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Script Formatting

The document provides guidance on writing a screenplay, including formatting conventions like using all caps for character names on introduction and sluglines to indicate locations and times of scenes. It recommends focusing descriptions on essential visible actions rather than complex camera directions or effects. Dialogue should be concise and serve the story rather than dominate the page. Transitions can be briefly noted rather than fully written out.

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paola.madrazo
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13 views

Script Formatting

The document provides guidance on writing a screenplay, including formatting conventions like using all caps for character names on introduction and sluglines to indicate locations and times of scenes. It recommends focusing descriptions on essential visible actions rather than complex camera directions or effects. Dialogue should be concise and serve the story rather than dominate the page. Transitions can be briefly noted rather than fully written out.

Uploaded by

paola.madrazo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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ALWAYS HAVE A TITLE PAGE

ATTACHED TO YOUR WORK

by

Your Full Name


FADE IN:

INT. LOCATION - DAY

This is your action line. Write what is happening that can be


seen on screen. Don’t waste words with what we can’t see.
Remind yourself this should be action, not description.

Start a new paragraph when you see fit. When a character


appears for the first time, his or her NAME must be
capitalized, followed by a 1 sentence description and age.

NAME
This is dialogue. Keep them short
and believable.

After the character’s introduction, their Name doesn’t have


to be in all caps anymore.

INT. LOCATION - DAY (SAME)

In your slugline (the line above), use either day or night.


Don’t be fancy unless it is absolutely critical where the sun
is.

Leave out camera direction. Forget the effects and edits as


well. They are secondary to what you are doing right now,
which is putting down what is happening. Make notes by pen
afterwards.

Keep in mind what the actors will be doing as well as what we


will see on screen. Think about how you will communicate the
critical actions and whether or not the shot will be
achievable.

Unless you are writing a play, dialogue shouldn’t dominate


the page.

If you want to give a quick direction for the actor (ex.


sadly, chuckles, skeptical...etc.), you can do the following.

CAPITALIZE
(short direction)
Dialogue should be written the way
you want to hear the words said.

EXT. LOCATION - NIGHT

You can leave out the transition at the end of a scene. A new
scene heading already signifies a “cut to.” You only need to
write down transitions such as the following.

FADE TO BLACK.

THE END

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