Spot Directing
Spot directing is probably one of the most difficult things to do on episode especially for a newbie. I literally could not do it at all initially until I found other ways. Once you get the hang of it spot directing is very easy although it can be time consuming depending on what you are doing.
When I'm spot directing I use the spot helper when viewing my story and copy down the code. For example I click on the spot helper button then move and resize my character. There is a code in the corner which says the position for example 0.5 50 200. With this you use in your script for example standing in that position= @GIRL stands spot 0.5 50 200.
However, if you want a character like a child to be the same size and position every time you must note the spot positions down somewhere for future reference.
Some people just use trial and error which is perfectly acceptable however the spot helper is much easier to use in my opinion.
As for lying in beds you can go to a spot cheat sheet by clicking here. It basically tells you all the positions for the episode background for boys and girls.
People such as Genevieve Manzo (the author of dripping mascara) have created their own spot cheat sheets for other backgrounds and for walking on the sidewalks etc... Click here for Gen's amazing cheat sheet which was a great help for me. Also click here to see Gen's page on the forums which is very useful and she's an amazing person so go subscribe to her!
Theres a lot more I can say about spot directing but I'd prefer it if you asked questions and wrote things you know in the comments because of course not only is this here to tell you information its also for you guys to comment and ask and talk to each over!
Hope this helped, keep commenting!
-Josie :)
Hey, this really helped me but what are you supposed to type in if you want to make thee character smaller because the character is far??
ReplyDeletespot x.xxx xxx x If you go into create mode and put the character in the place copy the code and ignore the brackets and the @. Just write down the first part of the number with a dot and further ignore the rest and just type the numbers. Sometimes the character disappear but there is probably just a glitch so just work with the characters, spots and zones until it looks right. If you want a character to move to a spot just say @character move to spot x.xxx xx x and when a character to stand on a spot say @character spot x.xxx xxx no adding screen right or screen left or that stuff but if you need to, you can add in zone 2 or 3 or 4 etc. Also you can not add clothing changes in the same line, I found that if you do that the character disappears so instead of saying @character spot x.xxx xxx x AND CHARACTER changes into (outfit)
DeleteSay @character spot x.xxx xxx x
@character changes into. These are just the things that I learned while doing this.
Hope that helps xoxo
Thank You so much. It helped a lot. Can you please just tell me how to put a character behind the judge desk with courtroom background. I am really struggling and I need it for a scene.
ReplyDeleteThankyou so much this helped alot,
ReplyDeletehow do you make certain characters come to the front. I did what you explained for the spotting thing but now character that I don't want to be at the back are
I really want my character to enter and exit in the same spot. Like whenever I make them enter or exit it makes them bigger coming in/out. Any help?
ReplyDeleteHey! Okay so there is this new bed that is called "JUVIE WELLES BEDROOM" And the bed is far away. At this moment there is no spot location for it, and I've seen people use it in their stories, so I wanted to use it for my story. I just don't know how to position my characters.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
the code for this bed room is
Delete@CHARACTER spot 0.384 54 442 in zone 2 AND CHARACTER faces left AND CHARACTER starts lay_awake_loop
May I ask something?
ReplyDeleteMy problem is
#place with table to spot ###
@pan to zone 2
@CHARACTER1 sits screen right in zone 2 AND CHARACTER1 spot 1.280 262 -51
@CHARACTER1 starts talk_neutral
@CHARACTER2 sits screen left in zone 2 AND CHARACTER2 spot
1.280 146 -48
@CHARACTER2 starts laugh_giggle
The problem is when the screen starts pan to zone 2, my character suddenly pops up after a few second. It was like lagging. Am I do it wrong?
I want my character in their place when the screen starts to pan.
And when it pan to zone 2 the only thing that stay in place is the table but my character dissapear.
DeleteAfter a 1 seconds, my character pops up.
And it happened the same with this one
#At school hall
#pan to zone 2
@CHARACTER1 stands screen center in zone 3 AND CHARACTER1 spot 0.840 106 216
@CHARACTERA stands screen right in zone 3 AND CHARACTER2
spot 0.840 219 219
After pan the characters pops up after 1 second.
