Script Terms

Scripts rely on certain universal abbreviations as there's no need to write out the whole words, and it makes it easy to have less prose, and still be detailed. For instance, the common shot types all have an abbreviation whether that be LS for Long Shot, MS for Medium Shot, and CU for Close Up. These shots also have variations like an Extreme Long Shot or an Extreme Close Up, and that can be represented by a couple letters like ELS/EXS and ECU/XCU respectively. When regarding the talent and audio sources, the most used abbreviations are VO for a voice over when we don't see the narrator, VOC for a voice over when we do see the narrator, SOT for sound on tape, NATS for natural sound, and SFX, which can either mean special effects on the video portion or sound effects on the audio portion. Since camera movements are already brief, they're usually used by their full name like Pan, Tilt, Zoom, and Dolly, although it's important to note that not all scripts have those descriptions and they're used more in the shot list.