I am tying myself in knots here. I really hope someone can help.

I have a short script of about 5 minutes that is written to follow the narrative of a particular song that I have secured the rights to.

Essentially all I want to do is notify the reader that the song starts here (at the beginning of the script) and finishes here (at the end of the script).

Sounds simple? But nothing looks and feels right.

The song is played as a backing track and nothing to do with what is happening on screen. But the story relates to the song. Arggggh.

Anyone?

Also check my website - launched today. http://www.kristhescript.co.uk

All the best,

Kris

You can have it precede the description or just write it in as a note.

FADE IN:

"Such and Such" plays in the background as

or

NOTE:  "Such and Such" starts at the beginning of the script, and plays all the way until the end.

These are just off the top of my head, since I don't know what it needs to be attached to, action wise.

The NOTE is probably your best bet, since it's only a script at this stage. If certain things should happen at certain beats of the song, you can note the lyrics in an action like "as the singer says all the sweet green icing's flowing down, Joe blows his nose into a napkin," or something like that. Obviously this is an exception, not the rule, since specs don't normally deal with songs like that.

An alternative, if the actions need to line up to the lyrics somehow is to write the script in two columns, with the actual script on the left and the lyrics of the song on the right. That's a bit extreme, but you'll have everything perfectly lined up the way you want it. The lyrics would be in ALL CAPS.

hey brilliant - thanks loads.

The lyrics don't have to tie up exactly so I am relaxed about that. It's more of a vanity project for me more than anything.

The NOTE line goes before EXT - etc etc?

Yes. Right at the top before anything starts. Even before the obligatory FADE IN.

ok that'll work.

many many thanks

Kris