Chapter 14: Formatting

In order to make a positive, first impression with your screenplay and showcase your skills as a writer, you’ll need to use proper formatting. There are many resources online to help answer your formatting questions, and here are some essential formatting techniques to get you started on the right track.

Keep in mind that you’re writing for the producer, the actors, the director, and the crew. Your script will need to be engaging, entertaining, and well-written in order to get financing behind it to get it produced. Once it’s in production, it becomes the roadmap for the crew to put your vision on the big screen.

There are primarily three parts to your screenplay: the scene headings, the description/action and dialogue.

Font

Screenplays are ALWAYS written in 12-point Courier font. This is a rigid rule.

NOTE: in this online textbook, the font is not displayed as Courier 12-point– remember that for a screenplay the correct font is ALWAYS 12-point Courier font!!!

Screenwriting Software

Using screenwriting software will save you time and help you format your script properly. There are many different kinds of software and online programs out there. Do your research online and choose one that fits your needs and budget.

Script length

Typically feature-length screenplays are between 90 – 120 pages long.

With a short script, you can pick your length, although if you want to produce it and enter the film into festivals, do some research to determine the best length for your needs. For example, a 10-minute short film may have a better chance of getting selected for a festival piece and becoming part of a “short series” at a festival, than a 40-minute film.

Editing and Camera Directions

It’s better to use narrative description to show what’s happening in the scene than to use editing or camera direction. For example, avoid using MATCH CUT or LOW ANGLE, etc. The story is the key, and it’s not your job as the writer to determine the exact camera angles or edits in the movie – that will be left to the Director, Cinematographer and Editor.

Avoid “We see” or “We hear”

Including “we see” or “we hear” in the narrative description takes the reader out of the script. Instead, just describe what is seen or heard in the scene. For example, “We see him cautiously approach the abandoned car” is better written as “He cautiously approaches the abandoned car.”

Scene Descriptions Length

Scene description paragraphs should be 4 or 5 lines only. Add a space, and then continue with the next paragraph or cut to dialogue. This will make your script easier to read and help format your screenplay so that 1 page of script equals about 1 minute of film.

FADE IN 

Begin your screenplay with FADE IN (all caps), justified to the left. These are the first words of your screenplay.

Scene Headings (Slug Lines)

1. Camera Location: INT. for Interior or EXT. for exterior
2. Scene location: the location where the scene is taking place
3. Time of day: DAY or NIGHT

Example of a Master Scene Heading:

INT. CASINO – NIGHT

Secondary Scene Headings can be used if a single location has many smaller locations within it. This can make the scene sequence easier to read and can be helpful for action sequences as well.

INT. CASINO – NIGHT

Add some description/action here.

AT THE BAR

Add some description/action here.

SLOTS ROOM

Add some description/action here.

Follow every scene heading with a line or more of description/action before writing the dialogue.

MONTAGE and SERIES OF SHOTS

A montage is a series of short sequences/actions or images that express a single concept or theme, such as falling in love, the passage of time, a building or project coming together from start to end, etc.

This is a great tool to manipulate time. Montages will occur without dialogue and usually play out in the film over music. Refer to chapter 7 for more information.

BEGIN MONTAGE – JASMINE AND ALISHA FALL IN LOVE

— INT. CAFE – DAY — They meet when Jasmine bumps into Alisha,

spilling her latte all over her white blouse.

— EXT. DRY CLEANERS – DAY — Alisha wears Jasmine’s coat, while

Jasmine hands the white blouse over to the attendant.

— INT. MOVIE THEATER – DAY — They share popcorn in the dark

theater. Alisha still wears Jasmine’s coat.

— EXT. DRY CLEANERS – DAY — Alisha now wears her white blouse and

hands Jasmine her coat. Jasmine grabs Alisha’s hand and doesn’t letgo. Alisha’s smile says it all.

END MONTAGE

A series of shots usually focuses on one subject/concept and consists of rapid shots that tell a chronological story.

