Technical Elements in Scripts

A script also carries technical information for the production crew, alongside the dialogue and directions. This includes sounds, shot types, camera movements and transitions, so each team knows what to prepare and capture.

Sounds

Sound notes tell the sound team what to prepare. Background music might be written as MUSIC: upbeat guitar, and sound effects as SFX: skateboard wheels on concrete. These notes appear next to the action they belong to, so sound can be matched to picture.

Shots and camera movements

Shot types are often abbreviated and written in capital letters, including LS (long shot), MS (mid shot), CU (close up), ECU (extreme close up) and ELS (extreme long shot). A long shot is often used as an establishing shot because it shows the whole setting before the action begins. Camera movements are also described: track and dolly (moving with the subject), pan (turning left or right), tilt (pointing up or down), push in (moving closer) and pull back (moving away). Shots and movements are aligned to the left so the crew can scan down the page and find each technical instruction quickly.

Transitions and layout

Transitions such as CUT TO, DISSOLVE TO and FADE TO BLACK are written in capital letters and aligned to the left. This keeps them separate from the dialogue and makes scene changes easy to spot. For example, a skate park advert script might list these technical directions, aligned left:

• ELS of skate park at sunrise
• TRACK AND DOLLY following a skater
• CU of wheels hitting a ramp
• CUT TO
• MS of skater smiling

The camera operator and editor can follow this list without reading the dialogue.