This is a guide for creating and editing transcripts for all episodes of the Ben 10 franchise. The rules established here for editing, writing, and describing only necessarily extend within transcript-specific pages. For guidance on any articles outside, visit our primary Manual of Style.
Note: All editing that will be discussed is done in the Source Editor, not the Visual Editor. To switch editors, click from the drop-down menu next to the "EDIT" button, or click the editor-switching button while editing. You can change your preferred default editing style in Special:Preferences.
Format
General
All transcripts must be written in American English.
All transcribing is done using the wiki's own template, {{TranscriptH}}. Putting this template on a page will display a table that is separated into two columns, marked "Speaker" and "Dialogue".
| Speaker | Dialogue |
|---|
The wiki also has a secondary template, {{TD}}, that is used for every subsequent line within TranscriptH.
| Speaker | Dialogue |
|---|---|
| _ | |
| _ | |
| _ | |
Any transcript page should have:
- its series' proper NavBox template. (see Table A)
- the category [[Category:Transcripts]]. (included automatically)
- its series' proper transcript category. (see Table B; included automatically)
Transcript pages that have not been completely filled in should have:
- the {{Stub}} or {{PartStub}} template, depending on how much is missing.
- the category [[Category:TranscriptStubs]].
Transcript pages that do not adhere to this page's rules should have:
- the {{TranscriptCleanup}} template.
- the category [[Category:Transcript Cleanup]].(included automatically)
Acts
All Classic Continuity episode transcripts are divided into acts. Acts mark when an episode fades to black and (during the time when it was airing) would go to commercial. The acts set the limits of the transcript template. With each new act, the TranscriptH template has to be closed and a new one opened.
All episodes of the Classic Continuity start with a short introductory act (what is called prologue on the wiki, known also as the "cold open"); before playing the theme song; then have three full acts. For these episodes, you must create a header on the page for each of these acts, in the order of Prologue; Act 1; Act 2; etc.
All episodes of the Reboot Continuity are one act long. They have no prologue and don't go to commercial. For these episodes, no headers are needed.
The exceptions to these rules are movies and specials, which can vary in length (and by extension, acts).
Linking
Like on normal pages, the first occurrence of any subject with their own dedicated page must be linked to, no matter if they appear in the "Speaker" or "Dialogue" columns. The transcript author should not tweak this for dramatic effect. It is unnecessary to re-link everything after a new act. If a character or object's name changes throughout the transcript (more on that in the "Fake Names" section), the first of both names should be linked, to indicate they are the same.
Skeleton
Here is a basic skeleton to copy for transcribing and writing any Ben 10 episode. The lines in blue indicate where to write the transcript.
==Prologue==
{{TranscriptH|
{{TD||}}
{{TD}}
{{TD||''[[Ben 10/Theme Song|Theme Plays]]''}}
}}
==Act 1==
{{TranscriptH|
{{TD||}}
}}
==Act 2==
{{TranscriptH|
{{TD||}}
}}
==Act 3==
{{TranscriptH|
{{TD||}}
{{TD}}
{{TD||''Credits Play''}}
}}
==Prologue==
{{TranscriptH|
{{TD||}}
{{TD}}
{{TD||''[[Ben 10: Alien Force/Theme Song|Theme Plays]]''}}
}}
==Act 1==
{{TranscriptH|
{{TD||}}
}}
==Act 2==
{{TranscriptH|
{{TD||}}
}}
==Act 3==
{{TranscriptH|
{{TD||}}
{{TD}}
{{TD||''Credits Play''}}
}}
==Prologue==
{{TranscriptH|
{{TD||}}
{{TD}}
{{TD||''[[Ben 10: Ultimate Alien/Theme Song|Theme Plays]]''}}
}}
==Act 1==
{{TranscriptH|
{{TD||}}
}}
==Act 2==
{{TranscriptH|
{{TD||}}
}}
==Act 3==
{{TranscriptH|
{{TD||}}
{{TD}}
{{TD||''Credits Play''}}
}}
==Prologue==
{{TranscriptH|
{{TD||}}
{{TD}}
{{TD||''[[Ben 10: Omniverse/Theme Song|Theme Plays]]''}}
}}
==Act 1==
{{TranscriptH|
{{TD||}}
}}
==Act 2==
{{TranscriptH|
{{TD||}}
}}
==Act 3==
{{TranscriptH|
{{TD||}}
{{TD}}
{{TD||''Credits Play''}}
}}
{{TranscriptH|
{{TD||''[[Ben 10 (Reboot)/Theme Song|Theme Plays]]''}}
{{TD}}
{{TD||}}
{{TD}}
{{TD||''Credits Play''}}
}}
Tables
- A - Series' Transcript NavBox Template
- Original Series = {{Ben 10Transcripts}}
- Alien Force = {{AF Transcript}}
- Ultimate Alien = {{UA Transcript}}
- Omniverse = {{OmniverseTranscripts}}
- Reboot = {{Ben10RebootTranscripts}}
- B - Series' Transcript Category
- Original Series = [[Category:Ben 10 Episode Transcripts]]
- Alien Force = [[Category:Ben 10: Alien Force Episode Transcripts]]
- Ultimate Alien = [[Category:Ben 10: Ultimate Alien Episode Transcripts]]
- Omniverse = [[Category:Ben 10: Omniverse Episode Transcripts]]
