fourth you’ve probably come up with something fresh and more unique.