Common SFX elements and how they show up in scripts
| Script says | SFX element | Notes for breakdown |
|---|---|---|
| "Rain lashes the windshield" | rain bars on car, water truck | wet-down, wardrobe multiples |
| "Fog rolls across the field" | fog/haze machines | wind direction, neighbors, fire marshal |
| "Bullets tear into the door" | squib hits, pre-scored door | armorer, safety bulletin, multiples of the door |
| "He smashes a bottle over his head" | breakaway bottle | stunt, hero prop clean version |
| "The fireplace roars" | gas fire bar | fire safety officer, location approval |
| "The car explodes" | pyrotechnics | permits, licensed pyro operator, may be VFX instead |
| "Her breath fogs" | cold room or VFX | decide early which |
Some of these, like fireplace fire and fog, are also on the set dressing or lighting side on smaller shows. Decide which department owns each one during prep so it doesn't fall between two.
A breakdown example
88 EXT. HENDERSON FARM - BARN - NIGHT
Lightning. Rain sheets off the barn roof. Cole kicks
the lantern over and straw catches.
| Box | Entries |
|---|---|
| SFX (blue) | rain towers x2 over barn roof; lightning boxes (with electric); controlled straw fire, fire bars |
| Props | lantern (hero, and a rigged SFX version) |
| Stunts | Cole near open fire |
| Notes | fire permit, fire safety officer, water truck; night exterior; wet greenery and ground |
Two lines of script, and the scene needs water supply, a fire permit, and extra rigging hours before the shoot day. Lightning boxes are often a lighting department item, so the gaffer and the special effects supervisor have to agree who supplies them.
Scheduling and safety
SFX setups eat time. Rain has to be rigged, tested, and reset between takes, and wet actors need warm-up time and dry wardrobe. Breakaways need multiples and each reset means replacing the item, so budget the number of takes with the director. Anything involving fire, explosives, or firearms brings a safety meeting and the matching safety bulletin on the call sheet.
Deciding practical versus digital
Many script effects could go either way. The breakdown is where you mark a decision or a question: "car explosion: SFX or VFX, TBD with director." Leaving it blank means neither department budgets it. See visual effects for how VFX get tagged, and stunts for how performer actions around effects are split out.