TLE 9 (Campus Journalism)

LESSON 13.3: TV Scriptwriting

I. Main Topic: TV Scriptwriting

II. Overview

A. Introduction: In this lesson, the students are going to learn the fundamental
techniques, tips, and guidelines of TV scriptwriting, and distinguish the format
and content of television script.

B. Learners: Grade 9

C. Time Frame: March 27, 2024

III. Learning Unit: Things to remember in TV scriptwriting

Tips on writing TV News Copy
Guidelines for Split Page TV Layout

TELEVISION SCRIPTWRITING

TV news scriptwriting involves the concise and informative

crafting of scripts for television news programs, covering
current events, breaking news, and human-interest stories
with clarity, accuracy, and objectivity.

THINGS TO REMEMBER IN SCRIPTWRITING

1. Address the entire script to a wide variety of audience. Your viewers are
composed of a heterogeneous group.
2. Win your viewer’s interest right away with attention-getting lead paragraph.
3. Write simply, expressing your ideas in direct, concrete, brief and clear manner,
putting a little element of suspense where needed.
4. Make all main points stand out.
5. Choose sequence signals properly and use transitions effectively.
6. Develop the script into an informal conversational style as if addressing a small
group rather than a large audience.
7. Make your sentences clear and reasonably short. However, avoid choppy
sentences.
8. Plan the script to fit the time limit.
9. Limit consonants with hissing sounds such as (s) and (z) which are magnified
in the microphone.
 10. Avoid technical expressions as much as possible. To avoid confusion, arrange
your script into an orderly a-b-c logical method.

DRAFTING THE TV SCRIPT

If you were to draft the TV script yourself, here are some useful pointers to consider:

1. Observe unity, coherence, and emphasis in the whole script.

2. Read a finished paragraph aloud several times and rewrite those sentences
that sound out of tune. Keep improving until the entire piece sounds
spontaneous and natural.
3. Type the script on standard sized bond paper. Double spaced for easy
microphone reading.
4. Mark portions that-.can be cut (bracket the sentences or paragraphs) in the
event you run out of time.
5. At the end of your script, include materials that can be added or cut as the actual
speaking time allows.

TIPS ON WRITING TV NEWS COPY

1. Type into the video column each scene in the videotape and its running
time into the video column on the same line of the text where it occurs (on the
screen) and matches the narration.
2. Do not overwrite the text. When read, the maximum is three words per second.
The adjustment is downward as the situation dictates.
3. Sentences should be short. But you may vary the length for easy listening.
4. Do not state what is understood. Tell the viewers what the video materials
means, not what it shows.
5. The text should complement the video (TV image), but it also should be capable
of standing by itself.
6. If the video (image) is very clear and well-understood, refrain from over
explanation.
7. The style of writing is conversational. So is the talking.
8. Give the viewer time to watch and listen.
9. Type the script on a standard bond paper, double spaced for easy microphone
reading.
10. Mark portions that can be cut (bracket the sentences or Paragraphs) in the
event you run out of time.
11. At the end of the script, include materials that can be added or cut as the actual
speaking time allows.
TELEVISION NEWS COPY LAYOUT
In preparing TV news copy, use the basic split-page form. Then follow the guidelines
as follows:
1. The slug line is similar to that used for radio:
a) A one or two-word identifier of the-story.
b) Date and possibly time.
c) Writer’s name; page number if the story exceeds a single page; and
possibly the length of the story.
2. The AUDIO column will contain the copy to be read by the authors or other
reporters on the set. The narrow column is set up that way for easy reading or
prompting. Each anchor’s lines are identified. The cut-off is marked.
3. The VIDEO column contains a wide range of instructions to the crew depending
on the types of inserts that may be used in the story.
4. It is important to indicate exactly when any changes take place in the sources
of both audio and video material and where these sources are — studio, remote
live location, or wherever.