- Reboot = [[Category:Ben 10 Reboot Transcripts]]
- C - Series' Theme Song Page
- Original Series = Ben 10/Theme Song
- Alien Force = Ben 10: Alien Force/Theme Song
- Ultimate Alien = Ben 10: Ultimate Alien/Theme Song
- Omniverse = Ben 10: Omniverse/Theme Song
- Reboot = Ben 10 (Reboot)/Theme Song
Writing
Dialogue
Dialogue is the words the characters speak in the episode, and the only thing the transcript author actually transcribes. Listen to the episode and write down which characters say what. There is very limited freedom in this stage for the author to make any changes to the dialogue. (For more information on what options to adjust dialogue are available, consult the "Word Stress" and "Punctuation" sections.) The author should not make up dialogue that wasn't there, or believe they have it correctly in their memory and write without listening to the episode; their ear is their best tool when transcribing.
Note: Subtitles from DVDs or streaming services are a great resource for obtaining dialogue. However, they are not perfect, and usually require a once-over to make sure there are no misspellings, omissions of dialogue, or (in rare cases) objectively incorrect dialogue.
To start a new box for Dialogue, enter a new line within TranscriptH and type {{TD||}}. This will produce a thin blank box separated into two columns: "Speaker" and "Dialogue".
- Write the name of the speaking character in the Speaker column (between '{{TD|' and '|'). Use the name the wiki most commonly uses; if not, use the name listed in the episode's credits. DO NOT put a colon after the name, only the name is necessary.
- Then, write what they say in the Dialogue column (between '|' and '}}'). Use full sentences and make sure to have proper punctuation. Grammar and syntax, however, should not be corrected, and should stick to exactly how it is phrased and pronounced in the episode (e.g.: starting a sentence with conjunctions; contractions; dropping pronouns; accent-based words like "ya", "yer", "y'all", "ta'").
Two lines of dialogue from the same speaker should never appear directly after one another. They should always be separated by a line of dialogue from another speaker, or a line of Action (see "Action").
Simultaneous Dialogue
Whenever two or more characters say the same thing at the exact same time, their text should be bolded and their speaker column should be written following the pattern [A, B, & C], with an ampersand symbol (&) instead of "and". Depending on how many characters are speaking at once and the context of the scene, the speaker column can also be replaced with "All", "Both", etc.
External dialogue from Celestialsapiens, and any other instance of personalities within the same body, should be counted as simultaneous.
If two characters say two different things at the same time, the same applies, and their dialogue is written one after another (based on speaker order) and separated by a forward slash (/).
Example: Camp Fear
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| Speaker | Dialogue |
|---|---|
| Andy & Mandy | She started it!/He started it! |
| Gwen | It doesn't matter who started it, or whose fault it is. What matters is you're family. And you need to stick together. Got it? |
| Andy & Mandy | (grumpy) ...Okay. |
Voiceover
If a character is speaking without ever being physically present (i.e. talking on the other end of a phone or radio, a disembodied voice in a dream or flashback), their dialogue should be italicized. The transcript author can also decide (depending on context) to put "(VO)" after the character's name. (More on how to format phone-specific dialogue in "Phone Calls".)
Recorded Dialogue
In rare cases, a character's dialogue, after appearing once in a transcript, may be diegetically recorded and played back. Their voice could also be chopped up or synthesized to say something that the character never actually said. In any of these cases, their repeated dialogue must be placed inside square brackets ([ ]). (Note: A character replaying what a second character has told them in their head usually applies more to the rules of "Voiceover".)
Action
Action, also known as Stage Direction, describes what the characters are doing at any given moment. This is the much more liberal aspect of transcript writing, and will take up the bulk of the transcript author's time. It requires a writer who can translate visuals to words, and can explain things in a clear manner, with respect of when the episode is being comedic or serious. It is not necessary to depict every single action on-screen (e.g.: every time XLR8's visor opens and closes), but this transcript will act as the most detailed account of episodes on the wiki, so it should have a good amount of detail.
