SCREENPLAY FORMAT GUIDE

& RESOURCES FOR BEGINNERS

Why Screenwriting Format Is Important:

A screenplay is a blueprint for a film. It’s not the same as

writing a novel or poem that is meant to stand entirely on it’s
own.

I’m not downgrading a screenwriter's work but our job is to

build the structure of a motion picture that is set to come to
life.

Everyone from the director and all of the crew underneath

them will use it to guide the process of making the film.

It’s going to be used to schedule the shoot days. Actors are

going to have to study this document over and over again until
they memorize it.

A storyboard artist is going to use it as a guide to draw. The

cinematographer is going to use it to create a shot list. Even
the video editors in post-production revisit the screenplay to
figure out exactly how the film will be paced.

It’s so important that it is written clearly in a way that is easy

to understand and visualize when a massive team of people
will be spending over a year of their lives working on creating
it.
 MAIN COMPONENTS
OF YOUR PAGE
SLUGLINE:
Sluglines (also known as scene headings) tell the reader
where the action is happening. It’s a location, followed by
either day or night.

DESCRIPTION:
Description of the location, characters, and action
indicated throughout the scene. Also referred to as "the
business" of the scene.

CHARACTER NAME:
The name of the person who is speaking.

DIALOGUE:
What that person is saying.

PARENTHETICALS:
How the character says a specific line or what they're
doing while they are saying it.

CAMERA DIRECTIONS:
Any camera indications of how the scene should be
visualized or from what perspective the information
should be shown.

PAGE NUMBER:
Always placed in the top-right corner.
POPULAR CAMERA DIRECTIONS & TERMS
SCREENWRITERS SHOULD KNOW:

ANGLE ON:
This shot suggests another view of a previous shot.

MONTAGE:
The dissolving of two or more shots into each other to create a desired
effect, usually an association of ideas. These shots need not include the
main character, and they don’t have a beginning, middle, and end.

CLOSE-UP:
A shot that emphasizes a detail in a scene. It’s often abbreviated to CU.

O.S.:
Shorthand for off-screen, this abbreviation is used when a character speaks
outside the camera’s view, or when the audience hears a sound but can’t see
where it’s coming from.

CONTINUATION:
When a scene or a speech is interrupted by a page break, type MORE in
parentheses at the end of the last line on the first page, and then type
CONT’D after the character’s name on the next page.

POV:
Shorthand for point of view, this direction implies that the scene is being
viewed from specific character’s perspective. You must identify whose point
of view it is and what exactly he sees. If the POV alternates within a scene,
employ the term REVERSE POV.

DISSOLVE TO:
This direction is used when you want to suggest a slow transition from one
scene to the next. You may dissolve to suggest the passage of time between
one shot and another or to suggest one image fading into the next.

SERIES OF SHOTS:
This technique abridges action sequences into a number of short moments
involving the main character, usually without dialogue. A series of shots has
a distinct beginning, middle and end, and is often used to dramatize a
passage of time.
FADE IN:
Every screenplay begins with these words. They suggest the
movement from darkness to an image on the screen. They’re
typed in all caps at the left margin followed by a double space
and the first slug line.

FADE OUT:
These words end a screenplay. They’re typed to the right margin
and followed by six spaces and the words THE END in the center
of the page.

SPLIT SCREEN:
This shot indicates two subjects in different locations on-screen
simultaneously.

SUPER:
Shorthand for superimpose, this term is used if another element
is being superimposed over the action of a scene. A super is often
used to show dates, locations, or text. Alternatives include: TITLE
or CHYRON.

INSERT:
A writer uses this direction to highlight an object in the scene or
include a detail that’s outside the scene but important to it. To
complete an insert, do one of three things: Return to the
dialogue, switch locations with a new slug line, or type BACK TO
SCENE at the end.

V.O.:
Shorthand for voice-over. This direction is used when the
audience hears a character speak above the action of a scene. It’s
often used for narration.

INTERCUT:
This direction indicates that two scenes are occurring
simultaneously in separate locations. This term appears in all
caps as the slug line or in the description.
TYPES OF SCREENPLAY TRANSITIONS
THAT CAN BE USED BETWEEN SCENES:
SMASH TO:
This is a really abrupt cut, like a "CUT TO:" times ten. The
kind of cut that comes in mid-sentence. Smash cuts are
used here to as a form of montage.

DISSOLVE TO:
When one scene “dissolves” into another scene, almost
transforming into that scene. This is primarily used to
indicate that time has passed.

MATCH CUT TO:

A tricky form of edit — where you cut the film so the last
shot in the previous scene (say, a hand reaching for a
knife) matches the first shot in the new scene (a hand
reaching for an apple). Here are some example of how
and when match cuts are used in film to give you an idea
of how they might be written.

INTERCUT:
Intercutting (or cross-cutting) is where you bounce back
and forth between two different scenes. It’s usually used
for phone calls, but not always.
SCREENWRITING SOFTWARE
FREE & PAID
FREE: PAID:
Fade In Final Draft (Industry Leader)
Writer Duet Slugline (What I use)
Trelby Movie Magic Screenwriter
Kit Scenarist Celtx (Very affordable)
StudioBinder Scrivener
Highland 2
Causality
Arc Studio Pro
Prewrite
Drama Queen
Dub Script

That’s about all you will ever need when it comes to writing
software and in the beginning it’s best not to get too caught up in
which one you pick.

Just focus on picking one and getting started as quickly as

possible learning the basic format and the way screenplays work.

