French Timed Text Style Guide

French Timed Text Style Guide

This document covers the language specific requirements for French. Please make sure to also review the General Requirements section and related guidelines for comprehensive instructions surrounding timed text deliveries to Netflix.

I. French Subtitles

I.1. Abbreviations

Monsieur: M. (with period)
Madame: Mme (no period)
Mademoiselle: Mlle (no period)
Maître: Me (no period)
Professeur: Pr (no period)
Docteur: Dr (no period)
minute: min (not mn)

Terms of address and titles should not be abbreviated unless it is required due to a lack of space:
- - Incorrect: Merci, M. le Gouverneur.
  - Correct: Merci, monsieur le gouverneur.
  - Correct, if not enough space: Merci, M. le gouverneur.

I.2. Acronyms

Acronyms should be written without periods or spaces between letters: BBC, USA, unless confusion is possible with the target language (e.g. L.A. for Los Angeles)
Do not use accents if written in all caps: CIA, OTAN
Acronyms that are pronounced the way they are written (i.e. not spelled) should be capitalized (e.g. Unicef, Unesco) if they are proper names and have more than four letters. If they are common nouns and have become part of the daily lexicon (e.g. ovni, sida) they are written in lowercase; if this is the case, they may need the plural form following the French accent rules (e.g. les ovnis).

I.3. Brand Names
[This does not apply to Canadian French]

Only use brand names (e.g. BMW, Facebook) when they are directly relevant to the plot.
In all other cases, replace the brand name with a generic term (e.g. fancy car, social network).

I.4. Character Limitation

42 characters per line

I.5. Character Names

Do not translate proper names (e.g. Peter, Suzanne), unless Netflix provides approved translations.
Nicknames should only be translated if they convey a specific meaning.
Use language-specific translations for historical/mythical characters (e.g. Guillaume le Conquérant, père Noël), unless Netflix provides instructions to do otherwise (e.g. Santa Claus may be preferred over père Noël in some specific projects).
Carry through any diacritics used in names and proper nouns from languages that use the Latin alphabet where their use is seen in official sources, or in the source text for fictional names.
For example, Spanish names such as Mónica Naranjo, Pedro Almodóvar and Alejandro G. Iñárritu should retain their diacritics. Any proper names that have lost the use of accents due to cultural reasons (e.g. Jennifer Lopez) do not need them added.
Transliterate uncommon or unfamiliar letters/characters which appear in names or proper nouns when working from one Roman alphabet language to French if they may cause confusion or be hard to understand or pronounce. Note that diacritics should be kept in proper nouns and names. For example: If the Icelandic name Þór appears, please transliterate as Thór (following relevant KNP and guidance about handling character names). If a German street name such as Torstraße appears in the source, please transliterate as Torstrasse (following relevant KNP and guidance about handling character names).

I.6. Continuity

When including ellipses in subtitles, please use the single smart character (U+2026) as opposed to three dots/periods in a row.
Do not use ellipses or dashes when an ongoing sentence is split between two or more continuous subtitles.

Subtitle 1 Je me disais bien

Subtitle 2 que tu finirais par comprendre !

Use an ellipsis to indicate a pause (2 seconds or more) or an abrupt interruption. In the case of a pause (2 seconds or more), if the sentence continues in the next subtitle, do not use an ellipsis at the beginning of the second subtitle.

Subtitle 1 Si j’avais su…

Subtitle 2 je ne t’aurais pas appelé.

Subtitle 1 - Mais j’allais te dire…

Subtitle 2 - Je ne veux pas le savoir !

Use an ellipsis followed by a non-breaking space to indicate that a subtitle is starting mid-sentence.

… ont signé un accord.

I.7. Documentary/Unscripted

Speaker’s title: only translate the title. Do not include the speaker’s name, company name or character name as these are redundant.
Only translate a speaker’s title once, the first time the speaker appears.
When ongoing dialogue is interrupted by a speaker’s title, use ellipses at the end of the sentence in the subtitle that precedes it and at the beginning of the sentence in the subtitle that follows it.

