While there's no right way to write or format a script, formatting yours correctly can do wonders for your overall production. For starters, a well-written screenplay will help organize your actors, videographers, and directors into an efficient team. It also effectively communicates your vision, getting your entire crew on the same page to bring it to life.
Since formatting is so crucial — and your finished film — today, we're diving into the fundamentals. Word, ya heard?
The basics
Screenwriting is basically comprised of four components. Those are:
- Scene headings (aka "slug lines")
- Action
- Character names
- Dialogue
Slug lines
Stage direction and shot headings (aka "slug lines") help establish scene and setting. Therefore, the beginning of every new scene in your screenplay should include a quick slug line.
Here's what they look like:
As you may have noticed, slug lines are typed across the page from left margin to right margin in all caps. Next, you'll see "INT." or "EXT." which stands for "interior" and "exterior" respectively. These descriptors provide the reader with a setting for the scene — interior meaning the scene takes place inside, and exterior meaning it takes place outside.
Lastly, you'll want to note that a hyphen or dash is used to separate the location from the time of day in which the scene takes place.
Action
Action is used to describe what your audience will experience on the screen. It's always written in present tense and should follow the standard rules of grammar.
While some screenwriters choose to include camera direction within their screenplay (i.e. "As he walks by, we pan over to see a young man peaking around the corner."), we do not recommend this addition. Direction in your screenplay is best left for the director to dictate.
Character names
Character names frequently come into play within the action. And when they do, capitalize them. When introducing any character, or referring to a character's action within the scene, always capitalize their name. This rule applies to all characters — from protagonists to BODYGUARD or MAGICIAN.
When not to capitalize characters: The exception to this rule is if one character is referring to another one by name in dialogue. For example, "Hey Kat, can you hand me the phone?" As apposed to in action, KAT hands COREY the phone.
Dialogue
Dialogue is anything your characters say. As you write and format your work, remember that screenplay dialogue uses no quotations. Instead, center the words under the name of the character who says them.
Also, if you want to add detail of what the character looks like or how they deliver the line, just add it in parenthesis below their name, like so:
Putting it all together
Your screenplay should be written on standard 8.5 x 11-inch paper. And always, always, always use 12-point Courier font. If you can afford it, install Final Draft for your computer (about $300 for the latest program). This self-formatting screenwriting program is the gold standard in the film industry, and it will save you hours of formatting and revision time.
Here's an example of a properly formatted screenplay that uses all the techniques we've gone over:
Now you're ready to write your masterpiece. Good luck!
