Screenwriting : How to write music into a script? by Steve Mallinson

Steve, if a character's singing a song, I put the lyrics in italics.

Great question...and all the VERY BEST to you!

Damian Lloyd - thanks, that's what was worrying me. The song (18th century and out of copyright) appears earlier in the series sung by the protagonist: as Jim Boston (thanks :) said I think it's OK to write this in the script . But my intent is that it returns at the end when the lyric of the song has come true, so just leave this bit unsaid?

Unless it carries the story forward and is paramount to the scene, I recommend against it.

I on occasion will write a particular song playing on a radio in my action lines to set scene.I sometimes will write a mother singing a song to a child,a child singing while he/she plays.A character or characters singing along to a radio a character humming a tune.I think it can be a useful way to set scene,explain an individual characters personality or a group of characters personalities and dynamic.To me it's a very useful tool to move your story telling into subtext freeing up your dialogue lines to be playful rather than expository.If you break up the song with action lines appropriately you can further the audiences understanding of personal relationships also. Many very memorable moments in none musical films are musical moments Tom Cruise Risky Business underwear dance,TopGun She's Lost That Loving Feeling song/scene,Tropic Thunder Fat suite song and dance Player Player.Mathew Broderick Twist and Shout parade scene from Ferris Beullers Day Off etc etc.To me a character singing 6 lines of a song can say as much if not more than 10 pages of dialogue ever could.

You can do whatever you want. It is your spec screenplay. Read and steal (concepts, themes, format, style, etc) from professionals who inspire you.

Here is page 1 of “Hustlers”; nobody told the Writer-Director to delete a Janet Jackson song. Specs are all writing samples until they ain’t.

I would only use a song if it is necessary to the story. For example, I used a specific song to help solve a murder. I also used the song Hot Stuff in a scene in my screenplay called Hot Stuff.

.

It's best to avoid naming specific tracks. Just describe what we are hearing instead. I am developing a script right now where a particular music genre mixed in with a specific year are integral to the storyline. In short, I will be breaking the rule of not naming specific tracks, but that doesn't mean those tracks will be used if produced.

Damian, what do you know about Hollywood while living in Canada making shorts? I’m a nobody writer and I wrote a spec screenplay with music, flashbacks, bold words, weird formatting, plot with hundreds of actors, explosion, jet planes - all the stuff google gurus say don’t do. A WGA signatory agent liked my writing and repped me.

Like I said, you can do whatever on the page, established writers or hobbyists

Damian - I just assume that you can't help yourself from making all your dower comments throughout the various S 32 forums. I think it's sad. It's truly counter productive to these forums and their objectives. I wonder how much longer the Administrators will tolerate such bad behaviour.

As for Dan M; yes I know his real name and he knows the nom-de-plume that I used in years past. We pledged to never reveal them and I stand behind that pledge. I've read some of his work from years past - I recall being impressed by his characters and their development.

Personally, I'll continue to ignore your vomit and ad hominem attacks on myself and other participants in these learning based forums. Have a nice day.

Thanks for all the comments - feel like I triggered something that wasn't entirely helpful for everyone. As someone whose fuse has become noticeably shorter during lockdown, I'm in no position to preach, but I do think it's generally better to try to live and let live. Anyway - appreciate y'all taking the time to comment and share your insights.

Hi Steve,

If you write a great story that is marketable, and if an industry person likes it, I hardly think they will reject your script or judge you in any way just because you put a specific song or two in your story. At worst, they will ask you to re-work that scene. At best, they will love the way the lyric enhances the scene, and will license that specific song from the artist and publisher/record company.

Best fortunes to you in your creative endeavors, Steve, and stay safe!

Steve. I wouldn’t name a specific song unless I felt it was absolutely necessary because it was part of the story I am telling. If it has nothing to do with the story and song could be generic, I go with generic. I agree with Bill that nobody is going to judge a screenwriter or pass on a script just because the screenwriter included a specific song or two in their screenplay.

