I'm not sure if there's a thread for this, but I couldn't find one so--

I'm sort of stumped on how to correctly format a billboard, row of magazine covers, etc.
The way I have it right now looks something like this:

BILLBOARD
Yadda yadda yadda

But I have no idea...
Maybe like this?

Billboard/BILLBOARD: Yadda yadda yadda.

In one of my recent scripts, one of my characters was looking at various different newspapers for clues.

This is how I wrote that:

Various headlines catch Jang’s eye:

- “28 DOGS LATER: PLAGUE KILLS EVERY DOG IN NORTH KOREA”

- “WHO LET THE DOGS OUT? THE STORY BEHIND NORTH KOREA’S MEAT SHORTAGE”

- “HE KUMS WITH DOGS: RI KUM-SOK PROMISES TO RESOLVE MEAT SHORTAGE, DOGGYSTYLE.”


I can't remember exactly where I got it from, but I had definitely seen it formatted in a similar way in studio scripts.

For the billboard, I would either format it the first way you suggested, or write it like: "Alex looks up a half-naked woman displayed on a billboard. Below the woman reads: blah blah blah." That's what I've done when a character in a script reads a flier, or looks at a shop sign, etc. Once again, I've seen it formatted in a similar way in studio scripts, and I've never been pulled up for formatting it in that way.

Hope that helps.

Toby.

A billboard that exists in your script?
If you're writing a spec...

EXT. FRONTAGE ROAD - DAY

Joe drives his sedan. He stares at billboards touting tourist traps.

A "row of magazine covers", like at a magazine stand?

INT. AIRPORT - COFFEE SHOP - DAY

Jane stands in line with her latte. She scans a row of magazine covers by the register.

Does this cover what you're asking?

E.D.

Thanks, Toby. That seems pretty good.

Sort of, Brett, but not exactly...

The billboard in my script doesn't have a picture, only text.
The protag walks by it, and we get a chance to read it -- a little expostion.
It's only one sentence. I didn't want to have an entire scene only for the purpose of giving the info, so I opted for the billboard. It looks something like this:

EXT. FRONTAGE ROAD - DAY
Joe drives down the road. He looks up, nearly crashes his car when he notices a

BILLBOARD
Joe Smith has the tiniest penis on earth!

And with the magazine covers, the same thing happens.
He then walks by an old school newspaper stand, and we see 3 cover stories.
Something kinda like this.

INT. AIRPORT - COFFEE SHOP - DAY
Jane walks by a row of magazines. We get a closer view of a few:

TIME
Paul Walker named man of the year!

TEEN VOGUE
Paul Walker is the sexiest man alive!

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
Paul Walker wins the Tour De France!

EXT. AIRPORT - PARKING LOT - DAY
Jane reaches her car... or whatever.

Okay, this is how I would write all that for the billboard and magazines:

EXT.  ROAD - DAY

Joe drives down a road.  He gazes out his window, just happens to catch sights of a

BILLBOARD.

It reads --

"Joe Smith has the tiniest penis on earth!


As for the magazines, this is how I would personally write it:

INT.  AIRPORT - COFFEE SHOP - DAY

Jane walks past a row of magazines, we get a closer view of some of the titles and headlines --

TIMES -- "Paul Walker named man of the year!"

TEEN VOGUE -- "Paul Walker named sexiest man alive!"

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED -- "Paul Walker wins Tour De France!"

Hey Steex!

Gotta say I prefer Ambition's take on this to yours.
Yours is pretty good, but I like making it more distinct.
Lotta stupid readers out there, gotta include them too.
Sounds like an interesting script, keep at it! ;D

Regards,
E.D.

I too, like Ambition's.
Thanks, guys.
I'm gonna go with that. Looks pretty legit to me!
:)

I'd use INSERT:

EXT. FRONTAGE ROAD - DAY
Joe drives down the road. He looks up, nearly crashes his car when he notices a billboard

INSERT - BILLBOARD
"Joe Smith has the tiniest penis on earth!"

                                                                       BACK TO:
JOE

He stares at the billboard in horror



INT. AIRPORT - COFFEE SHOP - DAY

Jane walks by a row of magazines. She glances at the headlines.

INSERT - MAGAZINE RACK

TIME:  Paul Walker named man of the year!

TEEN VOGUE:  Paul Walker is the sexiest man alive!

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED:  Paul Walker wins the Tour De France!

                                                                 BACK TO:

JANE

She shrugs and continues on her way



Hope this helps.


Phil

Hmm, that's an interesting way to do it, dogglebe.
I'll guess I'll try both and see what looks best within the script.

Thanks for your take on it!