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character-dialogue

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🇺🇸

Original

English
🇨🇳

Translation

Chinese

Character & Dialogue Skill

角色与对话技能

Invocation Triggers

触发场景

Apply this skill when:
  • Introducing characters
  • Writing dialogue blocks
  • Formatting character names
  • Handling dual dialogue
  • Using character extensions
当以下情况时应用本技能：
  • 介绍角色
  • 撰写对话块
  • 设置角色名称格式
  • 处理双人同时对话
  • 使用角色扩展标记

Character Name Format

角色名称格式

Basic Format

基础格式

Character names must be:
  • ALL UPPERCASE
  • On their own line
  • Preceded by a blank line
  • Followed immediately by dialogue (no blank line)
fountain

SARAH
Hello, John.
角色名称必须满足：
  • 全部大写
  • 单独占一行
  • 前需空一行
  • 紧随其后为对话（无空行）
fountain

SARAH
Hello, John.

Character Extensions

角色扩展标记

Extensions appear in parentheses after the name:
ExtensionMeaningWhen to Use
(V.O.)
Voice OverCharacter narrating or not in scene
(O.S.)
Off ScreenCharacter in scene but not visible
(O.C.)
Off CameraSame as O.S. (alternate)
(CONT'D)
ContinuedSame speaker after action interruption
(PRE-LAP)
Pre-lapAudio starts before scene
(INTO PHONE)
DeliverySpeaking into phone
(INTO RADIO)
DeliverySpeaking into radio
(SUBTITLE)
TranslationForeign dialogue translated
fountain
SARAH (V.O.)
I never should have trusted him.

JOHN (O.S.)
Sarah? Are you home?

SARAH
In here!

She turns toward the door.

SARAH (CONT'D)
I wasn't expecting you.
扩展标记需放在角色名称后的括号中：
扩展标记含义使用场景
(V.O.)
画外音（Voice Over）角色旁白或不在场景中时
(O.S.)
画外（Off Screen）角色在场景内但不可见时
(O.C.)
镜头外（Off Camera）与O.S.含义相同（替代写法）
(CONT'D)
继续（Continued）动作打断后同一角色继续发言时
(PRE-LAP)
提前入画（Pre-lap）音频先于画面出现时
(INTO PHONE)
对着电话角色正在打电话时
(INTO RADIO)
对着对讲机角色正在使用对讲机时
(SUBTITLE)
字幕外文对话需翻译时
fountain
SARAH (V.O.)
I never should have trusted him.

JOHN (O.S.)
Sarah? Are you home?

SARAH
In here!

She turns toward the door.

SARAH (CONT'D)
I wasn't expecting you.

Forcing Mixed-Case Names

强制混合大小写名称

Use 
@
prefix for names that aren't all caps:
fountain
@McCLANE
Yippee ki-yay.

@DeVITO
Don't start with me.
对于无需全大写的名称，使用
@
前缀：
fountain
@McCLANE
Yippee ki-yay.

@DeVITO
Don't start with me.

Dialogue Format

对话格式

Basic Dialogue

基础对话

fountain
SARAH
This is a line of dialogue. It can
span multiple lines naturally.
fountain
SARAH
This is a line of dialogue. It can
span multiple lines naturally.

Dialogue with Parenthetical

带括号提示语的对话

fountain
SARAH
(hesitant)
I don't think that's a good idea.

JOHN
(laughing)
You always say that.
(serious now)
But this time I agree.
fountain
SARAH
(hesitant)
I don't think that's a good idea.

JOHN
(laughing)
You always say that.
(serious now)
But this time I agree.

Parenthetical Guidelines

括号提示语准则

  • Use sparingly
  • Brief direction only
  • Lower case
  • On own line within dialogue block
  • Don't overuse - trust actors
Good parentheticals:
fountain
(whispering)
(to John)
(beat)
(re: the gun)
(into phone)
Bad parentheticals (avoid):
fountain
(angrily, as if she can't believe what she's hearing)
(walking across the room and picking up the vase)
  • 尽量少用
  • 仅添加简短的表演提示
  • 小写字母
  • 在对话块内单独占一行
  • 不要过度使用——相信演员的表现力
合适的提示语：
fountain
(whispering)
(to John)
(beat)
(re: the gun)
(into phone)
需避免的提示语：
fountain
(angrily, as if she can't believe what she's hearing)
(walking across the room and picking up the vase)

Dual Dialogue (Simultaneous Speech)

双人同时对话（Simultaneous Speech）

Characters speaking at the same time:
fountain
JACK
I love you!

