What should I mark in a script?

Pauses, words to emphasise, section breaks, tone changes and any notes to yourself that should not be read aloud.

Will markup show on the teleprompter?

It depends on the app. In Cue, directions and notes show quietly or are hidden, and are never counted as words or read aloud.

How much markup is too much?

If the script is hard to read because of marks, you have too many. Mark only the moments that matter.

How to Mark Up a Script for Delivery: Pauses, Emphasis and Notes

Simple script markup that improves delivery: how to mark pauses, emphasis, sections, tone and private notes so your teleprompter script guides how you speak.

A script tells you what to say. Markup tells you how to say it. A few simple marks turn a block of text into a guide for delivery: where to pause, which words to stress, when to change tone and what to skip.

The essential marks

You do not need a complicated system. Most delivery improvements come from five types of mark:

Pauses: where to stop for a breath or for effect.
Emphasis: the key word in a sentence.
Sections: where one part ends and the next begins.
Directions: tone, actions or camera notes.
Private notes: reminders that should never be read aloud.

A simple syntax

Cue uses a light syntax that is easy to type:

word for emphasis
[pause], [smile] or [slower] for directions
# Section name for sections
// note to self for private notes

None of these are counted as words or read aloud, so your timing stays accurate.

Example

# Opening
[smile] Most project updates are **too long**. [pause]
Here is a better format.
# The format
Three lines. **Done**, **doing**, **blocked**. [pause]
// show the slide here
# Close
[slower] Try it on Friday. Then tell me how it went.

Mark emphasis sparingly

One emphasised word per sentence, at most. If everything is bold, nothing stands out. Choose the word that carries the meaning. See vocal variety tips.

Pause before and after key points

The most powerful pauses come just before an important line and just after it. Mark both.

Use sections for long scripts

Sections make long scripts easier to navigate and record in parts. In Cue, # headings become sections you can jump between, so you can redo one section without scrolling through the rest.

Directions for tone

Short directions like [warm], [serious] or [faster] remind you to change tone at the right moment. They are especially useful in longer videos, where delivery can drift.

Notes for production

Private notes are useful for b-roll, slides, props or reminders. See b-roll ideas for how to use notes as a shot list.

Mark up after the words are right

Add markup once the script is close to final. Marking up a draft you are still rewriting wastes time, and marks end up in the wrong places. Write, read aloud, revise, then mark up.

Keep it readable

Markup should help, not clutter. If you find yourself pausing to decode marks, remove some. The script should still be easy to read at speed.

For overall formatting, see teleprompter script formatting.