Nothing should be italicized in a professionally formated script.

But many times writers use italics to emphasize words.

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The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)

What do you mean "suggest something is improved".

RJSchwarz
San Diego, CA

Sorry... I meant "improvised"

How do you suggest that something is improvised in a script?

Are you saying that a character walks to a location they've been too before but now something has been fixed that was broken before? Or are you talking about how to tell a reader that you changed/improved a scene from a previous time they read it?

In the first case you just say "George looks at the beat up patio and it's been repaired and improved since his last visit." In the second you say, I improved the BACKYARD SCENE that starts on page 29 but you should probably read the whole thing and not just that scene.

RJSchwarz
San Diego, CA

Are you suggesting improvising a scene instead of having it down on the page in the script? Give us the example so we can better help you define what you want improvised. When you are working with great acting talent you could let them improvise a take or two of a scene, but for the most part you need to write what you want in the scene. Action, dialog, etc. Many of the Christopher Guest and Mike Leigh films are improvised off of a basic scene outline, but those people are great improvisational actors. Give us some more info on your scene(s) that you want to have "improvised."

Another thing that will help get good answers is to tell us
if this is a script you are planning to send out to agents to
sell, or something you are planning on making yourself.

Improvising also depends on how much. I think it's common to say "The frat boys improvise various good bys" but to have anything much longer is somewhat problematic in a script.

If you are the director write the script and simply allow the actors leeway to change things and add things as you go, but you've got to have a foundation for planning and such.

The Spinal Tap guys shot like 300 hours of film until they were comfortable they had enough stuff. Improvising is hit and miss even with folks with god given talent at improv who have been in character for a year already as Spinal Tap was (doing morning radio and such trying to drum up interest and prove the concept).

RJSchwarz
San Diego, CA

I don't recommend putting "improvised" into a screenplay unless you're writing it to film yourself...if someone else is reading it, that'll throw them right out of the story.

What is it you're working on?