TPS (TelePrompterScript) is a markdown-based file format for teleprompter scripts. It supports hierarchical content organization with precise timing, emotional cues, visual styling, and presentation instructions.

Teleprompter scripts need more than plain text. A speaker needs pace guidance, emotional cues, visual emphasis, and natural pauses — all embedded directly in the script. Existing formats (plain text, SubRip .srt, WebVTT) either lack structure entirely or focus on subtitle timing rather than live presentation flow.

TPS bridges this gap: it is human-readable markdown that any text editor can open, yet it carries rich metadata that teleprompter software can interpret for real-time rendering.

• Script authors — writers who create teleprompter scripts and want inline pace/emotion control without leaving a text editor.
• Teleprompter app developers — engineers who parse and render TPS files in real-time reading applications.
• Content producers — video/podcast teams who need structured, reviewable scripts with edit points and timing hints.

1. Markdown-compatible — a .tps file renders reasonably in any markdown viewer.
2. Human-authorable — no tooling required to write a valid script.
3. Hierarchical — documents decompose into Segments → Blocks → Phrases → Words, each level inheriting and overriding properties.
4. Minimal yet extensible — the core tag set is small; parsers ignore unknown tags gracefully.

Script
├── Front Matter (YAML metadata)
├── Title (# header — optional, informational only)
└── Segments (## headers — major sections)
    └── Blocks (### headers — topic groups within segments)
        └── Phrases (sentences/thoughts with inline markers)
            └── Words (with individual properties)

The front matter is a YAML block delimited by --- lines at the very start of the file. All fields are optional.

---
title: "Script Title"
profile: Actor              # Actor (default)
duration: "10:00"           # Target duration MM:SS
base_wpm: 140               # Default words per minute
speed_offsets:              # Percentage offsets for speed tags relative to base_wpm
  xslow: -40                # [xslow] = base_wpm × 0.6 (40% slower)
  slow: -20                 # [slow] = base_wpm × 0.8 (20% slower)
  fast: 25                  # [fast] = base_wpm × 1.25 (25% faster)
  xfast: 50                 # [xfast] = base_wpm × 1.5 (50% faster)
author: "Author Name"
created: "2024-01-01"
version: "1.0"
---

Segments are major sections of the script.

## [SegmentName|120WPM|Emotion|Timing]

All parameters after the name are optional and position-dependent, separated by |.

Examples:

• ## [Intro|140WPM|Warm]
• ## [Urgent Update|150WPM|Urgent|0:30-1:10]
• ## [Overview||Neutral] — inherits default WPM
• ## [Simple Segment] — name only, inherits everything

Segment Parameters:

Leading text: Content between a segment header and its first block is preserved as introductory text that inherits the segment's speed and emotion.

Blocks are topic groups within a segment.

### [BlockName|120WPM|Emotion]

Examples:

• ### [Opening Block|140WPM]
• ### [Speed Variations|140WPM|Focused]
• ### [Happy Section]

Block Parameters:

Inline markers are embedded within phrase text to control presentation.

[pause:2s]          # 2-second pause
[pause:1000ms]      # 1000-millisecond pause
/                   # Short pause (300ms)
//                  # Medium pause (600ms)

[emphasis]word[/emphasis]    # Standard emphasis (level 1)
*word*                       # Markdown italic → emphasis level 1
**word**                     # Markdown bold → emphasis level 2

[180WPM]text here[/180WPM]    # Temporary absolute speed change
[xslow]very careful[/xslow]   # Relative: base_wpm × 0.6 (40% slower than base)
[slow]important point[/slow]   # Relative: base_wpm × 0.8 (20% slower than base)
[fast]quick mention[/fast]     # Relative: base_wpm × 1.25 (25% faster than base)
[xfast]rapid section[/xfast]   # Relative: base_wpm × 1.5 (50% faster than base)
[normal]reset speed[/normal]   # Reset to base_wpm (multiplier = 1.0)

Speed tag summary (at base_wpm = 140):

Note: All relative speed tags are relative to the base speed, not absolute values. Tags stack multiplicatively when nested: [xslow][slow]text[/slow][/xslow] = base × 0.6 × 0.8 = 48% of base.

The +/− buttons on the reading page change the base speed for the current run. All relative speed tags ([xslow], [slow], [fast], [xfast]) automatically scale with the new base, preserving their proportional relationship. For example, pressing + to increase from 140 to 150 WPM means [slow] changes from 112 to 120 WPM.

[red]warning text[/red]             # Color coding
[highlight]key point[/highlight]    # Highlighting (yellow background)

[warm]friendly greeting[/warm]      # Apply emotion-based styling inline
[urgent]breaking news[/urgent]      # Emotion colors applied to text

[edit_point:high]                   # High priority edit point
[edit_point:medium]                 # Medium priority edit point
[edit_point]                        # Standard edit point (no priority)

[phonetic:ˈkæməl]camel[/phonetic]              # IPA pronunciation
[pronunciation:KAM-uhl]camel[/pronunciation]    # Simple guide

Colors are semantic names — renderers map them to actual hex values appropriate for the rendering context. The hex codes below are reference values for a dark background (the default teleprompter rendering context).

Note: black is not a valid inline color — it is invisible on the dark teleprompter background. Parsers strip [black] tags and render content unstyled.

highlight is a formatting tag, not a color — it applies a semi-transparent yellow background overlay: [highlight]key point[/highlight].

All speed presets are relative to base_wpm — they apply a multiplier, not an absolute value.