VOICE OVER NARRATION

Voice-Over (VO)

✓ a narration that will accompany the visuals. This underlying principle in this kind
of writing is that the words and the picture must work together to tell the story.
Here you also need an element of precision. The running time of the picture
story will limit the number of words that can be fitted into that time.

TELEVISION SPLIT PAGE LAYOUT

Two different page layouts are used in television.

✓ One evolved from the radio which has a split page arrangement.
✓ The other form comes from the motion picture industry.

The split-page form allows the production crew and performers to deal simultaneously
with both visual and sound. Primarily the director for camera cues and instructions to
the technical cue uses the video column. VIDEO is usually placed on the left side of
the page.

GUIDELINES FOR THE SPLIT PAGE TV LAYOUT

1. Divide your script into two parts: AUDIO and VIDEO. Instructions for those that
are heard go under AUDIO; those that are seen go under VIDEO. However,
stage directions to performers are placed on the AUDIO side, because the
 performers seldom pay attention to the VIDEO instructions and concentrated
on the side of the page that contains their lines.
2. The basic layout is double-spaced. The audio copy is therefore double-spaced,
too. However, VIDEO instructions are single spaced if the lines form part of the
same instruction. See to it that the audio is kept parallel; that is, the video
instruction should come to the same points on the page as the audio they
accompany. Spread out the copy whenever it seems to be cluttered. Don’t
economize on the use of paper.
3. As in radio copy, anything that is spoken should be in cap and lower case (clc)
Anything that is not to be spoken should be written in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS
(all caps), such as music cues, stage directions, and stylistic instructions.
4. Directions to actor or narrators within a speech should be placed at the point
where they apply. Enclose in parentheses the direction and type in ALL CAPS.
5. These are the stage business, instruction on how a line 1s to be delivered, the
desired mood, and the like.
6. Indicate in parentheses also if the lines are to be delivered as a voice over —
that is, when the announcer or actor will not be seen speaking the lines, but will
be voicing the copy over visual material.
7. On the VIDEO side, use ALL CAPS for all the directions, except for title and
other graphics when they are to be shown on the screen. Not all stations follow
these guidelines. Some use normal copy style in the VIDEO column.

SCRIPT FORMAT AND CONTENT

A script consists basically of two sections:
✓ The VIDEO (image); and
✓ The AUDIO (talk) components.
The usual format is to break up the page 2 into two sections:
✓ the AUDIO at the left column; and
✓ the VIDEO at the right column.

THE AUDIO (Talk) COLUMN

➢ The AUDIO column includes narration and dialog, the description and directions
for the sound effects and music.
➢ The words of the narrator are typed in cap and lower case for easy reading.
➢ Character’s names are in capital letters.
➢ The dialog is separated by typing it in a block format following each character’s
name.
➢ Sound effects and directions for music are capitalized. Everything including
dialog is double spaced.
➢ If the scene continues to the next page, type the word CONTINUE in capital
letters at the lower right hand corner of the page and as the first item on top of
the next page.
 ➢ When you reach the end of the script, type THE END in capital letters at the
bottom of the page.

THE VIDEO (Image) COLUMN

➢ The VIDEO contains description of scenes, shots and angles. It will also contain
directing cues for transitions, camera moves, lighting cues graphics and all
essential visual information that will be needed to carry out the video portion of
the program.
➢ Use sketches to show a scene or type the scene description in cap and lower
case. All camera directions are typed in capitals.
➢ When a type of scene transition is suggested, capitalize instruction and isolate
between the two scenes by double spacing.
➢ The length of the scripts varies depending on the purpose of the video program
or on the duration of time that the program will be shown. A 10-minute program
would take about 12-15 pages.

Example
Example of TV Script Layout

(Split Page Form)

How they appear:

Reference:

Cruz, C. J. (2010). Campus journalism and school paper advising (2nd ed.). Sampaloc
Manila: Rex Bookstore, Inc.
Ramirez, J. B. (2009). Philippine journalism handbook (3rd ed.). Mandaluyong City:
National Book Store, Inc.