Updated 9/1/2006
Styleguide: A-C | D-G| H-L| M-R | S-Z | REVIEWS | PEOPLE, PICS AND MORE
To suggest corrections, additions or changes, email gary.north@variety.com
TO SEARCH FOR AN ENTRY:
Hold down the CONTROL key,
tap the F key,
type in what you are looking for,
then tap the RETURN (or ENTER) key.
If not listed below, consult the following references in the following order:
AP Stylebook; Webster’s II New College Dictionary;
www.m-w.com;
www.dictionary.com
———————-
– country names (just below film name): instead of adjectival versions: Hungary, not Hungarian, etc.
In weekly, country names are IN CAPS; lc in daily
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– commas vs. slashes in credits:
- At top: slashes separate production companies by country; otherwise just use commas:
– A Such and Such (Hungary)/So and So (Peru)/ This & That (France) production…
– A Such and Such, So and So, This & That production…
- In legit tabbed actor credits: commas separate two or more roles played by the same actor; slashes separate two or more aspects of a character (such as in Shakespearean plays when, say, a lass pretends to be a lad) or two actors who alternate a role at various shows. Examples:
John Smith, Courier, Gen. Sprowl … Larry Olivier
Rosalind/Ganymede … Mary Martin
Mr. Greek Chorus … John Smith/Roger Daltrey
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– elipses in credits (“tabbed actors”): Character Name
SPACE TAB SPACE Actor’s Name
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– genres:
*
film: listed in credits only if it is “docu” or “animated”
*
TV: listed in all credits: series, special, docu, miniseries, movie; we don’t say “sitcom,” “drama” or “reality series” — if needed, work those words into the main text.
*
legit: not listed
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– “in association with…” in credits:
* Film: no comma preceding this prepositional phrase unless it precedes another prepositional phrase:
Example 1: An ABC presentation of a DEF production in association with GHI Services.
Example 2: An ABC presentation of a DEF production, in association with GHI Services, with the cooperation of JKL Film Fund.
* Legit: usually a comma preceding this phrase, because it is usually followed by more verbiage:
Example: An ABC presentation of a DEF production, in association with GHI Services, of a play in two acts by His Nibs.
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– mini reviews (see also attached examples)
:
* limited to 2 grafs, first is bold; total of 190 words max.
* tagline instead of byline.
* credits omit sound, associate producer and assistant director.
* original language title and language of dialouge are part of the body of credits rather than on separate lines.
* cast is listed in run-in graf without character names.
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- order of credits:
* for film:
A xxx release of a xx presentation of a xxx production. (International sales: xx, New York). Produced by xxx. Executive producers, xx, xx, xx. Co-producers, xx, xx.
Directed by xx. Screenplay, xx. Camera (color, widescreen), xx; editor, xx; music, xx; production designer, xx; art director, xx; set decorator; costume designer, xxx; sound, xx; special effects, xx; makeup, xxxx; choreography, xx; [etc., xx;] line producer, xx; associate producer, xx; assistant director, xx; casting, xx.
Reviewed at Locarno Film Festival (competing [or: non-competing]), N.Y., March 11, 2002 [date not bold].
MPAA Rating: R. Running time:
101 MIN.
Frog Prince/Count Solof … Freddie Prinz Jr. [compare slash with comma in legit]**
Queen Elizabeth … Cate Dench
Everyone Else … Geoffrey Rush
With: xxx, xxx, xx, xx.
(Farsi, Mandarin dialogue)
[note: no period after the word "dialogue"; also no word "and"]
[note: Use lower-case AP style in references to two or more fests: (Also in Deauville Film Festival.) but: (Also in Cannes, Toronto film festivals.)]
[note: We now don't include "Intl." in fest titles: Cannes Film Festival, Deauville Film Festival, etc.; exception for now: Pusan Intl. Film Festival, aka PIFF]
boldfacing:
Please note that our style in film credits for all reviews seen at film festivals is to
boldface the festival and the section within that festival:
… casting, Lucy Bevan.
Reviewed at Cannes Film Festival (noncompeting, closer), May 20, 2005. Running time: 136 MIN.