Don't. And if a specific song is required to make the scene work? Really don't... because that points out a serious weakness in the scene. Studios are part of big entertainment conglomerates that include music divisions. So if you have a song owned by Sony music that is required by your screenplay, that kind of limits who you can sell it to, doesn't it? You aren't going to sell it to Universal or Warner Bros. They have their own music divisions and want to feature their own music. And maybe Sony is feuding with Universal over something and they refuse to sell them the song? Synergy between divisions is a big thing, to the point that Universal Music has produced a TV show designed to sell back catalogue titles... ZOEY'S INFINITE PLAYLIST. You don't want any scene that is dependent upon something that you don't control in order to work. If a specific song is required and you can't get that song? Always best to just mention the genre of music for "flavor" and let them pick the specific song... Or have something original written for the movie. There's an Oscar for original song, no awards at all for using some used existing song.

Hi, Steve. Yes, do put the lyrics in if you feel they are integral to a scene. If, say, you have a character singing (quoting) from an existing song—better yet, a song in the public domain—then the lyrics in dialogue would have quotation marks. Some scripts include a slash (/) between lines, for example: "Oh, ye'll tak' the high road/ And I'll tak' the low/ And I'll be in Scotland afore ye." No need for italics, although, you certainly can use them if you choose. Many working pros do. Screenwriter John August uses italics but also suggests adding a parenthetical (singing) simply for clarity because a reader may not catch it.

As far as should you, well, this is a spec, something you are writing on your own, correct? If so, then YOU are the filmmaker until someone else shows up. You do what you feel is right. Really, what you are doing at this point is making creative suggestions, and also creating a sample of your work.

If you feel uneasy about putting in lyrics, well, as I like to practice: When in doubt, leave it out. ;) And as Nick already explained above too, if you are just setting a mood, then you could just as easily describe the music, its style, not call out a specific song or artist, or find some other way to capture the scene.

Hope that helps! Best to you!

You wanted music samples? Here is how two comedy writers did it on the first page, the first sentence. Their spec screenplay was voted to the Annual Black List 2019.

I don't write specific songs in a screenplay because I don't care what songs are in the movie unless it has something important to do with the story. They can play Happy Days are Here Again at funeral if they want.

Thanks again. I checked with my producer - she said she likes the idea so please add it in. So I'll follow the suggestions above concerning formatting. I completely understand it may be edited out later.

Yeah, they may be edited. But good luck!

Steve. Just because your producer likes something doesn't mean that aspiring screenwriters should do what she likes. Producers aren't normally screenwriters so taking direction from them is not always a good idea.

The lyrics are written in italics under the Character' singing as dialogue. I have written that an iconic song plays during the final scene of a screenplay.

Eric. I have to ask why you write lyrics in italic. The reason I ask is because you normally wouldn't use italics in dialogue. Normally you would write (sings) in the actor's direction under the character's name. I guess your way would work as long as the person reading the script knows why you are using Italics.

Dan Guardino - thanks for your comment. My original post was motivated by the fact I thought, in my case, the music would be material to the story - not ambient or background music, but of plot significance and I wanted to write it in. The advice on here covers the spectrum from "do" to "don't", the objections seeming to center around the impression I might inadevrtantly convey by including it. So, armed with all these insights, I approached the producer, and she said, sure, good idea, why not?

This is something I struggle with as well. Music is controlled and licensed by studios, so even if the script is made, it is not guaranteed you will be able to get the rights to that particular song. More importantly, your reader may not even be familiar with the specific song, which will take him or her out of the reading experience. You can always name a genre instead of writing in a specific song. For example, instead of writing in The Beatles "Hey Jude" to your scene, you could put, "an uplifting classic rock and roll song plays." Hope this helps.

Steve. If that is the producer that is going to produce it then obviously that is a different situation. I wrote a screenplay for a producer who formed a band and had a few hit records and we had a similar discussion. He wasn't sure he could obtain the rights from the record producer but we named the songs and figure he would write some new ones if need be. Good luck with your project.

Dan - that's the way it was done in Mississippi Burning. It's pretty cheezie I might add.