Script Format:

Story slug in TOP LEFT HAND CORNER: Slug is abbreviated word describing story. Not more than one
word.

Production teams names in TOP LEFT HAND CORNER: Just last names with/between names

Running Time in TOP LEFT HAND CORNER: Running time indicates to the director exactly to the second
how long the piece will run.

The “Lead in” is what the anchors read: That is not part of this script format. That is written on a
separate page, usually by the anchor, who reads your script or sees a cut of the piece.

You build a script page with the INSERT/TABLE FUNCTION on a Microsoft Word page. You insert a table
of two columns. SET THE DIVIDER COLUMN so that it indented slightly to the left.

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THE left hand column has VIDEO instructions. The ones you should become familiar with are:

B roll: that is footage over the words that are being said. The word B roll should be followed by a
description of the footage in that block. You can alternatively use the notation V/O: to indicate voice
over.

If there is no footage and an interviewee is speaking you simply put the notation O/C for on camera. If
you are planning on supering (that is putting a brief description of him underneath, you put the
person’s name or how you want to describe him after the word super.

If the reporter is speaking and doing what is called a stand up the notation is SU in the left hand column.
The location should also be indicated.

The right hand column is for the AUDIO. The right hand column indicates ALL the words that are being
said. Say for example, you are reporting there is a demonstration against a speaker coming to a
campus you would put the words the reporter says in the right hand column. Everything the reporter
says whether it is narration or a standup is in lower case. The “sound bites.” that is what the
interviewee says should be in caps. (Some producers do it the other way around, but I would like you to
stick to this convention in this class. )

If there is natural sound like the students chanting “get him off campus” you would put the word
NATSOT: students chanting in the left column, and the words they were saying in the right hand
column.
“Demonstration”
mphillips; stephaniepowers
RT 1.20
B roll: scenes of student
demonstration.
NATSOT: students chanting…
V/O: shots of student signs
O/C: Martin Phillips
Super: Martin Phillips
Kent State University
SU: outside administration building
Today students came out in huge number to protest the
appearance of Barack Obama at Kent State University…. And they
were angry.
GET HIM OFF CAMPUS. GET HIM OFF CAMPUS.
But not all the students felt this strongly.
I THINK HE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO SPEAK. AFTER ALL HE IS THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
Kent State Officials are worried that if the situation gets out of
control, they may have to ask the Governor to call out the
national guard. Cameron Fridman, Kent State News.