that is correct. those variables are declared in the scope of that script - the timeline script in whatever movieclip (beit _root or anyother) in which it was written. As such, it belongs to and is defined in that clip. myfunction being defined in that script actually has double access to those variables. 1) because it is defined in the same script as the variables and 2) because its defined in the same scope of those variables, that being the timeline. access via 1 is simply through the variables names as used above. access via 2 is through this.variablename. Both should work given the circumstance above.