Is there an audio theater script standard? We prefer to write our shows in the teleplay format, calling them audioplays. You can write in this format perfectly well if you just remember nothing exists unless you hear it (and the things like scene headings really help cast/crew when recording and producing).

I've written a tutorial about it here: http://dreamseed.us/tutorial01.php

So far I've seen scripts is three different styles. I guess it doesn't matter whether or not there's an official way of doing it. Just whatever works best for each individual producer, I would imagine.

I'm too tired to take the time to reproduce it here, but in J. Michael Strazcynski's (sp?) book on scriptwriting (he's the creator of Babylon 5 and a few wonderful comic books), he actually has a chapter on writing for radio with a "proper" script format. If I get a chance tomorrow, I WILL put some of it on here.

J. Michael also has written a number of radio plays for SciFi.com's Seeing Ear Theater (though nothing recently). The link is below. All the plays are in Real Media streaming format, but are a great listen. Steve Buscemi, John Ritter, Anthony Simcoe and Claudia Black (both from Farscape), Clancy Brown and a whole SLEW of other actors have lent their voices and talent to SciFi.com. Give 'em a listen.

Jester

http://www.scifi.com/set/

We have our own standard script format here. I always send a sample to prospectve writers when they join up. Main difference is, we like em left-aligned, not center, and we're not overly picky on the font, so usually we end up with Times New Roman or Arial, 12 pt.
We like indented lines beneath a character name (not done by tabbing in, but by setting hanging indent margins) and 1 line between each set of character lines. Sound effects are usually delineated by
SFX: body thump

Ok, I dug out the book, and Elie, DP's format is really close to "official" radio script format. Here is the list of requirements according to Mr. Straczinski.

- NAMES are typed in all caps and appear 10 picas from the left edge of the page
- Sound effects, music cues and transitional devices are all placed 10 picas from the left and are written in the following fashion, with each entry underlined: SOUND: A PAIR OF FOOTSTEPS; MUSIC: A DRAMATIC STAB; and TRANSITION: MUSIC or TRANSITION: SOUND OF AIRPLANE UNDER MUSIC
- All dialogue appears between 23 and 75 picas and is written in upper- and lowercase letters. If there is more than one paragraph in a speaker's dialogue, the next paragraph is not indented. You simply move on to the next double-spaced line and continue.
- The first page of yoru script begins with the title of the series written in all capital letters in the center of the page, eight spaces from the top. The title is underlined, written in upper- and lowercase letters and appears two spaces below the series title, to differentiate between teh name of the episode and teh series in which it appears.
- The first actual line of your script begins ten lines below the episode title. Each page thereafter begins with the first line of dialogue eight spaces from the top of the page. The page numbers appear four spaces fromt eh top at 75 picas.
- If a line of dialogue or any part of a speaker's line is carried over to the followign page, it is indicated by writing (CONT'D) at the very end of the last line of dialogue appearing on that page. On the next page, (CONT'D) is written again in the space normally reserved for the first actual word of dialogue.


And those are his exact, copywrighted words reprinted ehre, by me, no infringment intended, jsut providing information. There are also some pictures of some radio pages, but I'd have to scan the images and post them soemwhere. If anyone REALLY wants to see them, I'll do it. Otherwise, just follow the guidelines provided by Elie for DP or whatever works best for you.

I jsut figured you'd like to know the industry standard.

Jester