To start a new box for action, create a new line within TranscriptH and type {{TD||}}. This will produce a thin blank box separated into two columns: "Speaker" and "Dialogue".
- This time, write everything in the Dialogue column (between '|' and '}}'). ALL of the action in this box must be italicized. Action should be full grammatical sentences with proper punctuation. Action should always be in the present tense, save only for when it is necessary to reference past or future events in the story. The last sentence can end abruptly with alternative punctuation to a period, if the dialogue that follows is self-explanatory. The author should always refrain from breaking the fourth wall and addressing the audience when they can (more details in "Breaking the Fourth Wall"); avoid injecting their personal biases when describing action; and never mention themselves in any facet.
Fight Scenes
The transcript author should describe fight scenes in detail when they happen; while it is not a requirement to describe every individual punch, at minimum, the general flow of the fight and the shifts in power during it should be accounted for.
Morals and Motives
The transcript author should never try to put into words the moral of the episode. Morals are not always clear, and can be interpreted in different ways by different people. To solidify it in writing is to remove the merit of watching these episodes in the first place. For similar reasons, the author shouldn't necessarily candidly explain a character's exact motives for their actions. It often benefits the reading experience of the transcript if the events of the episode "do all the talking" for itself.
Example:
| Speaker | Dialogue |
|---|---|
| Ben smiles, realizing his true family is not going to let him down now. | |
| Speaker | Dialogue |
|---|---|
| Gwen puts up a shield in order to save Ben and Kevin's life. | |
In a similar vein, Action shouldn't be used to announce or describe an event present in succeeding dialogue, if said event is already evident, or does not begin until the dialogue does.
Example:
| Speaker | Dialogue |
|---|---|
| Ben and Gwen bicker at each other. | |
| Ben | Geek. |
| Gwen | Jerk. |
Breaking the Fourth Wall
While the transcript author should try to avoid breaking the fourth wall or addressing the audience as much as possible, certain cases of non-diegetic action within the episode will inevitably require some amount of explanation. In such cases, the author may break the fourth wall only under one of these conditions:
- Mentioning the name of an episode, to jog a reader's memory of something they have previously "seen" up to that point.
- Addressing "the camera" in order to describe an atypical camera movement (scene transitions do not count).
Sound Effects
In rare cases where a sound effect is both particularly important in the story and cannot be attributed to a character or object (or has not yet been attributed for dramatic effect), the sound effect can be written out in its own line of action. The onomatopoeia of the sound should be in all caps; italicized; and bolded.
Example:
| Speaker | Dialogue |
|---|---|
| BANG | |
Action Within Dialogue
Some action is too small to warrant its own {{TD}} line (such as only being a short sentence long, or inconsequential within its own scene), in which case the transcript author can choose to write the action within a line of dialogue, known as Action within dialogue (AwD from here on out). There are two types of AwD:
Basic AwD is the type of action that is formatted exactly like normal: italicized; written as a full sentence; having capital letters and periods. The only extra rule that sets AwDs apart from Action is that it must be in parentheses, to ensure it is not viewed as a continuation of the dialogue next to it. The AwD's sentence does not need to mention the speaker of the dialogue line in which it is located (see "Pronoun Replacement"). The main purpose of AwD is to save on page space.
Example of a Basic AwD that runs for too long, and should be given its own Action line; Washington B.C.:
| Speaker | Dialogue |
|---|---|
| Dr. Animo | Young fool! You cannot stop me! I will turn Washington D.C. into "Washington B.C."! (He jumps from his frog to the mutated parrot, who flies off with him through a sky light, with the frog following.) |
Possessive AwD is a different type of AwD that is even shorter than normal, where it only takes the form of a few words, or even a single word. It is often used to express small visual or audial changes with a character, such as them making a small action or noise, or changing their expression. It exclusively takes the form of either an adjective; a verb conjugated in either the "present" or "present continuous" tense; or a common expression. This type of AwD must relate specifically to the speaker of the Dialogue line in which it is located. Not only that, but it almost always takes place before a piece of Dialogue, as it normally means to modify said Dialogue. Possessive AwDs should not be written as a full, complete sentence, nor should the author capitalize or put periods.
Multiple Possessive AwDs can exist one after the other, so long as they're separated by a semicolon (;). This is unecessary for Basic AwDs, as multiple sentences are already separated by periods. A Basic and Possessive AwD should never be joined together or placed one after another.
