TECHNICAL TERMS USED IN RADIO DRAMA SCRIPTS
Fade up/Fade in Increase volume of background effects or speech (usually from silence) - often used to denote start of scene.
Fade/Fade out The reverse - often used to denote the end of scene.
Bring up/Fade up Increase volume.
Take down/Fade down The reverse.
Fade behind (under)/down and hold behind Reduce volume of sound and fade and sustain dialogue.
Clean in Abrupt start to scene without fade up of background effects or speech.
Clean out Abrupt end to scene without fade down or effects or speech.
Cut (to) Abrupt chop of effects at end of scene or sequence.
Crossfade (to)/(to) Overlay the fade out of 1 mix scene with the fade in of the next.
(On)/(Close) Used before a speech to place the speaker specifically near the microphone.
(Off)/(Away) Used similarly to place the speaker away from the microphone.
(Approaching)/(Approach) Indicates that the speaker is
to approach the microphone from 'off' during the speech - often abbreviated to (App).
(Retreating)/(Retreat)/(Going) The reverse.
(Distort) Used before a speech to indicate that speech is to be mechanically distorted (as on a phone, etc).
Acoustics The sound quality of a room or area - ie. echoey or dead - as 'bathroom acoustic' or 'church acoustic'. NB. Not to be confused with 'effects'.
FX Common abbreviation for 'effects'
B/G Common abbreviation for 'background'.
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