If you want to get your script read, and not simply binned, you'd darned well better follow these conventions!
FONT
There are a few rules that can’t be broken – one is the proper Font – 12 Point Courier. This can’t be broken. Again. 12 Point Courier. Every word, every line, must be written in 12 Point Courier.
SLUGLINES
Sluglines are also called Scene Headings, Headings, and Scene Captions. They tell the reader where the scene takes place. Sluglines can be identified with the use of INT. (Interior) or EXT. (Exterior) at the beginning to tell the reader if the scene is taking place inside or outside. A slugline looks something like this:
1 INT. CORPORATE OFFICE – DAY
This slugline answers three important questions. 1. Where are we? 2. What time is it? 3. Are we inside or outside? In most cases, you can use DAY or NIGHT but there are times when you might want to use DUSK, EVENING, MORNING, etc. It is also important to number the scene (do this at the beginning AND end of the line)
ACTION LINES
Action Lines are immediately written after Sluglines. They set the scene for what is about to happen.
Action Lines explain in visual terms what happens in the scene. Action Lines are probably written in more ways than any other element of a script. Some teachers stress brevity – JEFF picks up the book. Other teachers stress the Action Line is the one place to really tell the story – JEFF slowly picks up the weathered, brown leather book. He turns it over in his hands and carefully peels apart the pages.
What’s important to remember is the term ACTION. This is no place to describe a character’s feelings or what they’re thinking. If it can’t be shown visually in the film, it doesn’t belong here.
CHARACTER
A character is first introduced in an Action Line. Upon first introduction, the character’s name is entirely capitalised. It is permissible to stop the capitalisation after the first introduction or to continue with it. Throughout the script, refer to the character with the same name so as not to confuse the reader. Immediately after the character name comes the dialogue.
DIALOGUE
Dialogue is what the character speaks. Beginning writers often write too much dialogue for their characters. While there are certainly notable exceptions, remember that a film is often driven by the interaction or conflict between characters. Sharp and well-written dialogue between characters is often what interests us—a boring lengthy monologue doesn't work.
CAPITALISATION
Sluglines must always be capitalised
6 EXT. BARBECUE RIB SHACK – DAY
Character names should be fully capitalised when they first appear.
FRED WINSTON steps out of his wrecked car and tosses his cigarette.
After the characters are introduced, their name no longer needs to be capitalised, but can be if you prefer.
Character Names when written before dialogue (Character Cues) need to be capitalised throughout the entire script.
Sounds are often capitalised throughout descriptive or action lines to bring emphasis to these sounds. This element can be distracting if used too much.
A gun shot CRACKS across the street and WHIZZES through the air.
VOICE OVER
A Voice Over is a common element of a screenplay when a character speaks but is not on screen. Often a Voice Over is used when a character narrates the opening of a film or we hear a character’s thoughts.
When two characters are speaking on the phone, the character that is not physically in the scene has his or her dialogue formatted as a voice over.
A Voice Over is formatted simply by writing (VO) immediately to the right of the character name.
JEFF (VO)
OFF SCREEN
You use Off Screen when the character is physically in the scene but not on camera. The camera may be focusing on one character and continues to focus on the same character. The formatting is the same as Voice Over.
JEFF (OS)
DIALOGUE DIRECTIONS or
PARENTHESES
There are times when a writer wants to show how a character speaks. This should be done very rarely for two reasons. An actor or a director does not want the writer to tell them how to speak the lines. More importantly, if the dialogue is written well, it won’t be necessary to show how the line is spoken. Nonetheless, if it’s critical to your script you describe the dialogue in a parentheses immediately under the character name.
JEFF
(irritated)
What are you doing?
CAMERA DIRECTIONS
Try not to use camera directions such as CLOSEUP or THE CAMERA ZOOMS IN. These directions can be insulting to those touchy directors who want to make their own camera decisions. The use of camera directions are also a poor replacement for good writing. Rather than CLOSEUP write that Jack arches his eyebrows or Jane purses her lips.
SPACING AND MARGINS
If you are not using an auto-formatting program like Celtx, then you must set up your document as follows.
- The left side of your script should have about 1 ½” of margin. The right side of the script should have ½” to 1″ of margin. The top and bottom margins of your script should be 1″.
- Sluglines and Action (Descriptive) Headings are on the left side of the page attached to the margin. Note that after the Scene # the Slugline is indented by 1 TAB. Also remember to put the Scene # at the end of the line.
- Dialogue should be spaced 2 TABS from the left margin, and should not exceed 4.5 inches from the left margin. This will require you to either hit ENTER when a line hits 4.5 inches or create a special MACRO on Word.
- Character’s names should be 5 TAB positions from the left margin.
- Parentheticals or Dialogue Directions should be 3 TAB positions from the left margin.
JUMP CUTS, SMASH CUTS, CROSS CUTS and CUT TO:
In the past, writers used different ways of describing a CUT TO a new scene. Sometimes writers get excited and write SMASH CUT TO: or JUMP CUT TO:. This is not necessary. A new Slugline or Scene Heading shows the reader that it’s a new scene. The use of CUT TO: is not necessary.
PAUSE or
BEAT
A pause in a character’s dialogue is indicated by using the term BEAT. There are times when you want to show that the character waits a bit before speaking.
JEFF
(beat)
I guess you’re right.
FLASHBACKS
It can be tough to find a recent screenwriting book that doesn't criticise Flashbacks as amateurish, overdone, and a sign of a weak script. Nonetheless, some of the best films of all time use flashbacks and they continue to be used.
There doesn't seem to be one common way to write a Flashback. Perhaps the easiest way is to indicate a shift in time via the Slugline or Scene Heading.
22 INT. JEFF’S FAMILY HOME – EVENING – FLASHBACK
Then when it’s time to leave the flashback:
23 INT. JEFF’S OFFICE – DAY – PRESENT DAY
(CONT'D)
Note that (CONT'D), the abbreviation for continued, is added in parentheses next to the character Cathy's name in the short extract below. CONT'D is added here because Cathy has just spoken and is continuing to speak. Her dialogue was interrupted by a description of other actions, not by another character's dialogue.
DOCTOR
(apologetically)
We did everything possible.
CATHY
(gasps)
What are you saying?
DOCTOR
I'm sorry…
CATHY
(screaming)
No!
All eyes in the waiting room are riveted on Cathy and the Doctor.Cathy lunges at the Doctor, beating her fists against his chest.
CATHY (CONT'D)
(shouting)
You killed him!
SUMMARY
You'll find other conventions sometimes used but these are the basics and you should stick to them, or when you send your precious screenplay to a competition, or a production company, or an agent or whatever, it will simply get 'filed under B' - and guess what that means!!