Subtitle 1 J’ai travaillé sur ce film…

Subtitle 2 (FN) RÉALISATEUR

Subtitle 3 … pendant six mois.

Dialogue in TV/movie clips should only be subtitled if plot-pertinent and if the rights have been granted.
News tickers/banners from archive clips do not require subtitles unless plot-pertinent.
Avoid going back and forth between italicized and non-italicized subtitles when the speaker is on and off screen. If the speaker is on-camera for at least part of the scene, do not italicize. Leave italics for off-screen narrators.

I.8. Dual Speakers

Use a hyphen followed by a space to indicate two speakers in one subtitle, with a maximum of one speaker per line.
Text in each line in a dual speaker subtitle must be a contained sentence and should not carry into the preceding or subsequent subtitle. Creating shorter sentences and timing appropriately helps to accommodate this.

For example, try to avoid:

Subtitle 1: J'étais sur le point de te le dire,
Subtitle 2: - mais il m’en a empêché.
- Ça ne me surprend pas.

Prefer:
Subtitle 1: J'étais sur le point de te le dire,
mais il m’en a empêché.
Subtitle 2: Ça ne me surprend pas.

I.9. Font Information

Font style: Arial as a generic placeholder for proportionalSansSerif
Font size: relative to video resolution and ability to fit 42 characters across the screen
Font color: White

I.10. On-screen Text

Forced narrative titles for on-screen text should only be included if plot-pertinent.
When on-screen text and dialogue overlap, precedence should be given to the most plot-pertinent message. Avoid over truncating or severely reducing reading speed in order to include both dialogue and on-screen text.
The duration of the FN subtitle should as much as possible mimic the duration of the on-screen text, except for cases where reading speed and/or surrounding dialogue takes precedence.
Forced narratives that are redundant (e.g. identical to onscreen text or covered in the dialogue) must be deleted.
Forced narratives for on-screen text should be in ALL CAPS, except for long passages of on-screen text (e.g. prologue, epilogue, letters, long text messages, book excerpts), which should use italics and sentence case to improve readability.
Never combine a forced narrative with dialogue in the same subtitle. If both appear at the same time and there is not enough room, dialogue takes precedence.
When a forced narrative interrupts dialogue, use an ellipsis at the end of the sentence in the subtitle that precedes it and at the beginning of the sentence in the subtitle that follows it.

Subtitle 1 Je crois qu’on devrait…

Subtitle 2 (FN) ACCÈS INTERDIT

Subtitle 3 … rebrousser chemin.

I.11. Foreign Dialogue

Foreign dialogue should only be translated if the viewer was meant to understand it (i.e. if it was subtitled in the original version).
When using foreign words, always verify spelling, accents and punctuation, if applicable.
Foreign words should be italicized, unless they have become part of regular usage (e.g. doppelgänger, zeitgeist, persona non grata, homerun, sushi) and unless they are proper names (e.g. a company name) or if any confusion is possible with the target language (e.g. date).
In specialized content where frequent foreign terminology is used (e.g. cooking shows or contests) italics are not needed.

I.12. Italics

Italicize the following:

Album, book, film and program titles (use quotation marks for song titles)
Foreign words (unless they are part of regular usage)
Dialogue that is heard through electronic media (e.g. phone, device, television, computer, loudspeaker, AI, AI assistants, voice of a GPS, other digital devices, non-sentient robots, robotic voices, etc.) if the speaker is not physically present in the scene. For instance, if a character speaks into a microphone and their voice is heard through a loudspeaker but they are physically present, italics are not needed. Use good judgement when applying italics, ensuring there is consistency throughout the film or series
Song lyrics (if rights have been granted)
Recited poetry
Voice-overs
Music notes
- C'est un concerto en do mineur.

Only use italics when a speaker is not in the scene(s) (e.g. flashback, narration, distorted sound), not merely off screen or off camera.
Additionally: Italics are not needed for subtitle events that belong to dialogue continuing the previous scene or anticipating the following scene.
Do not use italics to indicate emphasis on specific words.