If the film is seen on videocassette, but is in a festival:
…casting, Lucy Bevan. Reviewed on videocasette, May 20, 2005.
(In Cannes Film Festival — noncompeting, closer.) Running time: 136 MIN.
If the film is seen in a fest, and is also in another fest:
…casting, Lucy Bevan.
Reviewed at Cannes Film Festival (noncompeting, closer), May 20, 2005.
(Also in Tribeca Film Festival.) Running time: 136 MIN.
If the film is seen on videocassette and is in more than one fest:
…casting, Lucy Bevan. Reviewed on videocasette, May 20, 2005.
(In Cannes Film Festival — noncompeting, closer; Tribeca Film Festival.) Running time: 136 MIN.
= = = =
* for TV:
(say “movie” in credits for a telepic; “telepic” is OK in stories and reviews’ bodies)
Filmed in Toronto by ABC Prods. in association with DEF Studios. Executive producer, xx; producer, xx; director, xx; writers, xx, xx [or writer-creator, xx]; camera, xx; editor, xx; music, xx; production designer, xx; costume designer, xx [rarely listed]; sound, xx; casting, xx.
4 HOURS. [note omission of words "Running time:"]
Frog Prince … Freddie Prinz Jr.
Queen Elizabeth … Cate Dench
Everyone Else … Geoffrey Rush
With: xxx, xxx, xx, xx.
Host: Douglas Fairbanks.
* for legit:
A Joseph Papp Co. production, in association with the Jean Kearn Actors Studio, of a musical in two acts, with music by xx, lyrics by xx, book by xx. Directed by xx. Choreography by xxx. Musical direction [or: Musical staging], xx. Set(s), xx; costumes, xx; lighting, xx; sound, xx; orchestrations, xx; music arrangements, xx; production stage manager, xx. Opened, reviewed March 12, 1992. [Or: Opened March 12, 1992. Reviewed March 8.] Running time:
2 HOURS, 40 MIN. [Producers generally are NOT included; only production companies.]
Frog Prince, Frank Smith … Freddie Prinz Jr. [compare with slash in legit]**
Queen Elizabeth … Cate Dench
Everyone Else … Geoffrey Rush
With: xxx, xxx, xx, xx.
Songs: “If Only,” “There Was You,” “How Green is My Garden.”
* for concerts:
Presented inhouse. [or: Presented by Roger Smith.] Band: Steve Smith, John Smith, Trevor Smith.
[Note: title should be band or performer’s name; second line should give (venue/city; xx capacity; $xx top)]
**Note: In both legit and film, if one character has two names in the show (vs. playing two distinctly different characters), use a slash:
Gollum/Smeagol . . . Andy Serkis
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– photo captions: Review photo captions, especially 2-column ones, should include a verb and end in a period; they should NOT include the reviewer’s opinion — only factual info such as producer’s name, who’s directing the play or film, etc. Try to reserve partial sentences and open-ended wording for V-page cutlines.
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–
punctuation
*
film reviews: no period in standalone line that says (Catalonian and Dutch dialogue)
* TV reviews (beneath show title): only one semicolon, no comma between day and date, and day is abbreviated.
Example:
(Sitcom; NBC, Tues. March 17, 9:30 p.m.)
* legit and concert reviews: all semicolons except between name of theater and city in a daily review (city is a dateline in weekly reviews):
Example of daily:
(Martin Beck Theater, New York; 1,422 seats; $75 top)
* book reviews (for weekly): all semicolons
Example: (HARCOURT PRESS; 335 PGS.; $35)
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– titles of foreign films (when following the English name): CAPS in parentheses in daily, c/lc in weekly
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– times:
* TV: programs 3 hours or less should be noted in minutes:
30 MIN., 120 MIN., but
4 HOURS. Note that the words “Running time:” are NOT used in TV reviews.
* Legit: hours and minutes:
1 HOUR, 10 MIN.
* Films: Minutes only:
182 MIN.
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– Theater: not Theatre, even in a proper name (even if the marquee or signage is shown in a photograph as Theatre)
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