Script markup syntax reference.
Plain text in, formatted script out. Everything below is free and works the moment you paste it in.
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ScrollCue script markup uses plain text: double asterisks for bold, single asterisks for italic, carets for bigger text, tildes for smaller, curly braces with a hex code for colour, double hash for a section jump marker, and double square brackets for presenter notes visible only to the reader.
The whole syntax
There is no proprietary format and nothing to learn beyond this table. Write it in any text editor, paste it in, and it renders.
| Write this | Get this | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| **text** | Bold | The word you must not fumble |
| *text* | Italic | Emphasis, stage directions |
| ^text^ | Bigger | The opening line, the punchline |
| ~text~ | Smaller | Disclaimers, legal, small print |
| {#hex|text} | Coloured | Speaker names, warnings, cues |
| ## Heading | Section marker | A jump point you can leap to instantly |
| [[note]] | Presenter note | Only you see it. Never recorded. |
Sections are the one to actually use
Everything else is polish. Sections change how a shoot feels. Mark each part of your script with ## and the sections panel gives you a jump point for every one, with a live indicator showing where you currently are.
The practical effect is that a fluffed line stops being a disaster. You jump back to the top of that section and go again, rather than restarting the whole thing or trying to find your place by scrubbing. Speakers who know they can recover cleanly stumble less in the first place, which is a strange and reliable thing about performing under pressure.
Presenter notes
Anything in double square brackets floats above the script as an overlay that only the reader sees. It does not scroll into the recording and it is not on any confidence monitor pointed at the audience.
Use it for the things you need in front of you but must not say out loud. A guest's name you keep forgetting. The exact figure. A reminder to slow down. The URL you are supposed to mention but not read letter by letter.
Getting a script in
Paste it, upload a .txt or .md file, or drop in a Google Drive share link. The editor crossfades over the stage rather than throwing you into a modal, so you can see what you are changing, and there is a word count and a markup toolbar if you would rather click than type the symbols.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a section jump point?
Start the line with two hash marks. That heading then appears in the sections panel and you can jump straight to it during a take.
How do I add notes only I can see?
Wrap them in double square brackets. They float above the script for the reader and never appear in a recording or on a monitor.
Can I colour part of the script?
Yes. Use a curly brace, a hex colour, a pipe, and then the text. Handy for speaker names in a two-hander or for a warning you want to be impossible to miss.
Is the markup free?
All of it. Markup, sections, and presenter notes are part of the free plan.
Can I import a script from Google Docs?
You can paste it in directly, or drop in a Google Drive share link. Plain text and markdown files also upload.