I.13. Job titles and professional functions

The feminine form for job titles and professional functions should be used for female characters, unless the historical and social context requires otherwise.
While there is no general rule on the feminine form for job titles, there can be different ways of using it:
- Mark the feminine with the article, the adjective or the verb while keeping the same form in masculine as in feminine: e.g. "architecte", "artiste", "juge", "secretaire", "comptable", "garde”, "gendarme", "diplomate", “ministre”, “maire”.
- The same goes for substantives ending with an “o”: “une dactylo”, “une imprésario”, “une soprano”.
- Jobs ending with “-eur” be changed into “-euse” or “-eure”.
- Note: the feminine form “-esse” can be considered outdated ( “contrôleuse”, “docteure”, “professeure”).
- Jobs ending with “-teur” can use the feminine form “-teuse” (“toiletteuse”, “acheteuse”) or “-trice” (“réalisatrice”, “créatrice”).
Also:
- Écrivain > Écrivaine
- Chef > Cheffe
Exceptions:
- Agent > Agent
- Auteur > Auteure or Autrice (both are acceptable)

I.14. Line Treatment

Maximum two lines.
Prefer a bottom-heavy pyramid shape for subtitles when multiple line break options present themselves, but avoid having just one or two words on the top line.
Two lines may be used to improve readability even if the character limit has not been met/exceeded.

I.15. Numbers

From 1 to 10, numbers should be written out: un, deux, trois, etc.
Above 10, numbers should be written numerically: 11, 12, 13, etc.
When a number begins a sentence, it should always be spelled out.
There may be exceptions to the above rules, e.g. numerals can be used if:
- it is a date (2 janvier, 27 avril)
- a sentence begins with a long number (e.g. “937 cas” so as to avoid “neuf cent trente-sept cas”)
- there are reading speed considerations
Note that the above rules may be broken due to space limitations or reading speed concerns, as well as for consistency when listing multiple quantities, for example:
- In cases that require a decimal separator, use a comma as a decimal separator: 2,50
Indicate time on a 24-hour basis, using spacing as follows:

Il est 14 h [space]

Il est 14h10 [no space]

A four-digit number should have a space, unless it is a year.

Il y avait 1 900 soldats en 1940.

Measurements should be converted to the metric system, unless the original unit of measurement is plot-relevant.
Units and symbols should be separated from the preceding figure with a non-breaking space (200 kg, 15 %).
Currencies should be spelled out (e.g. 3 000 pesos). Exceptions can be made for €, $, £ symbols only, if there is not enough space (e.g. 3 000 €).

I.16. Punctuation

Parisian French:
- Do not use semicolons (;)
- There should be a space before interrogation and exclamation marks.
- For colons, there should be a space before and after the punctuation mark.
- Use a non-breaking space before % and currency signs: 2 % and 5 $
Canadian French:
- There should be no space before interrogation and exclamation marks or semicolons.
- For colons, there should be a space before and after the punctuation mark.
- Use a space before % and currency signs: 2 % and 5 $

I.17. Substitutions

In the case of words being deliberately bleeped in the original audio (e.g. for comedic purposes):
- If it is possible to identify the affected term, include the initial letter of the word followed by three asterisks. Example:
  - Il l’a envoyé se faire f***.
- If the affected term is not identifiable, include three hyphens in place of the bleeped term. Example:
  - C’est un --- de la pire espèce.

I.18. Quotations

Quotation marks should be used at the start and end of a line of applicable dialogue, at the start of every subtitle, at the start and end of the last subtitle:

Subtitle 1 "Je suis hypocondriaque,

Subtitle 2 "j'ai tout le temps peur de mourir

ou de ne plus pouvoir m'exprimer.

Subtitle 3 "Je n'arrive pas à me projeter

dans le futur."

Use double quotation marks (" ") without spaces for regular quotations:

Il m’a dit : "Reviens demain."

Use single quotation marks (' ') for quotations within quotations:

"Il a dit : 'Tout va bien.'"

Punctuation should be included within the quotation marks if the quotation is an independent clause and outside if it’s not. See the following examples:

Il dit souvent : "Je m’en occuperai un jour."

