PRE-LAPS & CHYRONS

By David Trottier

PRE-LAP
A PRE-LAP is a sound transition. Think of the word overlap; that is, OVER-LAP. If you understand that word, then you can see that PRE-LAP is somewhat like an OVER-LAP, but the "PRE" means it begins "before." Thus, when a sound at the beginning of a scene actually begins at the end of the previous scene, you have a PRE-LAP.

We seldom use this term in a spec screenplay because a spec generally focuses on the story and not on how that story will be shot or post-produced. Thus, PRE-LAPs are usually planned in pre-production for the shoot. Of course, that’s not always the case. If you use the PRE-LAP, be judicious.

The sound is dialogue
If the sound you wish to use as a transition is the spoken word, you can handle it in two ways. I will illustrate with two examples. In the first, let’s use a voice over.

                  DARA (V.O.)
        You look like Bozo the Clown.

INT. ALFONSO'S ROOM - DAY

Alfonso frowns at Dara, long red hair streaming from the sides of his head and bald on top, kind of like... well, Bozo the Clown.

As you can see, Dara's line is actually said in Alfonso's room, but for effect, we hear it before we cut to the room. It's a sound transition from one scene to the next and it's perfectly "legal" in a spec script.

The second method is to pre-lap dialogue is exactly the same, except you replace the V.O. with the term PRE-LAP.

                  DARA (PRE-LAP)
        You look like Bozo the Clown.

INT. ALFONSO'S ROOM - DAY

Alfonso frowns at Dara, long red hair streaming from the sides of his head and bald on top, kind of like... well, Bozo the Clown.

The sound is not dialogue
If the sound is not the spoken word, you can use the PRE-LAP as follows:

PRE-LAP - A dog BARKS followed by a SCREAM and a CRASH.

INT. ALFONSO'S KITCHEN - DAY

Alfonso lies on his back -- a St. Bernard licking his face. Grocery bags lie scattered across the floor.

If the effect here is the dog jumped on Alfonso, who screamed as he fell to the floor with the groceries.

Another example
In the scene that follows, you will hear the preacher before you see him. A little later, you will hear a hip-hop song before you see the source.

EXT. BEACH - DAY

Sam and Selma stare at each other in silent rapture. He takes her hand.

                  PREACHER (PRE-LAP)
        Do you Sam Smithers take Selma
        Sokolovsky as your wife...

INT. CHAPEL - DAY

A wedding crowd watches the PREACHER continue.

                  PREACHER
        ... through sickness and health,
        until death do you part?

Sam looks like he's being strangled by his tie. His eyes dart about.

PRE-LAP - A high voltage rap song PLAYS.

INT./EXT. CAR

THE rap tune PLAYS on the car radio. Sam turns up the volume. He's alone.

EXT. CHAPEL

The car, decorated with "Just Married," screeches away as the wedding crowd exits the chapel. led by an angry Selma.

And, of course, the alternative to the special term PRE-LAP is to voice over (V.O.) the first speech.

CHYRON
What is a chyron? [The "Ch" is pronounced as a "K.")

A chyron is the caption superimposed anywhere on a television or movie screen. Thus, it’s often handled much like a superimposition (SUPER):

CHYRON: "Did I just say that?"

Have you seen someone text in a movie and the words being texted appeared somewhere on the movie screen? That’s a chyron. Thus, you could format it as you would a text message, if you prefer. You don’t have to use the word chyron.

Joe texts, his words appearing on the screen: “Did I say that?”

Or:

Joe texts.

CHYRON: "Did I just say that?"

Usually, chyrons are a pre-production or post-production decision, but if you have a good purpose for them in your script, then go ahead.

Incidentally, the term also refers to the text-based graphics that appear at the bottom of your TV during a news or sports broadcast.