Properties flow downward through the hierarchy. Each level can override its parent:

1. Front matter sets document-level defaults (base_wpm, speed_offsets).
2. Segment overrides document defaults for WPM, emotion.
3. Block overrides segment defaults for WPM, emotion.
4. Inline tags override block defaults for the tagged span only.

If a child omits a value, it inherits from its nearest ancestor.

For any word, the effective WPM is determined by (highest priority first):

1. Inline speed tag ([180WPM]...[/180WPM], [xslow], [slow], [fast], [xfast])
2. Block header WPM
3. Segment header WPM
4. base_wpm from front matter
5. Default: 140 WPM

• / inserts a 300ms pause at the word boundary.
• // inserts a 600ms pause at the word boundary.
• [pause:Ns] inserts N×1000 ms pause.
• [pause:Nms] inserts N ms pause.
• Pauses at word boundaries are additive if multiple markers appear together.

When emotion changes between segments or blocks, renderers should apply a smooth visual transition (recommended: 3-second fade between color schemes).

• Tags must be properly closed: [red]text[/red].
• Tags must not cross-nest: [red][emphasis]text[/red][/emphasis] is invalid.
• Valid nesting: [red][emphasis]text[/emphasis][/red].

If a TPS file has no ## segment headers, the entire content (after front matter) is treated as a single implicit segment with Neutral emotion and default WPM.

Plain markdown ## Title headers (without [...] brackets) are also recognized as segments with default (neutral) emotion and inherited WPM.

TPS is designed for teleprompter use — text is always rendered on a dark background (typically near-black: #1A1B2E or similar). All color choices, contrast ratios, and visibility rules assume this context.

1. Text base color is white/light (#F8F9FA or similar). All inline colors must be lighter variants that contrast well against dark backgrounds.
2. black is not a valid inline color — it would be invisible. Renderers should map [black] to gray or ignore it.
3. Minimum contrast — all color keywords must produce at least WCAG AA 4.5:1 contrast ratio against the dark background.
4. Emotion color schemes (background, text, accent) are pre-defined per emotion. They are not raw hex values — they are tuned for the dark rendering context with appropriate alpha channels.
5. highlight uses a semi-transparent yellow background overlay, not a text color change.

The Actor profile targets natural spoken delivery — reading aloud from a teleprompter while maintaining eye contact with the camera.

Default base_wpm: 140 — sits in the middle of the standard range. Most people read comfortably at 130–150 WPM from a teleprompter.

Advice for script authors:

• Start at 130 WPM for new speakers, increase gradually.
• Use [xslow]...[/xslow] for critical warnings or very important statements.
• Use [slow]...[/slow] for key points and emotional moments.
• Use [fast]...[/fast] for asides and throwaway lines.
• Use [xfast]...[/xfast] for rapid transitions or low-importance filler.
• Add / pauses between clauses; // between sentences.

Additional validation:

• Emotions must be from the predefined set (see table above).
• Timing calculations should not exceed target duration by > 20%.
• All markup tags must be properly closed; no cross-nesting.
• Edit points should be at phrase or block boundaries.
• Pronunciation guides should use valid IPA or phonetic notation.

• Tags are case-insensitive; canonical form is lower-case (e.g., [emphasis]).
• WPM suffix is uppercase by convention (e.g., 140WPM).
• Parameters inside headers are trimmed; 140 WPM normalizes to 140WPM.
• Escape reserved characters in plain text with backslash: \[, \], \|, \/, \*, \\.

---
title: Product Launch
profile: Actor
base_wpm: 140
speed_offsets:
  xslow: -40
  slow: -20
  fast: 25
  xfast: 50
author: Jane Doe
---

## [Intro|140WPM|Warm]

### [Opening Block|140WPM]
Good morning everyone, / and [emphasis]welcome[/emphasis] to what I believe /
will be a [green]transformative moment[/green] for our company. //

[pause:2s]

### [Purpose Block|150WPM]
[emphasis]Today[/emphasis], / we're not just launching a product – /
we're introducing a [highlight]solution[/highlight] that will [emphasis]revolutionize[/emphasis] /
how our customers interact with technology. //

## [Problem|150WPM|Concerned]

### [Statistics Block|150WPM|Neutral]
But first, / let's address the [xslow][red]elephant in the room[/red][/xslow]. /
Our industry has been [emphasis]struggling[/emphasis] with a fundamental problem. //

[edit_point:high]

According to recent studies, /
[slow][emphasis]73% of users abandon[/emphasis] applications within the first three interactions[/slow] /
due to [highlight]complexity and poor user experience[/highlight]. //

### [Impact Block|140WPM]
This affects [emphasis]millions[/emphasis] of people worldwide, /
costing businesses [red]billions in revenue[/red] annually. //

## [Solution|160WPM|Focused]

### [Introduction Block|150WPM]
That's where our [blue][emphasis]new platform[/emphasis][/blue] comes in. /
We've developed a [green]local-first teleprompter workflow[/green] that /
[highlight]simplifies complex processes[/highlight] and [emphasis]enhances user experience[/emphasis]. //

### [Benefits Block|160WPM|Excited]
With our solution, / you can expect a [green][emphasis]50% reduction[/emphasis][/green] in user abandonment /
and a [green][emphasis]30% increase[/emphasis][/green] in engagement. //

[pause:1s]

[xfast]Full details are available in the handout.[/xfast] /
[highlight]Thank you[/highlight] for your time. //

[edit_point:medium]

• Primary: .tps (TelePrompterScript)
• Alternative: .tps.md (for markdown-aware editors)