JILL ^
I hate you!
The 
^
after the second character name triggers side-by-side formatting.
角色同时发言的写法：
fountain
JACK
I love you!

JILL ^
I hate you!
第二个角色名称后的
^
标记会触发并排排版效果。

Dual Dialogue Guidelines

双人同时对话准则

  • Use for overlapping speech
  • Second character gets the 
    ^
  • Both should be roughly equal length
  • Don't overuse - can be hard to follow
  • 用于重叠发言场景
  • 第二个角色名称后添加
    ^
  • 两段对话长度应大致相当
  • 不要过度使用——会影响可读性

Character Introduction

角色介绍

First Appearance Format

首次出场格式

When a character first appears, their name is typically CAPITALIZED in action:
fountain
INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY

SARAH CHEN (30s, sharp eyes, perpetually exhausted)
sits alone at a corner table.
角色首次出场时，其名称通常在动作描述中大写：
fountain
INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY

SARAH CHEN (30s, sharp eyes, perpetually exhausted)
sits alone at a corner table.

Introduction Best Practices

介绍最佳实践

  • Age range, not exact age
  • Brief physical impression
  • One character-defining detail
  • Active description when possible
Good introductions:
fountain
JOHN MARCUS (40s, ex-military bearing, softened by life)

DETECTIVE PARK (50s, seen too much, says too little)

YOUNG SARAH (8, all skinned knees and fierce determination)
Avoid:
fountain
SARAH, a beautiful woman in her 30s, enters.  // "beautiful" is vague

JOHN is tall with brown hair and blue eyes.  // casting details
  • 使用年龄范围而非具体年龄
  • 简短的外貌印象
  • 一个能体现角色特点的细节
  • 尽可能使用动态描述
合适的介绍示例：
fountain
JOHN MARCUS (40s, ex-military bearing, softened by life)

DETECTIVE PARK (50s, seen too much, says too little)

YOUNG SARAH (8, all skinned knees and fierce determination)
需避免的写法：
fountain
SARAH, a beautiful woman in her 30s, enters.  // "beautiful" 过于模糊

JOHN is tall with brown hair and blue eyes.  // 属于选角细节

Character Consistency

角色一致性

Naming Rules

命名规则

  • Pick one name, use it consistently
  • Avoid switching between SARAH/MS. CHEN/SHE
  • If character is known differently by different people, pick one for script
  • 选定一个名称并保持一致使用
  • 避免在SARAH/陈女士/她之间切换
  • 如果角色在不同人中有不同称呼，在剧本中统一使用一个名称

Exception Patterns

例外情况示例

fountain
// Character is introduced under false identity
STRANGER (later revealed as JOHN)
Nice to meet you.

// Later, after reveal
JOHN
Sorry about the deception.
fountain
// 角色以虚假身份登场
STRANGER (later revealed as JOHN)
Nice to meet you.

// 身份揭露后
JOHN
Sorry about the deception.

Dialogue Best Practices

对话最佳实践

Line Length

行长度

  • Keep lines speakable (read aloud)
  • Break at natural breath points
  • One thought per line when possible
  • 保持台词适合口语表达（可大声朗读）
  • 在自然的呼吸点换行
  • 尽可能每行表达一个想法

Subtext

潜台词

  • Characters rarely say exactly what they mean
  • Let action contradict words
  • Use pauses and silence
fountain
SARAH
I'm fine.

She stares out the window, knuckles white on her coffee cup.
  • 角色很少直接说出真实想法
  • 用动作与台词形成反差
  • 利用停顿和沉默
fountain
SARAH
I'm fine.

She stares out the window, knuckles white on her coffee cup.

Avoiding "On the Nose"

避免“直白表述”

Instead of:
fountain
JOHN
I'm angry because you betrayed me and now I can't trust you.
Try:
fountain
JOHN
(quiet)
I think you should leave.
不要这样写：
fountain
JOHN
I'm angry because you betrayed me and now I can't trust you.
可以这样写：
fountain
JOHN
(quiet)
I think you should leave.

Validation Checklist

验证清单

  • Character names in UPPERCASE
  • Blank line before character names
  • No blank line between name and dialogue
  • Extensions in (PARENTHESES)
  • Parentheticals are brief and necessary
  • Mixed-case names use @ prefix
  • Dual dialogue uses ^ on second character
  • Character names are consistent throughout
  • 角色名称为大写
  • 角色名称前空一行
  • 角色名称与对话之间无空行
  • 扩展标记放在括号中
  • 括号提示语简洁且必要
  • 混合大小写名称使用@前缀
  • 双人同时对话在第二个角色后添加^
  • 全剧本中角色名称保持一致