Elle aime lire des "romans à suspense".

"Le cœur a ses raisons que la raison ignore."

Use quotation marks when characters are reading aloud (on-screen or off-screen).
If an on-screen character does “air quotes” when speaking, please apply quotation marks to the equivalent word in the target language in order to retain creative intent and to help ensure clarity about which word or part of the sentence the air quotes apply to.

I.19. Reading Speed Limits

Adult programs: Up to 17 characters per second
Children’s programs: Up to 13 characters per second

I.20. Repetitions

Do not translate words or phrases repeated more than once by the same speaker.
If the repeated word or phrase is said twice in a row, time subtitle to the audio but translate only once.
When two characters repeat the same thing simultaneously, time the subtitle to the audio, and just translate the term/phrase once without a hyphen.

I.21. Songs

Only subtitle plot-pertinent songs if the rights have been granted.
Opening and ending theme songs should only be subtitled if clearly plot-pertinent (e.g. for children’s content when the lyrics tell a story) or if instructed by Netflix. Normally, adult programs should not have the opening songs subtitled, except for SDH.
Italicize lyrics.
Use an uppercase letter at the beginning of each line.
Use ellipses when a song continues in the background but is no longer subtitled to give precedence to dialogue.
Punctuation: only question marks and exclamation marks should be used at the end of a line – no commas or periods. Commas can be used within the lyric line, if necessary.
Album titles should be in italics.
Song titles should be in quotation marks.
Citations from songs and poems should be in quotation marks.

I.22. Titles

Main titles: Subtitle the on-screen main title for branded content when the approved title for French is available in KNP/Terminology and it does not match the title which appears in the card. Do not translate the main title from scratch: always use the approved title provided.
Do not subtitle when the on-screen main title and the approved title for French are identical and fully match. (e.g. the on-screen title is already in French, both read with the exact same words and spellings, etc.)
Subtitle when the approved title for French contains a part that is transliterated/translated/transcreated/edited and does not fully match the on-screen main title. (e.g. when the on-screen title is Don't Look Up but the approved title for French is Don't Look Up : Déni cosmique)
When the provided translation of the main title does not work with a line break in a way that fits within the limit, the maximum character count per line or maximum line limit can be exceeded. Do not split the provided translation into multiple subtitle events.
Do not italicize the main title event.
Episode titles: do not subtitle episode titles if they do not appear on screen/are not voiced-over. If on-screen (either as part of the principal photography or burned into video) or voiced-over, please reference the KNP tool for approved translations.
Titles of published works, existing movies and TV shows: use official or well-known translations. If none are available, leave titles in the original language.

I.23. Special Instructions

Always use accents on capital letters, whether the sentence is in all caps or in mixed case.
Dialogue must never be censored. Expletives should be rendered as faithfully as possible. To give viewers a truly immersive experience, subtitles should render the vernacular and reflect the original creative intent.
Always match the tone of the original content, while remaining relevant to the target audience (e.g. replicate tone, register, class, formality, etc. in the target language in an equivalent way).
Plot-pertinent dialogue always takes precedence over background dialogue.
Deliberate misspellings and mispronunciations should not be reproduced in the translation unless plot-pertinent.
A capital letter is only necessary when designating a person by their nation, e.g. un Français, their continent, e.g. une Européenne, or their city, les Parisiens. When using substantives that denote race, e.g. "noir", using lower case is recommended.
Character names may be left out, once they have been clearly established, to avoid unnecessary repetition and to improve reading speed.
When brand names or trademarks appear, you may either; use the same name if it is known in the territory you are translating for; adapt to the name that the brand or product is known by that the territory you are translating for; or use a generic name for that product or item. Avoid swapping out names of brands, companies or famous people for other names.
French dialogue found in foreign language content should not be subtitled unless it is unintelligible. For example, English content subtitled into French should omit subtitling dialogue that is already in French as part of the plot.