SERIES OF SHOTS – TYRONE PICKS THE LOCK

A) Tyrone unzips his case of lock picks.

B) Tyrone grabs a pick and steadies himself.

C) The timer counts down – only 10 seconds left.

D) With precision, Tyrone turns the pick and the lock unclicks.

END SERIES OF SHOTS

FLASHBACKS and DREAM SEQUENCES

A flashback is another tool that writers can use to manipulate time. Format dream sequences, nightmares, daydreams, visions, and flashforwards in the same way that the flashback is formatted. Refer to Chapter 7 for more information.

BEGIN FLASHBACK

INT. HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY – DAY

Add some narrative description/action here.

INT. CAFETERIA – DAY

Add some narrative description/action here.

END FLASHBACK

Character First Appearances

Capitalize a character’s name the first time they make an appearance in the screenplay. Follow with a great description that gives your reader a visual introduction to your memorable character. This helps to avoid confusion and helps the Assistant Director and Casting Director create a cast list.

The door slams open, and in walks DESIREE (25), hotter than the Texas sun and ready for a fight. Her slim figure is deceiving. She’s five feet of determination that will knock your boots off.

Sounds

Capitalize unusual or important sounds in your script so they stand out for the reader and for the sound design team.

A heavy, animalistic PANTING wakes Marcus from his deep sleep. As his vision slowly clears, he stares straight into a hungry tiger’s mouth.

SUPERS

Use SUPER, which is short for superimpose when you need to superimpose text on the screen.

SUPER: “1975 Dallas, Texas”

Parentheticals

Directly below the character’s name, in parenthesis, you can include personal direction for the actor. Use this sparingly. It’s meant for specific instruction when the actor may not get your intention for the delivery of their character’s dialogue.

KAI

(sarcastically)

Is that for me?

Off Screen (O.S.) and Voice Overs (V.O.)

A voice that occurs on screen, but the character is not seen in the scene is (O.S.)

A voice that is heard in the character’s mind is a (V.O.)

Telephone Conversations

If a character talks on the phone, and the person on the other end is not heard or seen, format it as any other dialogue.

FERNANDO

He said what?!

(wiping away sweat)

Tell him I’ll be there in ten

with the cash.

If a character talks on the phone and the person on the other end is heard but not seen:

FERNANDO

He said what?!

RICHARD (V.O.)

(through the phone)

Hope he likes deep sea diving.

Fernando wipes sweat from his brow.

FERNANDO

Tell him I’ll be there in ten

with the cash.

If a character talks on the phone and the person on the other end is heard and also seen:

INT. TRUCK STOP, PAY PHONE BOOTH – NIGHT

Fernando flips a quarter. Heads. He slams it into the phone and dials.

EXT. DESERTED CITY STREET – NIGHT

Richard paces and takes a drag on his cigarette. The cellphone held tight to his ear

INTERCUT – TELEPHONE CONVERSATION

FERNANDO

He said what?!

RICHARD

Hope he likes deep sea diving.

Fernando wipes sweat from his brow.

FERNANDO

Tell him I’ll be there in ten

with the cash.

Emails and Text Messages

Only format spoken words as dialogue. With text messages or emails, format it like this:

Marjory’s phone DINGS. She reads the text.

“Where you been? Miss U”

Or you could format like this:

Arthur stares at his phone. It reads: “It’s complicated”

Foreign Languages or Deaf Dialogue

Always write your script in the language of the reader. This way there’s no confusion, they know exactly what’s happening in your script.

ELSA

(in German)

You never should have come.

For deaf dialogue, do something similar.

BRIT

(while signing)

Don’t do that again!

Character Sounds

Avoid writing screams, grunts, or cries as dialogue – write these in the action/description instead. Only include spoken words as dialogue.

Incorrect:

EDGAR

AHHHHHHH!!!!!

Correct:

Edgar screams.

FADE OUT

End your screenplay with FADE OUT (all caps), justified to the right. These are the final words of your screenplay.

FADE OUT