I want the characters to be in their spot when it pan to zone the character already there without missing.
Can you help me? I really appreciate it.
Use @cut to zone ### maybe?
DeleteHey so im trying to use the wells bedroom but how do i get the character to walk over to the bed and lay down? can you help me please
ReplyDeleteive tried the code you gave the other person asking but my character ends up on the floor lol
Deletehaha nevermind i was doing something wrong that it wouldnt show up right. thanks
DeleteINT. JUVIE WELLES BEDROOM - NIGHT
Delete@cut to zone 2
@CHARACTER enters from left to screen center
@CHARACTER walks to spot 0.220 160 441 in 3 AND CHARACTER is walk_offset_rear
@CHARACTER is sit
@CHARACTER spot 0.220 154 476
@CHARACTER is lay_asleep_loop
spot in layer
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteCan I make characters walk at a different size than the normal one?
I've tried like this:
@CHARACTER spot XXXX XXX XX
@CHARACTER walks to XXX XX X
But there's an error that says: too many values to unpack.
I'd like to know whether there's any way to make bigger or smaller characters walk without changing their size. I've been trying for two days. If it can't be done, I'll stop looking for a way.
Thank you!
Hello I need a little bit of help :)
ReplyDeleteOkay, so I wrote this:
INT. ANGIE BED RED - DAY
@transition fade in black in 1
@follow KALLIE to screen center in zone 3
#beat ends
#beat starts
@pause for a beat
#beat ends
#beat starts
@KALLIE starts yawn_bored
#beat ends
#beat starts
KALLIE
(Oh gosh... I'm so tired...)
#beat ends
#beat starts
@KALLIE spot 1.2 -252 289 in zone 3 AND KALLIE faces left AND KALLIE starts lay_awake_loop
#beat ends
#beat starts
@KALLIE spot 1.2 -252 289 in zone 3 AND KALLIE faces left AND KALLIE starts lay_asleep_loop
@pause for a beat
@transition fade out black in 1
NARRATOR
A while later...
@transition fade in black in 1
#beat ends
#beat starts
@KALLIE spot 1.2 -252 289 in zone 3 AND KALLIE faces left AND KALLIE starts lay_asleep_loop
#beat ends
#beat starts
@KALLIE spot 1.2 -252 289 in zone 3 AND KALLIE faces left AND KALLIE starts lay_awake_loop
#beat ends
#beat starts
@KALLIE spot 1.2 -252 289 in zone 3 AND KALLIE starts stand_up
#beat ends
#beat starts
@KALLIE spot 1.2 450 1 THEN KALLIE faces left
#beat ends
#beat starts
So I don't know how to make the character stand there where she was before lying down and I don't know how :/
um to much beat starts and beat ends lol
DeleteCan someone email me rosie.x.selth@gmail.com please explaining how the numbers work. I cant seem to work out how the sequences work
ReplyDeleteI have this,
ReplyDeleteINT. JUVIE HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY
@transition fade in black 3
@pan to zone 2
@MAM changes into HOSPITALDRESS
@MAM spot 0.905 633 388 AND MAM faces right AND MAM starts laying_faceup
@DAD spot 0.580 391 341 in zone 2 at layer 1 AND DAD faces right
@DAD is talk_nervous
@DOCTOR spot 0.615 521 340 in zone 2 at layer 1 AND DOCTOR faces left
@DOCTOR2 spot 0.615 521 330 in zone 2 at layer 1 AND DOCTOR2 faces right AND DOCTOR2 is tinker_rear
but when I test my story they stand in other places then the spot I want and directed... can someone help me?
Oh my gosh! This helped me so much, thank you!!
ReplyDeleteHow do i make my character walk or run while there small
ReplyDeletei need help makig the limelight create a charater
ReplyDeleteThanks this was really helpful
ReplyDeletewhen you have 2 characters on the screen and there both in certain spot positions but you want one character to be behind the other charater what do you do? I know you can use upscreen but only when you say " @EVAN stands upscreen left" but you can't use upscreen when its like this "@EVEN spot 1.313 256 874" so how do you do it??
ReplyDelete