Character Placement + Preview

[cece_hunter]

@skye.episode
Please check this out. It’s the best way to do it.

@cece_hunter

When starting a scene, I like to keep a simple routine that helps prevent easy mistakes. My advice is to write following this “technique”:

When placing characters, I like to think that there are 5 parts to a line (more like 4 and a half). There’s the placing, the zone, the facing, the animation, and the layer. Most writers would write something along these lines when placing a character at the beginning of a scene:

@CHARACTER stands screen center

First of all, the second your character isn’t entering a scene after the transition (if you have one), ALWAYS use & instead of @ when placing your character. Second of all, always remember you can input all the placing, the zone, the facing, etc. in one line of code, thanks to the AND command. When placing your character, that it be at the beginning of a scene or after he/she moves, you should always (that’s my advice) write this:

&CHARACTER spot x y in zone 1 AND CHARACTER is idle AND CHARACTER faces left AND CHARACTER moves to layer 2

Also, when spotting your characters, (and I can’t stress this enough) NEVER use the default “stands screen center” or “stands screen right” or etc. That makes your placing awkward and seem effortless. Also, it doesn’t take much time to place your characters so why wouldn’t you take the time to? The only time you should use the “stands screen _” is when you first write a scene so you don’t know where your characters are placed yet (since you need to use the previewer).

Also this will help:

@cece_hunter

Basically:

• @ command makes the script read it once the command above it is completely done and moves on to the next line once the command is completely done
• & command makes the script read it once the command above it is completely done and moves on to the next as soon as the command is read