Elements of the Sitcom

Elements of the Sitcom by Mr. Cunha with help from screenstyle.com

The Cover   

Name of the show Episode title Writer(s) 30 Rock “Hardball” by…

Fade In/Fade Out Used to open and close the script  All caps and underlined  FADE IN left justified  FADE OUT right justified FADE IN FADE OUT 

CUT TO/DISSOLVE TO    

Used at end of each scene CUT TO – small passage of time or parallel occurring event or scene DISSOLVE TO – longer passage of time between scenes Left justify in all caps and underlined CUT TO: DISSOLVE TO:

Scene Numbering   

Numbered using capital letters Centered Underlined ACT ONE SCENE A

Slugline 

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A.K.A. “scene heading” or “scene caption” Explain where, time of day Capitalized and underlined

INT. TRACY JORDAN’S DRESSING ROOM, DAY

Scene Action    

All caps, single-spaced List the characters Place in parentheses What are they doing as scene begins? (TRACY AND HIS ENTOURAGE, GRIZZ AND DOT.COM ARE HANGING OUT PLAYING VIDEO GAMES.)

Character Intros/Camera Instructions All caps  Underlined  Entrances left justified, exits right justified  Examples: KENNETH ENTERS 

CLOSE UP ON TRACY KENNETH LEAVES

Character Names/Dialogue 

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Character names are in all caps and centered Dialogue is tabbed twice and double-spaced TRACY I love that cornbread so much, I want to take it

out behind the middle school and get it pregnant.

Personal Direction   

Appears within dialogue All caps Enclosed in parentheses KENNETH (AMUSED) Mr. Jordan, (HANDS TRACY THE

CORNBREAD) pregnant cornbread!

Power of Three    

Cause and effect order A causes B causes C Builds suspense (in a drama) Involves the complications in a sitcom

Scriptwriting Rules 

Limit stage directions

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Avoid parentheticals

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Avoid long speeches or monologues

Now get writing!