Hi! This is my first post  :) Thanks in advance for the help!

1. If I put MUSIC UP: (Insert music here) in my script, do I need to fade out the music in the end of the scene? For example:

------
INT/EXT CAR - DAY

MUSIC UP: You Make Me by Avicii

Rhonda drives down the SAN DIEGO FREEWAY.

INT LIVING ROOM - SAME DAY

On a beat-up couch sits Rhonda and Jackson...
----

Should I fade out the music after the car scene somehow? What does that look like? Also, what if I wanted the music to continue into another scene? How would that look?

2. How are parentheticals used correctly in regards to (re:), for example:

                                                      DARREN
                                    (re: Christianne)
                                    I think the lady doth protest too much.

I've seen these used in multiple character conversations, but I wonder if it needs to be used if the dialogue is obviously toward another character. And do I separate parentheticals to a separate line from the rest of the dialogue?

3. How are quick cuts and montages different from each other? I'm having a difficult time structuring a montage, as well, since I've seen it done two ways so far:

a) It says:

BEGIN MONTAGE

-Christianne running toward the beach

-Christianne going skydiving

-Christianne playing hopscotch

-Christianne punching a boy

OR

b) Or it doesn't say montage at all, but in the previous scene it just says:

The following montage begins:

EXT LAGUNA BEACH - DAY

Christianne runs happily on a beach.

INT/EXT PLANE - DAY

Christianne puts on skydiving gear and goggles, and gets ready to jump.

She JUMPS.

EXT. PLAYGROUND - DAY

Christianne grabs chalk and makes squares to play hopscotch.

INT HOUSE - DAY

Christianne looks pissed. She punches a boy in the face.



---



Are both okay to use? I feel like a) is wrong because it doesn't have sluglines to give context? Also, could I put dialogue in a quick montage?


Thanks for the help! These are just some tricky ones :)

--Christianne

Hey Christianne, welcome aboard.

As for question #1, I'd advise not using music in a Spec script.  You don't own the rights to it and it's just not necessary.  Tell your story and let whoever wants to film it, worry about the music.

#2 - Parentheticals, also known as wrylies.  Use them as little as possible, as they are a space waster and they also irritate readers.  For the most part, they aren't going to be necessary unless you have a character speaking in a foreign language or it's important to note how someone says something.  You could easily write a feature and have zero wrylies.

#3 - Montage - lots of ways to pull this off, but again, I'll tell you, don't use them unless you really need to.  When I use a montage, I do it more like B with complete Slugs.  You really don't have to even label it as a montage, but you can.

IMO, a montage will play over a song or the like and be a certain length of time, which means limited details.

Now, after saying all that, I actually have a feature that starts out with a montage playing over a very popular and well known song, so...you can do it, but I don't recommend it, especially if you're just getting started.

Hope that helps and best of luck here on the good ship SS.

Christianne,

Welcome aboard! Great place to post your work, get involved and learn!

As far as music goes, you cannot mention a specific song you want unless you own the copyrights yourself. If you feel the need fora song to be playing in the car it should read something like this:

INT. CAR - DAY

Rhonda drives down the SAN DIEGO FREEWAY. A slow love song plays on the radio.

As far as having the song continue into the next scene? Unless you plan on directing this yourself, it really isn't necessary to have the music continue on. That's at the discretion of the director.  

Hope I helped and, again, welcome aboard!

Steve

Quoted from SAC As far as music goes, you cannot mention a specific song you want unless you own the copyrights yourself.

Not to split hairs or be a dick, but you shouldn't think that "you cannot mention a specific song" in a script.  No one is going to sue you or anything over using specific songs/groups in a Spec script.

The issue comes when it gets filmed.  Certain songs (if they're important enough to go after) can be costly to use and could make a potential investor think twice about going with your script.  But...really?  That's the least you need to worry about now, as you write your script.

If possible, avoid specific songs.

Quoted from Dreamscale If possible, avoid specific songs.

Right. Let's just say, in a spec script, that it's frowned upon. Not so much just to mention it, but rather to have it playing.

Quoted from Dreamscale If possible, avoid specific songs.

You get me?  

Quoted from DV44 You get me?

I get you, my brother.  

What about the wrylies and montage?

We need to have some kind of discussion and why not right here?

Quoted from Dreamscale Now, after saying all that, I actually have a feature that starts out with a montage playing over a very popular and well known song, so...you can do it, but I don't recommend it, especially if you're just getting started.

So let me get this right, Jeff:  Don't do it.  Don't do it.  I did it.


Christianne,

Dreamscale is correct.  You really shouldn't mention an specific song unless it's a critical to your story.

Use parentheticals sparingly, once again, only if it's critical to the story.

As far as montages:  There's more than one way to do it.  If you Google how to do a montage in a screenplay, you'll get a dozen answers and all of them will claim to be the correct way.

The best piece of advice I can give you right now is that there's no one way to write a script.

There's an accepted overall format that you should learn and follow, but a good story will trump format any day.  If you were to use the wrong font and format but you started your script with:  

"I see you, Jeff, sitting there naked with that bottle of Jagermeister, listening to Unforgettable by Nat King Cole.", and the reader's name was "Jeff" and he was sitting there naked with a bottle of Jagermeister while listening to Nat King Cole, he's going to keep reading.

Sure that's an extreme example, I mean,  who would sit naked with a bottle of Jagermeister while listening to Nat King Cole?  That's just strange, but you get my point.

Welcome aboard the S.S. S.S.