Example of two Possessive AwDs, joined together; Last Laugh:
| Speaker | Dialogue |
|---|---|
| Zombozo | (getting up; voice breaking) I'm warning you to back off! |
Example of a Basic and Possessive AwD together; Camp Fear:
Wildvine's "vegetarian" Dialogue should be moved with its Possessive AwD to a new line, which is normally impossible (see "Dialogue"), but the Basic AwD can allow for this by becoming a line of Action.
| |||||||||||||||||
Directional Speaking
When a character is speaking to one person specifically, and it can be unclear who they're talking to, use AwD before their dialogue to indicate to whom they are speaking. For example: (to Gwen) (to Max). It is unnecessary to do this if the character mentions the person by name.
Pronoun Replacement
If a Basic AwD is both present in a line of dialogue and features the speaker of said dialogue, you can replace their name with their pronoun. It is important to mention them by name if the AwD precedes their dialogue, however, as it could be unclear who the pronoun refers to in the scene.
Noises and Expressions
When characters laugh, transcript authors can choose to either write out the entire laugh (haha, hehah, hohohe, etc.) or simply write the action (laughs) or (laughing). The same applies to screaming, or any other major nonverbal noise that cannot be ignored (see "Noises" section in "Library of Common Possessive AwDs").
Spell Casting
Whenever a magic user recites a spell incantation, it should be preceded by the Possessive AwD (casting) and the name of the incantation should be bolded and link to the Spells page of the respective continuity, regardless of how many times the page was previously linked to.
Breaks
Breaks occur when you leave the {{TD}} transcript blank. Doing so produces a thinner bar than normal, and if placed between two other lines, will sort of "break" them up. These breaks are used to signify any major jump in time or location. It is left to the transcript author to determine when to use breaks, though it is usually clear when an episode calls for it, especially skips forward in time. Other miscellaneous scene transitions, such as a fade or smash cut, usually also call for a break, as well as montages.
Title Cards
When non-diegetic title cards and text appears on screen, such as "Previously on ___" or "___ Years Later", they should be represented on their own action line with breaks in between and be fully capitalized and bolded.
Flashbacks and Flash Forwards
In the case of any kind of flashback, or some flash forwards, three consecutive breaks should be used, on both the start and end of the flashback/forward. In the case of flash forwards, the three breaks shouldn't be used for moments that jump forward only a day or two, as that can be fulfilled with a single break; nor should they be used for jumps in time so far that they leave what is considered the bounds of the episode (e.g.: a brief comedic cutaway to several decades later).
The triple break can be thought of as having the same rules as with title cards: one line for the title card that says "___ Time Later", with two breaks in between; but the card in this case is invisible; thus its {{TD}} line is left blank and becomes a third break.
Phone Calls
If a character is being shown talking on any kind of phone, walkie-talkie, or intercom, then their dialogue should not be italicized. In a phone-specific conversation, italicizing should only apply to when the speaker is not being shown and only their voice is heard. During a phone conversation that switches between the speakers' locations, breaks must be used to follow whoever is being shown.
Example; A Small Problem:
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Style
Fake Names
When someone's identity is obscured/unknown for plot purposes, the transcript author can put in the speaker column a fake name for them. This fake name should match relevant traits about the character (and it helps to describe this trait in Action first before naming them it).
However, the following must be kept in mind:
- The more fake names given to one or multiple characters, the more confusing the transcript will be to read.
- It is commonplace in the Ben 10 franchise for characters to be introduced and spent lots of time with before ever being given a name in the episode, if at all. The author should try to only give someone a fake name if they think it's significant enough to the plot or short enough before the actual naming that it won't affect things too much.
- Like any character name on the wiki, the first mention of the fake name must link to the page of the character in addition to the first mention of their actual name.
- Characters do not need a fake name if:
- the character has appeared in two or more episodes previously.
- the character is new, but their introduction is one or two lines away from their actual name reveal.
Word Stress
Here are the available tools authors can use to "spice up" any dialogue.
- Italics makes text slightly more noticeable. It is however important to keep italicized dialogue spaced out, as having them so close to action text could make the transcript more confusing to read as a result.
- Bolding is effective if a piece of dialogue is meant to be piercing.
- CAPITALIZATION is a great tool for stressing words, though it does imply the speaker has severely raised their voice or is yelling/shouting.
- Repeeeeeating Leeeeetters scratches that specific itch when a character is either bored out of their mind or coyingly dragging out a word in a sentence. The rules of repeating letters are to: prioritize repeating vowels over consonants; italicize the repeated letter.
