Formatting a Screenplay

[GeorgeMichael]

Ok, since no one I know but me is doing a TV show I’m going to explain briefly how to format a Movie Screenplay 


First off, always start new scenes or locations (and your script of course) with the Scene Headings which are formatted as follows.

First off you will state whether it is an interior setting or an exterior setting like so.

INT. or EXT.

Then after that you must place the location. Do not get too specific unless it is important to the storyline. Example, if they’re in a 1970’s theme sportsbar with rock music playing in the background you will refer to it as “bar”

You will enter the setting after the INT. or EXT. Like this.

INT. BAR or EXT……. wait, it can’t be an exterior bar I don’t think, but you get the idea.

After that you will place the time of day, which does not specifically refer to hours. It can be DAY or NIGHT, DUSK, DAWN, SUNSET, etc…

So your entire scene heading must look like this.

INT. BAR – SUNSET notice the (Space hyphen Space) between Bar and Sunset. That is always needed between location and time.


Ok so once your Scene Heading is done you proceed with an action. (ALWAYS FOLLOW SCENE HEADINGS WITH AN ACTION!!!) even if it is three simple words, there has to be an action.

Actions are placed in Parentheses (), or not (it’s really a preference, but many put them in parentheses. They must be in parentheses on the occasion that the actions happen during a character’s dialogue!) and kept on the left hand side.

(He walked over to the table)

After Actions you must place a characters name which will be in all Capital Letters and centered.

ALFRED

Then you would enter the dialogue right below the name which is also centered.

ALFRED
Hello, how are you today. I hate you. I will kill you at midnight. I’m just kidding, but seriously, death.

And you will continue like that for the rest of your screenplay.

Remember these important tips while writing. (Those were the four major formatting rules )

1. FADE IN and FADE OUT appropriately begin and end each scene and script as a whole. FADE IN is on the left hand side at the top, and FADE OUT is on the right hand side on the bottom.
2. When writing actions in characters dialogue trying to say that they’re yelling or something you write it like so…. “ (no quotations, just to tell you that this is the dialogue) oh yeah? (YELLING) oh yeah!!!” Notice the capitals and the parentheses, very important for tone of voice and that sort of things. If it’s an action, no capitals but still parentheses. However try to abstain from actions until the end of the dialogue whenever possible.
3. When you want a narrator or character to do a voice over the movie or show or whatever mention it right next to the character’s name like this.
ALFRED (V.O.)
4. Same goes for when something is said Off Screen. Write it like this. ALFRED (O.S.)
5. there are also font and margin restrictions… but really don’t worry about those until like you’re finished.

Ok, that’s really all there is to it  I hope this wasn’t too crappy of an explanation, and I hope it helps everyone 

[Midnight_Moon]

Thanks George! I do my screenplays/scripts a little differently so I am glad to see some different formating techniques. I will do this with my script for here.

[SweeneyLovesLovett]

I use the program "Celtx" so it does all of that for me, but I'm glad someone went into depth with the format so that I know a little more of what the program is talking about (Like the differences to uses in "V.O." and "O.S."

[attackofthespoons]

Oh, that's very helpful, thank you for that!

[jordanisonfire]

Can I ask what you do for actions? I knew all that stuff, it's just I'm afraid when I do directions that I'm doing it wrong.