Do we mention sound effects in screenplays?

Question

I'm working on a screenplay for an animated film. What I'm wondering is if I need to put in sound effects or not. I am naturally telling what the audience is to see and the dialogue they're to hear, but I wonder how much (if any) sound effect direction we are to put in. The animated film has a narrator as the only one that actually talks. There are animated characters but they don't actually talk but more grunt, groan, scream, and such. Sort of like how Disney would do educational films in the Fifties and how Pixar did "Your Friend the Rat" animated short in the special features of "Ratatouille" DVD.

Input appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Scott

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]I'm working on a screenplay for an animated film. What I'm wondering is if I need to put in sound ... Pixar did "Your Friend the Rat" animated short in the special features of "Ratatouille" DVD. Input appreciated. Thanks in advance![/nq]
Is this a spec script or an assigned script?
If it's spec, leave the sound effects out.
If it's an assignment ask the producer and the director what their preference is.

"The easiest thing to do on earth is not write."
? William Goldman

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I'm working on a screenplay for an animated film. What I'm wondering is if I need to put in sound ... did "Your Friend the Rat" animated short in the special features of "Ratatouille" DVD. Input appreciated. Thanks in advance! Scott[/nq]
Maybe you could find scripts that convey what you are trying to convey - maybe someone has a copy of Ratatouille or the like to download. I mean, Skrat had to have a mention of his voice. And I wonder how they did 'dialog' for Quest For Fire...

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]I'm working on a screenplay for an animated film. What I'm wondering is if I need to put in sound effects or not. I am naturally telling what the audience is to see and the dialogue they're to hear, but I wonder how much (if any) sound effect direction we are to put in. The animated film has a narrator as the only one that actually talks. There are animated characters but they don't actually talk but more grunt, groan, scream, and such. Sort of like how Disney would do educational films in the Fifties and how Pixar did "Your Friend the Rat" animated short in the special features of "Ratatouille" DVD. Input appreciated. Thanks in advance! Scott[/nq]
[nq:1]Maybe you could find scripts that convey what you are trying to convey - maybe someone has a copy of Ratatouille or the like to download. I mean, Skrat had to have a mention of his voice. And I wonder how they did 'dialog' for Quest For Fire...[/nq]
Anthony Burgess helped them.
W : )

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]I'm working on a screenplay for an animated film. What ... features of "Ratatouille" DVD. Input appreciated. Thanks in advance! Scott[/nq]
[nq:1]Maybe you could find scripts that convey what you are trying to convey - maybe someone has a copy of ... Skrat had to have a mention of his voice. And I wonder how they did 'dialog' for Quest For Fire...[/nq]
A better example, if the animals don't talk, is "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimmaron".

The Peripatetic Samurai Robot

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]I'm working on a screenplay for an animated film. What ... special features of "Ratatouille" DVD. Input appreciated. Thanks in advance![/nq]
[nq:1]Is this a spec script or an assigned script? If it's spec, leave the sound effects out.[/nq]
It is a spec script in a way. I have a non-profit tentatively interested in funding its production. I pitched it to their director and she was interested in doing it. I'm now working on the script. Today they asked me how much it would cost to get it made. Anyone know a rule of thumb for such things? Like how much per minute such animation costs. I also wonder if I could make due with flash animation.
When looking at the educational films Disney did, they look like they were cheap to produce. No "Snow White" production values. Here's link to the type of cartoon I'm envisioning for the script: http://tinyurl.com/4ycta8 This one stars a non-talking Goofy and an off-camera narrator.
Scott

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]It is a spec script in a way. I have a non-profit tentatively interested in funding its production. I pitched ... the type of cartoon I'm envisioning for the script: This one stars a non-talking Goofy and an off-camera narrator.[/nq]
I don't really have a clue about what that kind of thing would cost.

"The easiest thing to do on earth is not write."
? William Goldman

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I'm working on a screenplay for an animated film. What I'm wondering is if I need to put in sound ... Pixar did "Your Friend the Rat" animated short in the special features of "Ratatouille" DVD. Input appreciated. Thanks in advance![/nq]
Sorry, Scott, I'm not a screenwriter but I post here anyway. If I were a screenwriter, I would put tons of sound effects in my script just to annoy the director.
That's not true. I wouldn't do it just to annoy the director. What I'm saying is that annoying the director would be only part of the pleasure. The other part would be listening to every Tom, and Harry in Hollywood denounce me for putting in too many sound effects. It's a perverse joy that's not for everyone, but a few of us would get a chuckle out of it.
Scott, what I'm saying is, if you want to sell your script to Hollywood, your soul has to be attached as part of the deal.

Sorry, Scott, I couldn't resist the joke. If you want to sell your script to Hollywood, you'd better listen to what the other folks here say, or pick up a good screenplay like Chinatown and see how it's written. It's a subtle art form, writing a script for the nitwits in Hollyweird, but if you don't master the format and the style, they'll mark you way down for it, regardless of the quality of your story.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Sorry, Scott, I couldn't resist the joke.[/nq]
I laughed. :-)
[nq:1]If you want to sell your script to Hollywood, you'd better listen to what the other folks here say...[/nq]
I am listening. Listening and appreciating the replies I get from those nice enough to reply.
[nq:1]...or pick up a good screenplay like Chinatown and see how it's written.[/nq]
I'm trying to find scripts where a narrator does all the talking and live/animated people illustrate the narrator's points and to keep the audience engaged.
[nq:1]It's a subtle art form, writing a script for the nitwits in Hollyweird, but if you don't master the format and the style, they'll mark you way down for it, regardless of the quality of your story.[/nq]
While I would love to get this produced by a Hollywood studio (Pixar being the dream), I really don't think any would want to do it. It isn't a kind of film you'd see at movie theaters or probably not even on TV. I doubt even PBS. That's partly why I'm going the grant route and looking to distribute it free over YouTube.com and its clones.

Scott

Usenet · Answer

"STJensen" (Email Removed)
[nq:1]I'm working on a screenplay for an animated film. What I'm wondering is if I need to put in sound ... the dialogue they're to hear, but I wonder how much (if any) sound effect direction we are to put in.[/nq]
Search for "graphic novel format" on this newsgroup. There's an interesting discussion and links to examples that might give you some ideas.

Martin

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I'm working on a screenplay for an animated film. What I'm wondering is if I need to put in sound ... did "Your Friend the Rat" animated short in the special features of "Ratatouille" DVD. Input appreciated. Thanks in advance! Scott[/nq]
That's a style choice, which you may or may not want to make..

He pulls the trigger. CLICK! CLICK! CLICK!!
or,
He fires the gun. The bullet ricochets around the room.

I've written both. Actually in the same screenplay. I felt I didn't need to write the BING, BING, BING!!! for fear of bringing back dusty old memories of Ricochet Rabbit..
So, what I'm saying here is, write what you feel is necessary. If it's an animated movie, my feeling is, that I would see the words on the screen a la Batman if you wrote something like, POW!! or ZAP!!! and that may or may not be what you're going for..

Do we mention sound effects in screenplays?

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