Jordan

Quoted from Nomad   If you were to use the wrong font and format but you started your script with:   "I see you, Jeff, sitting there naked with that bottle of Jagermeister, listening to Unforgettable by Nat King Cole.", and the reader's name was "Jeff" and he was sitting there naked with a bottle of Jagermeister while listening to Nat King Cole, he's going to keep reading. Sure that's an extreme example, I mean,  who would sit naked with a bottle of Jagermeister while listening to Nat King Cole?  That's just strange, but you get my point.

Yes...exactly.  But, if you changed the song to...oh, I don't know...anything by...like...uh...Edguy, Avantasia, Delain...I CAn actually see that visually.  Yeah...it's not a great visual, but I can see it.  Maybe change the "bottle" to a pewter Jagermeister shotglass, hrons down and a cheesy bucket with ice and a bottle a Jagie?  Yeah...I've seen that picture.  

But, you are right, Jordan, if you're going to use an exact song and run a montage over it, I'd recommend "Unforgettable", and I'd do the Natalie & Nat version.

HaHa...

Montages or a "series of shots" are lame.  They're all numbered

1) ...

2) ...

3) ...

4) ...

Or done with letters

A) ...

B) ...

C) ...

D) ...


Most of the time you can easily write that montage without the numbered/alphabetical ordering and it looks way better...that's my opinion, of course.

As for whether or not you should put songs into your script, that's your choice.  I remember that was one of the first things I read about when I was like 10 years old and getting into screenwriting.  All I did was just look up stuff and read stuff.  A big no-no at the time was never put a song in your script.  I did it anyway, just for the hell of it, because most of the time back then when I was a little kid and didn't know shit from shinola  I always envisioned myself as the one directing the crap that I wrote, ya know?  So who would care if I put all my favorite songs in the script?  Anyway, I rarely do it anymore.  I'll just mention the genre instead.  But I'm not going to sit here and tell you to not do it, it's a huge no-no, and all that jazz.  If you want to do it, do it, but don't go overboard with it.  The only thing I recommend is NOT to make the song a strong part of the story to the point where the script can't be filmed unless the rights are attained.

Wrylies/parentheticals have never bothered me.  I think a lot of people get annoyed over some weird things.  

Quoted from Nomad   If you were to use the wrong font and format but you started your script with:   "I see you, Jeff, sitting there naked with that bottle of Jagermeister, listening to Unforgettable by Nat King Cole.", and the reader's name was "Jeff" and he was sitting there naked with a bottle of Jagermeister while listening to Nat King Cole, he's going to keep reading. Sure that's an extreme example, I mean,  who would sit naked with a bottle of Jagermeister while listening to Nat King Cole?  That's just strange, but you get my point.

Yes...exactly.  But, if you changed the song to...oh, I don't know...anything by...like...uh...Edguy, Avantasia, Delain...I Can actually see that visually.  Yeah...it's not a great visual, but I can see it.  Maybe change the "bottle" to a pewter Jagermeister shotglass, horns down and a cheesy bucket with ice and a bottle a Jagie?  Yeah...I've seen that picture.  

But, you are right, Jordan, if you're going to use an exact song and run a montage over it, I'd recommend "Unforgettable", and I'd do the Natalie & Nat King Cole version.

HaHa...

Quoted from SAC As far as music goes, you cannot mention a specific song you want unless you own the copyrights yourself.

That's actually incorrect. You can mention whatever you want in a spec script. You see, as a result of a federal lawsuit involving Hustler magazine, the Supreme Court determined that you can make reference to anything or anyone in your script as long as it's not for personal gain. Being that it's a spec script, until you get paid, you can have whatever you want in there. Once they pay you, it's not your problem anymore, it's whoever bought it's problem.

I mean, I use music all the time in my scripts, when I think the moment works for it. Nobody's going to sue me for it because they can't and nobody's going to stop reading just because they see a song in there when there "shouldn't be one"...

Quoted from Mr. Blonde That's actually incorrect. You can mention whatever you want in a spec script. You see, as a result of a federal lawsuit involving Hustler magazine, the Supreme Court determined that you can make reference to anything or anyone in your script as long as it's not for personal gain. Being that it's a spec script, until you get paid, you can have whatever you want in there. Once they pay you, it's not your problem anymore, it's whoever bought it's problem. I mean, I use music all the time in my scripts, when I think the moment works for it. Nobody's going to sue me for it because they can't and nobody's going to stop reading just because they see a song in there when there "shouldn't be one"...

I stand corrected.

That's quite a relief, actually. Now I can go ahead and use Minnie Ripperton's "Loving You" in that slasher script I'm working on.

Thanks! You guys are all awesome I'll definitely take the montage bit.

I wonder if there are any songs that can be used freely? Kind of like how we don't need to get the copyrights to do a story in the Bible?

But thanks for the help on the specifics of a song. I guess it might be more helpful to write the genre of the song as opposed to a specific song. Everyone wants money for their ideas right?

Thanks again!

--C

Quoted from Mr. Blonde That's actually incorrect. You can mention whatever you want in a spec script. You see, as a result of a federal lawsuit involving Hustler magazine, the Supreme Court determined that you can make reference to anything or anyone in your script as long as it's not for personal gain. Being that it's a spec script, until you get paid, you can have whatever you want in there. Once they pay you, it's not your problem anymore, it's whoever bought it's problem. I mean, I use music all the time in my scripts, when I think the moment works for it. Nobody's going to sue me for it because they can't and nobody's going to stop reading just because they see a song in there when there "shouldn't be one"...

Haha I replied too soon. Okay! Well I guess that works well for me too