First steps with the text editing tool
Introduction
Imparato allows you to write and edit texts that will be vocalized.
Here is a video (in French) that summarizes all of the editor's capabilities.
In a text, Imparato needs to identify:
- the characters
- the lines
- the stage directions
- the different parts (acts, scenes...)
Here is an example of a text perfectly understood by Imparato:
# Scène 2
@Heurtebise
Hello ladies and gentlemen.
@Orphée
Hello my friend. It was me, ME who broke this tile. Put it back. I leave you. (To Eurydice.) My dear, you will watch over the work. (To the horse.) Do we love him, his poet? (He kisses her.) See you tonight.
(He goes out.)
You can see that the scene begins with #, that the name of each character is enclosed in a @ and a line break, and that the stage direction are in parentheses.
Syntax
Now we'll look at how to format your text so that it is understood by Imparato.
Character and line
The name of a character begins with a @ and ends with a line break. The content of the line should follow below
Examples:
@Orpheus
Hello !
@The man in the orchestra
Hi!
@The other
Hey!
@The girl
Goodbye.
@The other's voice
Yes ?
Whether or not there are blank lines between lines is not important, it just makes it easier for us humans to read ☺️
Characters speaking at the same time
It may happen that lines are said by several characters at the same time. In this case, the characters who speak simultaneously should be mentioned in this way: @Name to display:character 1+character 2
In the following example, the two characters Heurtebise and Eurydice will speak together in a line whose name will be displayed as Both, and their two voices will be read simultaneously:
@Heurtebise
Hello
@Eurydice
Hello
@Both:Heurtebise+Eurydice
Hello together!
It is possible to group as many characters as necessary.
Alias of a character name
When the name of a character in a line must be different from the character's usual name, the syntax to follow is @Name for line:usual character name. In the following example, Orpheus is speaking with Orpheus's Head as the displayed name.
@Orpheus' Head:Orpheus
Where is my body? Where did I put my body?
@Eurydice
Don't look for it. Don't be annoyed. Give me your hand.
@Orpheus' head:Orpheus
Where is my head?
Text
The play represents the dialogue of a character. It must be placed on the line after the character's indication.
@Character
This is the play which can be on several lines.
or on a single line, as you wish.
There can even be line breaks in a text.
Dead text
Dead text is text that is not attached to a character's line. It is the author's comments. We find the dead text in 2 places ONLY:
- at the beginning of the play, just before the first line OR
- at the beginning of a scene (or an act) before the first line
# Act 1
This text is dead play because it is not attached to any character
@Character
From now on, the play will be vocalized with the character's voice…
The dead text is not vocalized and will be displayed as a stage direction.
It is not necessary to put the dead text in brackets as long as it is between a scene name and the first line.
Scenes and Acts
Scenes or acts should be identified by #.
Examples:
# Prologue
# Scene 1
# Train scene
# Act 4
# Act III
# Scene of the fatal announcement
# Conclusion
However, when a play is divided into acts and scenes, it is better to prefix the scenes with ## to improve navigation between scenes.
# Prologue
# Act I
## Scene 1
## Scene 2
# Act II
## Scene 1
## Scene 2
## Scene 3
Stage directions
A stage direction, or author's indications, is an indication that is not part of the actor's play, for example: (He goes out) or (One time) or (She stumbles) etc.... A stage direction must be written in parentheses and it is essential to respect the closing parentheses.
Several positions are possible:
@Character (possible here)
(alone on a line)
(also here, at the beginning of the line) blah blah blah (but also here, in the middle (they can even be nested)) blah blah
blah blah (or again here, at the end of the line)
Errors
If you don't respect the syntax, you will be warned by the editor of a syntax error.
Visit our solutions to syntax errors to help you.
When finished, start vocalization!
When you have finished writing your play, click on Ready to vocalize? then set the voice options and publish your play.
Vocalization depends directly on the length of the play, it can take up to 1 hour for a very long play or if there are many simultaneous requests, but usually between 10 and 20 minutes.
You will receive an email when the vocalization is finished.