Screenwriting : Scène numbering, is it a must? by Conrad Ekeke

Spec script don't number. Production script do. Almost all screenwriting software will do the job for you. You just have to enable or disable the feature.

Scene numbering is usually done when breaking down a screenplay for production. Is that what is being asked of you? If so, it can easily be done as Anthony explained above.

Scene numbering is not the screenwriters job.

Definitely not.

Hi Anthony, yeah the software does that quite easily and I really do agree with you on specs. Thanks Beth, Dan and Pierre, thanks for the insight

Beth. Until you worked for CBS selling this crap. I was 22 when I got the job after college. You have to dumb down if you want to make it as a professional. https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-Lkry-SF01&hsimp=yhs-SF0...

Dynasty beat Dallas. Alexis. the bitch stole the ratings. You can make money writing cat fights. The audience eats it up. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI4XuyVq6-s

War is good business, invest your son . . .

The Best Medal is a Live Man's Smile!

And then the divorce. Writer to writer. She had to walk in. So sly. So deliberate. I could not write this scene. But women are not perfect you know. Despite what you read in the papers. https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-Lkry-SF01&hsimp=yhs-SF0...

Note to guys. NEVER EVER say you are going to crash. When the ex re appears, you are dating. Pathetic. The El Encanto. Always say the El.

What the hell is going on? As I said in another post, we need a downvote button.

this is the scene i could never write. The ring. Guys. they all I dont mean to cast indifference. But the ring has so much importance to them. If you ever get married again, the ring the ring https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-Lkry-SF01&hsimp=yhs-SF0...

Yes, let’s keep it to the thread topic. Not sure what any of this has to do with anything either?—except sexism. Apparently, as the only woman who commented on this thread about the topic question, my mere presence and gender has incited harassment by way of video clips.

Life am Neat. Want to learn the real world if it fits your writing needs, go to divorce court

and spend the day learning how real people talk -- most are not grammar correct.

And husband's deny hitting a wife and tell the judge not to believe the "punch drunk" woman.

Good Luck to all -- and even when you charm both yourself and viewers, tough learning curve.

If people can't stay on topic I wonder what their screenplays are like.

Producer, Production Office (Coordinator), Assistant Director deal with Scene Numbers. A writer can assist of course and do the initial numbering.

Jack. I agree but they should never do it in a spec screenplay because it is done during development.

Hahahah it's fun skipping out on thread topic sometimes lol. I very much appreciate y'all.

Well, maybe we are not talking about a spec here—that was not made clear. I thought perhaps Conrad is being asked (or has been hired?) to help do some of the production work for these Nigerian execs? Certainly, some indie production companies and/or companies in other countries may do things a bit differently than the general American studio standard, yes? Small groups may need people to wear more than one job hat to get the project done. Me, I certainly have done numbering on short scripts when breaking them down myself for my own filmmaking interests. And... there is absolutely nothing wrong with screenwriters wishing to learn more about project development and production themselves.

A one second click with screenwriting software to add or remove scene numbers.

Conrad. Thanks to Beth I went back and reread the original post. If an exec wants you to number the scenes do what they want. If it is a spec that is going to be sent to execs in the US don't number them unless requested. If you aren't using a software program that will add the numbers let me know.

Brave with me. I am a warrior poet. And my ancestors fought. https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-Lkry-SF01&hsimp=yhs-SF0...

Fear is the mind killer. Have no fear. go boldly. We all have fear. We must conquer it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFVgk-4w5AQ

Paul, do you have anything to add to the OP’s thread topic and its discussion? If not, then perhaps move on. If you would like to post random video clips perhaps do so in “Anything Goes” or on your profile page.

I would think a spec script will unlikely be the shooting script so scenes will change or disappear and the numbering will go to cock. So leave them numbers alone! PS I don't want an argument with anyone it's not Twitter :)

Thanks a lot again for the shared supports. Beth, you're awesome. Yes it's a spec they find interest in and want me to number the scenes. I did that but I was wondering if, as a screenwriter, I should be doing that. Thanks to Dan, I get it, do as they say. So long as it gets your work going forward. Very grateful, everyone.

Michael Ellis, that's also correct, as the shooting script may differ from the original script... The director may alter which scenes to come first and so on... Well, I was thinking, numbering should be done on shooting scripts...

Conrad, it sounds like you got the answer you were looking for, amid a lot of things you didn't ask for... but the concise answer is don't number unless specifically requested. If they don't specify, leave them off your script.

Thank you Sandrine. Yes this is why I love it here. It feels like family, getting all the help needed and an extra, in case.