Revision Marks: Overview
Revision marks are visual cues—often colored underlines, strikethroughs, or side‑bar annotations—that pinpoint wording changes, scene shifts, or formatting edits on script pages. They allow cast and crew to immediately identify new, modified, or removed elements without re‑reading entire pages.
Types & Conventions
Common revision‑mark conventions include:
- Additions: Underlined text in the revision color.
- Deletions: Strikethrough or bracketed text.
- Movement: Arrows or notes indicating action repositioning.
- Comments: Marginalia for director’s clarifications.
Each production selects a distinct color per revision cycle (see Colored Pages) and documents the legend in the revision cover sheet.
Revision Marks: Workflow Integration
Upon issuing a revision page, the script supervisor distributes it alongside a cover sheet explaining all revision marks. Department heads update their continuity logs, shot lists, and call sheets accordingly. Revision marks reduce ambiguity—actors know which lines changed, grips adjust equipment plans, and editors can flag revised footage during post‑production matching.
Challenges & Recommendations
Over‑annotating can clutter pages; under‑annotating risks missed changes. Striking a balance requires disciplined formatting—using consistent mark types and maintaining a concise revision legend. Digital annotation tools on tablets now offer tappable revision marks, further streamlining on‑set clarity.