I learned a ton of stuff reading The Dark Knight script. It's sparse, but impactful, and moves incredibly quick, this sequence being a prime example. Clarity is super important. Although it isn't cross-cutting or action oriented, I think my favorite scene from TDK is the final showdown with Two-Face. It's fraught with tension, filled with pathos from the original comics, thematically tight, and emotional. Two more weeks!

Hey Scott, The script excerpt did engross and build tension. The use of oblique audience cueing to relative time is not new but it is effective as a literal ticking clock in the scene. I have a technical question about the format. The Nolan’s use capitalization in some of the SD’s that are not “first time appearance of a character” : ‘Batman RACES past Gordon.’/ ‘ … metal BARRELS,…’/ ‘A RECTANGULAR SHAPE is visible under the skin…'. Are these simple action and prop cues that Christopher Nolan has in the script as a production aid (as he had both writer and director hats on)? Or am I missing a few formatting rules? Thanks and cheers, Wes…

Wes, traditionally screenwriters have used capitalization for two things: To introduce a character [capping their names] and to signify sound effects. But ever since I started in the business 25 years ago, I've seen plenty of scripts where writers use caps to emphasize specific visuals, such as Jonah and Christopher Nolan in TDK. The simple fact is capped words tend to draw the reader's eye. Thus when used judiciously, particularly in action scenes, capped words can help to sell what is transpiring. I invite GITS readers to post excerpts from other scripts where the writers use capped words for this purpose.

Thanks Scott, I grabbed the “B” section of my script library and gave a quick scan of some scripts to look for other uses of capitalizations. Like you posted on your response, I am conditioned (or my eye is at least) to seeing CAPS used for introducing a character or sound effect. Occasionally I have seen CAPS used as specific camera direction in “shooting scripts”. I looked through “Bladerunner”, “Buried” and “The Breakfast Club”. All these scripts used CAPS conventionally. However, when I skimmed some scripts for the re-envisioned “Battlestar Galactica” I found some other uses for CAPS: From BSG Miniseries Part 1, ‘INT. GALACTICA – PASSAGEWAYS It's one long take: We're FOLLOWING a woman as she jogs through the narrow, cramped passageways of the Battlestar Galactica. She's dressed in jogging bra, shorts, running shoes and eventually we'll learn that her name is KARA THRACE. We keep following Kara as she makes a left hand turn at an INTERSECTION, crosses through a side passageway, makes another left, now going back in the direction she came. A TOUR GROUP of CIVILIANS is blocking her way up ahead.’ Here CAPS are used to give camera direction, introduce characters as well as key sets. From BSG Episode “33” I found a similar use of CAPS to what the Nolan’s used: ‘INT. GALACTICA - CIC ADAMA is staring at a CLOCK hanging on a bulkhead. The SECOND HAND is sweeping up toward the hour. TIGH, GAETA, DUALLA at their stations. Everyone watching clocks (digital & analog) or their watches. The mood is tense. Dualla operates her console by rote, her face a mask of exhaustion. INT. ADAMA’S QUARTERS/CORRIDOR Adama is in the head, SHAVING and talking to Tigh, who’s scribbling notes on a piece of paper and scarfing down a few bites of Adama’s untouched food in between sentences. ADAMA Divide the fleet into six groups. They Jump to six different coordinates... Adama CUTS himself with the razor -- BLOOD trickles down his throat for a moment.’ After a phone conversation between Laura and Adama, the following SD is used: ‘Adama SLAMS the phone back in its cradle. Lies down. A beat, then he grabs the phone, resets the dial and rings CIC.’ As in the Nolan’s TDK, Ron Moore uses CAPS to draw emphasis on certain objects and actions. This has been an education for me. My eye was undoubtedly drawn to the emphasis of CAPS but on a subconscious level. I will be much more attentive to the use of CAPS in my reading from now on. Cheers, Wes…

I've written numerous sequences JUST LIKE THIS in many of my scripts. this tighty, This visually visceral. This subplot to plot connective importance. I AM outside the Hollywood system. Nolan and his brother and Ayer ARE NOT. Many readers will simply glance thru your script and toss it. They promote by saying no to everything. To continue USING these simply written scripts that have been adapted from previously published-successful sources by writers ALREADY in the system...DOES NOT help struggling writers become better writers. This is a very easy script to understand and write. And the Readers and lit agents/managers in the system have to realize what their jobs are really about: FINDING TALENT outside the walls. Not tossing everything in garbage cans to get themselves promoted.