What is the difference between & and AND... HELP!

Creator's Corner Directing Help & Tips
1

Ok guys, I’m really confused on this, what is the difference between & and AND??

2

& is something you use when writing long lines of coding E.G

&MC stands X Y Z
&CHARACTER stands XYZ
etc
etc

AND is what you use when you want fewer characters to actions at the same time E.G
@CHARACTER is laugh_giggle AND MC is laugh_chuckle

IDK IF THIS MAKES SENSE

3

There are certain codes that will require &
Like when you’re working with overlays.

But usually you can use AND

But if it’s a long code (like a bunch of behaviors for a bunch of background characters to do at the same time) and you use AND, the script gets easily cluttered

4

AND means the action/behavior works with the behavior that precedes it,
& means the action/behavior occurs with the behavior that comes after.

The big difference between the two is when you are trying to make multiple things happen at the same time, transitioning in or out of a scene, actions that occur while someone else is talking, actions that occur while someone else is walking.

&CHAR is ACTION
CHAR1 (talk_action)
I’m saying this.

Will result in the CHAR to do something while CHAR1 is talking.

You cannot accomplish this with the AND

It also helps to set characters and actions and overlays before you transition the scene in.
BACKGROUND with OVERLAY
&CHAR spot x y z AND CHAR faces direction AND CHAR moves to layer x AND CHAR is action
&overlay OVERLAY to layer x
@transition fade in color in s

This makes it where the CHAR doesn’t just randomly appear on the screen once the scene has been transitioned. Notice I ALSO use AND

I hope that this makes sense.

6

& is to have a command happen simultaneously while other commands happen.
In the below example, it will zoom in on that spot WHILE that character talks.

&zoom on 222 180 to 135% in 5
      CHARACTER (talk_neutral)
   Blah blah dialogue here blah.

AND/and is to combine more than one commands on the same line.

&CHARACTER stands screen left and CHARACTER faces left and CHARACTER is idle
@cut to zone 2 and zoom on 222 180 to 135% in 0 and speechbubble reset

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