Slightly odd Final Draft question

Question

So it's a long story, but I've been hired to write book and lyrics for a Broadway show. I'll give more details to anyone who really cares via e-mail, but those of you who know me IRL know what a big musical theater fan I am, so it's quite exciting for me.
Anyway
I've found that Final Draft has a Musical Theater template, go figure, and it's made writing the book and lyrics a breeze, at least formatting-wise.

But
I'm currently writing lyrics for a song that, toward the end, has a fair amount of overlapping counterpoint in it, and I'm not sure how to get Final Draft to do that side-by-side format thingy. I know most folks (Suzy?) probably don't use Final Draft to write song lyrics, since it's, um, weird, but perhaps someone else has done split dialogue for a different type of project. Anyway, can't find help in the FD Help, so thought I'd ask here...

Thoughts? You may execute them musically, if you like.

emg
Oh, and for Paulo James Frey has funny facial hair.

Usenet · Accepted Answer

(( This message was both posted and mailed: see
the "To," "Cc," and "Newsgroups" headers for details. ))
[nq:1]So it's a long story, but I've been hired to write book and lyrics for a Broadway show. I'll give ... you who know me IRL know what a big musical theater fan I am, so it's quite exciting for me.[/nq]
I always thought you slightly resembled Nathan Lane...
[nq:1]Anyway I've found that Final Draft has a Musical Theater template, go figure, and it's made writing the book ... find help in the FD Help, so thought I'd ask here... Thoughts? You may execute them musically, if you like.[/nq]
I don't need to execute my thoughts - this newsgroup can take care of that.
The latest final draft CD also has Final Draft AV (Audio-Visual) which has two-column as you might know. That should do it for you, I think.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I'm currently writing lyrics for a song that, toward the end, has a fair amount of overlapping counterpoint in it, ... dialogue for a different type of project. Anyway, can't find help in the FD Help, so thought I'd ask here...[/nq]
Write the two sections of dialogue

in the normal way (one character's speech after the other), then put the cursor beside the first name, go to FORMAT and click on DUAL DIALOGUE... and violá! (At least that's the way it works in Version 6.) To edit the text you have to reverse the "Dual Dialogue" process first.
BTW, congratulations on the show. Sounds like you're having a lot of fun. Is it about dinosaurs?

RonB
"There's a story there...somewhere"

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Write the two sections of dialogue

in the normal way (one character's speech after the other), then put the ... the way it works in Version 6.) To edit the text you have to reverse the "Dual Dialogue" process first.[/nq]
Hey, that did the trick. Thanks!!!
[nq:1]BTW, congratulations on the show. Sounds like you're having a lot of fun. Is it about dinosaurs?[/nq]
No, 'tis not. Although I my composer and I did speak about musicalizing Rex as a future project. But the staging... oy, the staging...

emg

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]The latest final draft CD also has Final Draft AV (Audio-Visual) which has two-column as you might know. That should do it for you, I think.[/nq]
I'll check it out thanks for the info! RonB suggested a Dual Dialogue trick that's worked for the moment I'll see what the AV disc does tonight...
emg

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]So it's a long story, but I've been hired to write book and lyrics for a Broadway show. I'll give ... you who know me IRL know what a big musical theater fan I am, so it's quite exciting for me.[/nq]
What a fun project. Congrats! You must be stoked!

Doug
Just a virtual guy... in a virtual world

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]Write the two sections of dialogue

in the normal ... text you have to reverse the "Dual Dialogue" process first.[/nq]
[nq:1]Hey, that did the trick. Thanks!!![/nq]
This is one place where FD outshines MMS.
[nq:2]BTW, congratulations on the show. Sounds like you're having a lot of fun. Is it about dinosaurs?[/nq]
[nq:1]No, 'tis not. Although I my composer and I did speak about musicalizing Rex as a future project. But the staging... oy, the staging...[/nq]
Just cast midgets as the normal people and regular sized people as dinosaurs. It's *so* simple. :~)

RonB
"There's a story there...somewhere"

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]So it's a long story, but I've been hired to ... theater fan I am, so it's quite exciting for me.[/nq]
[nq:1]What a fun project. Congrats! You must be stoked![/nq]
I am, thanks! Of course, the legit theater world, as I am now learning, is an even more cutthroat venue than Hollywood. I don't think it's quite the recording industry, but it's an incredibly small pool, and the sharks are plentiful. Every time I even think about the business behind the stage, I want to go running back to the safety of the studios. Yeeep!

But hey, it's showbiz!
emg

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]So it's a long story, but I've been hired to write book and lyrics for a Broadway show. I'll give ... you who know me IRL know what a big musical theater fan I am, so it's quite exciting for me.[/nq]
Break a leg! Or whatever it is that playwright/lyricists do. And may Antoinette Perry turn out to be your patron saint!

Usenet · Answer

Eric,
I have FD but am afraid I haven't pushed it to see what all it can do. Just do basic script formatting.
I take it you want to do something like this:
CARMEN
CHORUS
There's a duck in my soup! (singing)

He won't eat very much very much
No, he won't eat very much
That was so hard to do right there that I guess you really do need some template.
Good luck with it. Sounds fab.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I am, thanks! Of course, the legit theater world, as I am now learning, is an even more cutthroat venue ... behind the stage, I want to go running back to the safety of the studios. Yeeep! But hey, it's showbiz![/nq]
The show must go on! Give 'em ****, Eric.
Doug
Just a virtual guy... in a virtual world

Slightly odd Final Draft question

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions