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SimplyScripts Screenwriting Discussion Board    Screenwriting Discussion    Screenwriting Class  ›  Using ALL CAPS when writing action Moderators: George Willson
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  Author    Using ALL CAPS when writing action  (currently 682 views)
CrazyArtist
Posted: November 14th, 2009, 11:26pm Report to Moderator
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I’ve seen articles for and against this practice.  In the Pilot episode of FRINGE, J. J. Abrams uses it... a lot.  And I’ve seen it several recent screenplays -- ZOMBIELAND -- I’ve read that this is falling out of favor and I've read that’s it’s still a sound practice...

Does any one have any insight... or better yet, the right answer?
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Baltis.
Posted: November 14th, 2009, 11:33pm Report to Moderator
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Depends on what you mean...

THE WHOLE SENTENCE IN ALL CAPS?

or

The WHOLE sentence in all CAPS?

If it's the former, yeah, don't do it under any circumstance... It's sloppy and unprofessional.  If it's the later, and you're only using CAPS on words of action or sound... Go ahead. They actually want you to do this because it breaks the script down and makes it easier to find the breaks when someone goes back and rewrites your script for the 100th time.
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CrazyArtist
Posted: November 14th, 2009, 11:43pm Report to Moderator
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Nice.  Thank you.
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rendevous
Posted: November 15th, 2009, 11:43am Report to Moderator
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Save the CAPS for SOUND EFFECTS. Or some SERIOUS action.

Use SPARINGLY as OTHERWISE it looks like YOU'RE SHOUTING.

Oh, and it HURTS the EYES.

RENDEVOUS


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rendevous  -  November 15th, 2009, 11:44am
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Why One
Posted: November 15th, 2009, 12:56pm Report to Moderator
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It's a stylistic choice, imo.  I sometimes CAP whole sentences if something BIG is happening.  Some writers do it more often than others.  Some writers underline whole sentences.  It's a way to annunciate a piece of action or moment.

I disagree that it makes you look unprofessional since, well, professionals do it -- first timers and established.

I think the question is how do you feel when you read it?  if you don't like it, don't use it.
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George Willson
Posted: November 15th, 2009, 1:38pm Report to Moderator
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CAPS are used to draw people's attention to items of importance. This is usually essential character actions or props so that when someone scans the script over quickly, their eyes will hit the important elements of the scene (this is why dialogue headers (i.e. character names) are in caps). You'll note when you read a well-formatted professional script, you're eyes can scan the page and know the scene by hitting the stuff in caps (the slug, the characters, and the capped items that stand out).

Randomly placing the whole thing in caps? Well, if that whole action is that important, then it's fine. If you're going for eye pain, then don't do it.


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