I.24 Reference

For all language-related issues not covered in this document, please refer to:

"TLFI" (Trésor de la langue française informatisé): http://www.cnrtl.fr/definition/
Les règles de la nouvelle orthographe: http://www.orthographe-recommandee.info/

II. Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (SDH)

Follow the above linguistic guidelines as well as the below SDH-specific elements when creating French SDH.

II.1 Accuracy of content

Include as much of the original content as possible.
Do not simplify or water down the original dialogue.
Where content has been dubbed into French, please refer to the dubbing script or dubbed audio as the basis for the SDH file and ensure that the two match as much as reading speed and timings allow.
The transcription of the audio should follow the word choice and sentence order. Slang and other dialectal features should not be changed.
When editing for reading speed, favor text reduction (e.g. deletion of unnecessary repetitions, omitting unimportant paralinguistic elements), re-timing, and re-segmentation as editing strategies.
Further condensing should only be used as a last resource and always without affecting the register of speech and without neutralizing the original dialogue (e.g. It is acceptable to adjust a verb structure for reading speed purposes: “on va” instead of “nous allons”, or to condense to the main message: “Je ne la connais pas.” instead of “Je ne connais pas cette personne.”, but adjusting register).
Unless plot-pertinent, deliberate misspellings and mispronunciations should not be reproduced in the translation. Ensure any intentional errors are within quotation marks.
Truncating the original dialogue should be limited to instances where reading speed and synchronicity to the audio are an issue.
For TV/movie clips, all audible lines should be transcribed, if possible. If the audio interferes with dialogue, please give precedence to most plot-pertinent content.

II.2 Dual Speakers/Multiple Events

When identifiers are needed in dialogue, they should follow the hyphen and a space should be added after the hyphen and before the dialogue. For example:

- [Pierre] Tu viens ?

- [Alice] J’arrive.

Hyphens are also used to indicate a speaker and a sound effect if they come from different sources in dialogue:

- [Alice soupire]

- [Pierre] J’y crois pas !

If only one identifier is needed, the additional dialogue should follow regular subtitling practices. For example:

Subtitle 1:

- [Pierre] Tu viens ?

- J’arrive.

Subtitle 2:

- [Alice soupire]

- J’y crois pas !

If the sound effect emanates from the speaker themselves, no hyphen is needed. For example:

[soupire] J’en ai ras le bol !

Follow the above rules to distinguish two distinct sound effects emanating from different sources:

- [verre brisé]

- [sirènes au loin]

II.3 Foreign Dialogue

In instances of foreign dialogue being spoken:
- If foreign dialogue is translated, use [in *language*], for example [en allemand]
- If foreign dialogue is not meant to be understood, use [speaking *language*], for example [parle espagnol]
- Always research the language being spoken – [parle une langue étrangère] should never be used
- Accents or dialects require the same treatment, for example [avec un accent espagnol], when important to the narrative or characterization

II.4 Reading Speed Limits

Reading speed limits can be increased to:
- Adult programs: Up to 20 characters per second
- Children’s programs: Up to 17 characters per second

II.5 Songs

All same-language audible songs that do not interfere with dialogue should be subtitled, if the rights have been granted.
Prefer describing the genre and the mood of a song rather than identifying its title when it is not clear if the song is widely known or instantly recognizable by the viewer, e.g. [musique pop] instead of [“I Think I Wanna Scream” de Party Juice].
To specify further the mood that the music creates, [musique + genre + description] can be used. For example, [musique classique douce].
Song lyrics should be enclosed with a music note (♪) at the beginning and the end of each subtitle. Add a space between the music note and the preceding or subsequent text.
When a dual speaker subtitle appears in a song, e.g. when there is a duet, each line of sung text should have a music note at the beginning and end to clearly indicate that both characters are singing.
When both characters sing the same line, there is no need to repeat the text since visual context is enough.
Use ellipses when a song continues in the background but is no longer subtitled to give precedence to dialogue.
Do not transcribe lyrics for foreign language songs unless instructed otherwise by Netflix. For example, a bilingual song may be requested to be transcribed if considered plot-pertinent:

Subtitle 1: ♪ Entre la nuit, la nuit et l'aurore

Entre les royaumes, des vivants et des morts♪

Subtitle 2: ♪ If this is heaven

I don't know what it's for ♪

II.6 Speaker IDs / Sound Effects

Use brackets [ ] to enclose speaker IDs and sound effects.
Identifiers/sound effects should be all lowercase, except for proper nouns.
Do not use commas or any kind of extra punctuation in identifiers.
Speaker IDs and the corresponding dialogue should ideally be on the same line.
Only use speaker IDs or sound effects when they cannot be visually identified.
When characters are not yet identified, use [homme], [femme] or [garçon], [fille], [voix masculine], [voix feminine], [médecin], [présentatrice] so as not to provide information that is not yet present in the narrative.
Try to find gender-neutral identifiers where appropriate.
Speaker IDs should include a number if there is more than one unidentified character in a scene, e.g. [femme 1], [femme 2]. Counting should restart with the scene change.
Never italicize speaker IDs or sound effects, even when the spoken information is italicized, such as in a voice-over.

[narrateur] Il était une fois…

Do not add redundant IDs when a line starts off-screen, but the character is shown before the line ends.
Add speaker IDs for characters who are shown at the moment of the utterance if, for any reason, they do not move their mouths or their mouths cannot be seen. The audience needs to know where the sound comes from.
In two-person scenes, it is not always necessary to identify the character that is off-screen every time the speaker changes if this can be inferred from the context. Apply good judgment in these cases.
Describe the sounds and audio as opposed to visual elements or actions.
Sound effects from characters should be written in the present tense (e.g. siffle, pleure) while sound effects from the scene use a noun (e.g. sifflement, pleurs).
As an exception, the gerund form may also be used in cases where highlighting simultaneity is needed and not evident from visual cues alone.
When describing hesitations and nervousness, avoid using labels such as [bégaie] et [bégayant] unless the speaker in question has a stutter/stammer. Instead, represent hesitations in the transcription (e.g. J’ai… J’ai dit non !) or using sound labels such as [hésitant], for example.
Subtitle silence if plot-pertinent. For example, when plot-pertinent music ends abruptly.
Be detailed and descriptive, use adverbs where appropriate when describing sounds and music: describe voices, speed of speech, volume of sounds, e.g. [une voiture approche] instead of [sons d’une voiture]
Use a generic ID to indicate and describe ambient music, e.g. [musique rock] or [musique jazz douce à la radio]
Use objective descriptions that describe genre or mood identifiers for atmospheric non-lyrical music, for example [musique électro menaçante]
Plot-pertinent sound effects should always be included unless inferred by the visuals.
Opt for concise and clear descriptions as much as possible, e.g. instead of [l'enfant imite le gloussement d’une poule], use [l'enfant imite la poule]
Sound effects that interrupt dialogue should be treated as follows:

Subtitle 1: Cependant, ces derniers temps…

[tousse, renifle]

Subtitle 2: … j'en vois davantage.

For SDH purposes, italics may be used when a word is clearly emphasized in speech and when proper punctuation cannot convey that emphasis (e.g. C’était le cas.)

II.7 Reference

For all language-related issues not covered in this document, please refer to:

"TLFI" (Trésor de la langue française informatisé): http://www.cnrtl.fr/definition/
Les règles de la nouvelle orthographe: http://www.orthographe-recommandee.info/

Change Log:

2024-10-07

Revised section II.12 Italics - 4th bullet edited to new standard wording about italics, electronic media/speakers and on-screen/in-scene characters

2024-06-28

Style guide divided into I. Subtitles and II. SDH - sections renumbered accordingly
Revised section I.1 Abbreviations - sections covering abbreviated forms, full forms with and without capitalization deleted, section now shorter
New SDH section expanded - please review in detail

2022-12-22

Revised sections 19 Reading Speed and 24 SDH - sections edited to mention "reading speed limits" and "up to"

2022-11-03

Revised section 22 Titles - "for branded content"