- The <small></small> commands shrink dialogue, useful for when someone says something quietly or under their breath. In more obvious cases of whispering, however, it is more appropriate to use the AwD (whispering) or (hushed) before dialogue instead.
- R-R-Repeating the first letter(s) in a word with hyphens indicates stuttering speech. If the first letter is capital, continue to capitalize it as it is repeated.
Punctuation
- Use ellipsis (...) to indicate trailing off, or any large gaps in speech.
- 'Apostrophes' and "Quotation Marks" help you to mark 'light' and "heavy" quotings of names, expressions, and verbatim speech.
- A hyphen in between words - can indicated a pause that is longer than a comma but shorter than an ellipsis. It can also indicate when someone is enunciating every - word - they're - saying.
- A naked hyphen at the end of a sentence makes it look like it's being cut short-
- -while a naked hyphen at the start of a sentence makes it look like it's finishing someone else's thought.
- Use an exclamation mark (!) when someone delivers dialogue very passionately, though it does imply the speaker has raised their voice at least somewhat. They can also follow ellipses and hyphens at the end of sentences. Do not use multiple.
- Use question marks (?) for outright questions or generally inquisitive dialogue. Combine it with an exclamation to make a question significantly higher in intensity (?!). They can also follow ellipses and hyphens at the end of sentences. Do not use multiple.
Transcript Writing Tips
Technical
- In general, the transcript should be looked over, and edits previewed frequently using the "SHOW PREVIEW" button. This is because it often happens where the transcript is not thoroughly formatted, and an entire act will come apart due to a single missing '}'.
- The {{TD}} template sometimes experiences issues if something in the Dialogue column starts with a naked hyphen. If so, make sure to put a space between the hyphen and the second '|'.
Abstract
- The author is encouraged to occasionally inject small sentences that emulate some of the episode's visually interesting moments; serious moments; or comedic moments.
- When using word stress while transcribing dialogue, it is important the author not let themselves get carried away with adding too much. It is good practice to go over what is written and leave a bit of ambiguity in the dialogue, the author not stressing words exactly how they hear them. Other people might hear it stressed differently.
- Sometimes small bits of action should be moved a couple seconds backward or forward, and joined with the nearest action line, for the sake of the flow of the scene.
- The Speaker column can fit roughly 11 characters before having to stretch to fit the speaker's name. To avoid having it be stretched too much, almost every character with more than one proper name should be shortened (e.g.: Ben Tennyson to Ben; Will Harangue to Harangue; Ignacius Baumann to Mr. Baumann; Kangaroo Kommando to K.K.).
- The author shouldn't write down incorrect mispronunciations of names, unless the mispronunciation is very noticeable. For example, The Big Tick's "Aburian" error can be written over, but Secret of the Omnitrix's "Vulpin" error is too stark to be written over.
- If an alien speaks in a language incomprehensible to the audience, it can simply be represented as the AwD (alien language).
- If an Omnitrix alien makes their franchise debut in the transcript, their appearance should be described and their species linked to, but not in following transcripts.
- When Ben has transformed into an alien, the author should refer to him by the alien's name, not as Ben. While it is technically true that Ben is experiencing everything the alien is, transcripts in specific suffer from having too many different character names to keep track of. It also flows better, from a reading perspective, to follow Ben; then the alien he turns into; then go back to following Ben.
Library of Common Possessive AwDs
- Modifying Dialogue:
- (to ___) (see "Directional Speaking")
- (labored/strained)
- (loudly/aloud/out loud)
- (whispering/hushed) ; (under their breath) ; (muttering) ; (privately)
- (angry/fuming) ; (through gritted teeth)
- (serious)
- (sarcastic/dryly)
- (singsong) ; (coyly) ; (cutesy) ; (baby talk)
- Performing Actions:
- (smiles/ing) ; (smirks/ing) ; (grins/ing)
- (pointing at/to ___)
- (jeering)
- (reading)
- (sitting down)
- (falling)
- (getting up)
- Noises:
- (screams/screaming) ; (yells/yelling) ; (shouts/shouting) ; (exclaiming)
- (laughs/laughing) ; (chuckles/chuckling) ; (snickers/snickering) ; (cracks up/cracking up)
- (scoffs/scoffing) ; (grumbles/grumbling) ; (grunts/grunting)
- (cries/crying/tearful) ; (wails/wailing) ; (blubbers/blubbering)
- (groans/groaning) ; (grumbles/grumbling) ; (growls/growling)
- (gasps/gasping)
- (sighs/sighing) ; (panting/out of breath)
- (winces/wincing)