How to Write a Radio Serial Drama for Social Development- PDF

Chapter Eleven: Script Presentation 159
Setting Out Each Script Page
Each page in the script should be set out as demonstrated on the sample
script of Cut Your Coat According to Your Cloth.
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Page header. Each page of every script must have a page header giving
the series’ title, program number, writer’s name, date, and page number.
The number of the last page of the script always is given along with the
current page number—for example, “Page 1 of 10”—so that the actors,
reviewers, director, and anyone else using the script can be sure that they
have all the pages. If a word processor or computer is used for script
writing, this header can be entered for regular use. Where a word
processor or computer is not available, the writer can copy a quantity of
script paper with the heading blocks already in place.
Speech numbering. Every new direction or speech on the page is
numbered, so that the director can quickly cue an actor or technician to
a particular line in the script. Perhaps the director wants to stop the tape,
rewind, and then re-record from a particular spot. He can direct the
technician to “rewind to the end of line 5” and advise the actor to “pick
up from the beginning of line 6.”
When an actor has a long speech that is divided into several
paragraphs, each paragraph should be given a separate number so that it
can be identified and referred to easily.
Most writers restart numbering on each page with the number 1.
Some writers prefer to continue the numbers sequentially throughout the
entire script. The disadvantage of the second method is that if—during
editing or rewriting—a line is added or omitted early in the script, every
line from there to the end of the script must be renumbered.
Writers using word processors or computers might find it easier to
use the automatic line numbering command, in which case every line of
every page will be numbered.
Names. The name of the character who is speaking is given in UPPER
CASE letters followed by a colon (:), and a reasonable space is left on the
same line before the speech begins. A double space is left between the
end of one speech and the beginning of the next to make it perfectly
clear where one actor’s lines end and another’s begin.
Instructions to the actor about how to deliver the line or directions to
move towards or away from the microphone are given in upper case
letters, in parentheses, at the beginning of the actor’s line. This lets actors
recognize them immediately as instructions, so they do not read them
inadvertently.
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EXAMPLE
7. BIRE: (WHISPERING). It is time to go to bed now.
8. BELI: (COMING IN TO MICROPHONE) Yes, my husband. The
children are already asleep.