2022-10-07

Revised section 2 Acronyms - all bullets edited
Revised section 5 Character Names - example edited in 3rd bullet, 6th bullet edited
Revised section 8 Dual Speakers - new example added
Revised section 10 On-screen Text - 6th bullet expanded
Revised section 11 Foreign dialogue - new examples added to 3rd bullet, 4th bullet added
Revised section 12 Italics - "recited poetry" added
Revised section 15 Numbers - bullets 4 and 5 edited and expanded, 8th/9th/10th added
Revised section 16 Punctuation - 1st bullet amended to state no semicolons should be used
New section added 17. Substitutions - subsequent sections renumbered accordingly
Revised section 22 Titles - rules added/edited to include main title translations
Revised section 23 Special Instructions - 9th bullet point added

2021-10-22

Revised section 1 Abbreviations - bullets after the initial examples have all been added
Revised section 5 Character names - 5th bullet added about uncommon Latin characters and when to transliterate them
Revised section 14 Line treatment - 2nd bullet about keeping text on one line has been deleted, 3rd bullet added

2021-07-09

Revised section 10 On-Screen Text - 5th bullet point edited
Revised section 12 Italics - 9th and 10th bullets moved down the list and edited
Revised section 17 Quotes - 7th bullet point added
Revised section 14 Line Treatment - 3rd bullet point added
Revised section 22 Special Instructions - 8th bullet point added
Revised section 23 SDH Guidelines - 10th and 11th bullet points added

2021-02-24

Revised section 23 SDH Guidelines - localized examples added

2021-02-01

Revised section 6 Continuity - 4th bullet point revised regarding mid-sentence pick-ups
Revised section 7 Documentary/unscripted - example in 3rd bullet point edited
Revised section 10 On-screen text - example in 7th bullet point edited

2020-10-30

Revised section 5 Character Names - 4th and 5th bullet points added
Revised section 8 Dual Speakers - 2nd bullet point added
New section added 13. Job titles and professional functions - subsequent sections renumbered
Revised section 14 Line Treatment - 2nd bullet point added
Revised section 17 Quotation marks - 1st bullet and example revised, 6th bullet point added
Revised section 20 Songs - 9th bullet point added regarding poetry
Revised section 22 Special instructions - 7th bullet point added

2020-07-24

Revised section 6 Continuity - 1st bullet added clarifying type of ellipsis permitted
Revised section 22 SDH Guidelines - 3rd bullet reworded

2020-05-08

Revised section 21 Special Instructions - 3rd bullet point about tone added
Revised section 22 SDH Guidelines - 3rd bullet point added

2019-12-18

Revised section 1 Abbreviations - reworded for clarity
Revised section 21 Special Instructions - 5th bullet point added

2019-08-20

Revised section 1 Abbreviations - 7th bullet point added, additional examples provided for clarity
Revised section 16 Quotes - example provided for 1st bullet point
Revised section 18 Repetition - 3rd bullet point added
Revised section 23 Reference - source and link updated

2018-06-04

Revised section 10 On-screen Text - revised section header for clarity

2018-03-09

Revised section 1 Abbreviations - 1st bullet point revised
Revised section 7 Documentary - 3rd, 4th, and 5th bullet points added
Revised section 10 Forced Narratives - 2nd and 3rd bullet points added, 5th bullet point revised
Added section 13 Line Treatment
Revised section 14 Numbers - 4th and 7th bullet points revised
Revised section 15 Punctuation - revised and rewritten for clarity
Added section 16 Quotes - rewritten for clarity
Revised section 17 Reading Speed - words per minute removed
Revised section 18 Repetitions - 1st point revised for clarity
Revised section 19 Songs - 2nd bullet point added
Revised section 20 Titles - 1st and 2nd bullet points revised
Revised section 22 SDH Guidelines - renamed and expanded for clarity
Revised section 23 Reference - source and link updated

2016-05-15

Revised section 18 Songs - 5th bullet point revised
Revised section 19 Titles - 1st bullet point revised, 2nd bullet point added
Revised section 20 Special Instructions - 5th bullet point removed

PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THIS STYLE GUIDE

Was this article helpful?

135 out of 137 found this helpful