If you use Word often and you usually do it by writing a lot of text, and specifically scripts, you will have realized that inserting dialogue scripts can be a real nightmare. We have the short dash and the long dash. Attention: spelling note. The first serves to divide two words (theoretical-practical); the second, to mark each of the characters' interventions in a text . Today we want to deal with long dashes (also called "majors") to make things easier for you if you usually use them in Word . Did you know that with the Microsoft word processorDo you have the option to activate them automatically and in a much more comfortable and simple way? Next, we will tell you what options you have to put a dialogue script in Word.
Insert as symbol
1. We work with Microsoft Word 2010 , a very popular version. The first thing you have to do is access the Insert tab (located on the upper task bar). You will see that a menu is enabled with a whole series of icons.
2. Click on the last option symbol and More Symbols . When you're inside, click on the Special Characters tab. You will see that the first options are to insert different types of hyphens. The ones that interest us are the long dashes, so click on the first one and then choose Insert .
3. You will see that the hyphens are already inserted automatically, as you click on the OK key .
Insert via shortcut
If you prefer not to move the mouse around the document, you can also use a shortcut. You already know that Word has a shortcut system to be able to access different functions with the keyboard. All you have to do in this case is press the following key combination: Control + Alt + - (within the numeric keyboard, don't forget about that, because with the other script it won't work).
Another formula: use a template
The art of scripting is certainly complex. Apart from being a good screenwriter and having great imaginative power, you will have to take into account many formal aspects, such as typography ( Courier size 12 is recommended , first of all, because it closely resembles the old Hollywood scripts made by typewriter; in seconds, because a page written in that format is equivalent to one minute of footage and thus it is easier to calculate how long the film lasts without having shot it), the parts or the architecture of the dialogues. We have located a very useful template Javier Meléndez Martin (From The Elegant Solution ), valid from Word 2007. You will see that the template does not include storyboards, but if what you are interested in is a one hundred percent professional solution, it would be interesting for you to download it.
1. Access this link to download the template.
2. When you have it (you will see that it only takes a few seconds to reach your computer), unzip the ZIP and rescue the document inside. Here is the template.
3. Click on it to open it in Word . Enable editing and get going. As you can see, the template is very simple, but it is all you need so that your characters start talking and the dialogues are well organized.
Do you usually write scripts? What are your tips to write and organize faster? You can share them with us in the comments.