You’ll learn more about your personal style and preferences and
be able to make a more educated choice later if you so choose.
(Like potentially getting into writing in fountain format)

Just please do not under any circumstances write your

screenplay in Microsoft Word or Google Docs. It’s just not going to
work out well for you. Trust me, I have been there.
 PROPER PAGE MARGINS
(YOUR SCREENWRITING SOFTWARE SHOULD HANDLE THIS)

LEFT MARGIN:
1-1/2 inches

RIGHT MARGIN:
1 inch

TOP MARGIN:
1 inch

BOTTOM MARGIN:
1 inch

SLUGLINES:
Always capitalized. Run the length of the page (after you’ve set
margins)

DESCRIPTION:
Runs the length of the page (after you’ve set margins)

CHARACTER NAME:
3.7 inches from the left side of the page. (2.2 inches from the left
margin)

DIALOGUE:
Begins 2-1/2 inches from the left side of the page (1-1/2 inches
from the left margin). Ends at 6-1/2 inches from the left side of
the page (5 inches from the left margin)

PARENTHETICALS:
3.1 inches from the left side of the page. (1.6 inches from the left
margin)

PAGE NUMBERS:
Top-right corner, a half-inch from the top of the page. Followed by
a period
FONT:
You really shouldn’t use anything other than a 12 point
Courier font or it’s going to look very weird to anyone
reading it.

If you want to be super cool, you might even try Courier

Prime which is included in some writing softwares like
Slugline.

The font size is also pretty crucial to calculating the

timing of your film.

Typically, one page of a screenplay is equal to one minute

of screen time.

TITLE PAGE:
The very first page in your document should include a
title page.

This has your screenplay name, who it’s written by (you),

your email address and phone number.

If you have registered your screenplay with the WGA

(Writer’s Guild of America) so you could include that
information as well if needed.

Sometimes people like to make their script stand out by

customizing their title page with special colors, fonts,
doodles, or whatever.

Quentin Tarantino is known for keeping a handwritten

title page from his first draft. However, you should
probably just keep it simple.
 HOW TO OUTLINE YOUR
SCREENPLAY
Stop over complicating your outlining process. Here is
the easiest way to get started organizing your screenplay
today...

START WITH A BEAT SHEET

This document is no more than a few pages long and is a

very general outline that explains what will happen over
the course of your entire film.

USE INDEX CARDS

Each one can represent one scene. Provide a brief

description and start sorting and organizing them
chronologically.

BEGIN WRITING A FULL STORY TREATMENT

With the previous steps as a guide, begin writing a more

in-depth description of each scene in a word document.
Include information like scene headers, scene objectives,
and what the characters learn along the way.

CREATE A DIALOGUE BRAINSTORMING FILE

Start learning how your characters talk and write down

as many potential lines of dialogue as possible to
reference throughout the writing process.
 NOW YOU'RE READY FOR
YOUR FIRST DRAFT!
Now with all of this information you’re ready to
get started writing your screenplay. If you get lost
while working, you can reference your outline and
get back on track.

Next up is something just as important...

BEST STORY STRUCTURES

FOR YOUR SCREENPLAYS
There are so many different ways to outline your
stories but there is a number of incredible tools
that you may not know about.

Remember there is no right or wrong way to plan

out your screenplay and everyone else has their
own process.

However, these resources on the next few pages

may help you figure out what's right for you...
 KURT VONNEGUT'S
STORY SHAPES

SETH WORLEY'S
STORY CLOCK NOTEBOOK
DAN HARMON'S
STORY CIRCLE

SAVE THE CAT

BEAT SHEET
 JOSEPH CAMPBELL'S
HERO'S JOURNEY

IN MEDIA RES
STRUCTURE

In medias res is a latin

phrase meaning “in
the midst of things.”
 THREE ACT
STRUCTURE

JAMES SCOTT BELL’S A

DISTURBANCE AND TWO DOORWAYS
A disturbance early in the story upsets the status quo
—anything that threatens the protagonist’s ordinary
life.

Doorway 1 propels your character to the middle of the

story. Once he goes through this door, there’s no
turning back.

Doorway 2 leads to the final battle. It’s another door of

no return but usually leads to disaster.
 8 TIPS TO WRITE
BETTER CHARACTERS

Here are a few quick ways to help improve the

characters in your screenplay.

HELP THE AUDIENCE EMPATHIZE WITH THEM

Audiences tend to identify with characters that are

struggling with issues similar to them. If you want us to
feel for the character's dilemma.

APPLY PRESSURE TO YOUR CHARACTERS

As the saying goes, pressure makes diamonds and this

will allow the audience to see a characters true
intentions and personality. (Could be good or bad)

GIVE THEM A PERSONALITY TYPE

There are tons of character archetypes, zodiacs, and

professional personality tests to choose from. Use these
to aid the character creation process.

ALLOW THEM TO DEVELOP A UNIQUE VOICE

One of the best ways to make your characters stand out

is to make sure the way they talk is unique from one
another.
 8 TIPS TO WRITE
BETTER CHARACTERS
(Continued)

WRITE CHARACTERS THAT YOU KNOW

One of the best ways to create authentic characters is by

basing them off people you know very well or characters
who deal with situations that you have personal
experience with.

LET YOUR CHARACTERS ACTIONS DICTATE THE STORY

Allow your character's decisions to dictate what happens

in the story. Make sure their actions have cause and
effect.

LET YOUR CHARACTERS EMBRACE THEIR FLAWS

Allow the audience to see your character when they are

vulnerable. This will help them relate and understand
their struggles.

SHOW THE AUDIENCE WHAT YOUR CHARACTER WANTS

What are your character's hopes & dreams? What do

they want for their life? Show the audience and allow
them to clearly understand their goals.
 TOP 10 WEBSITES TO
DOWNLOAD SCREENPLAYS
1. IMSDB – Internet Movie 6. Screenplays For You
Screenplay Database
7. The Daily Script
2. Go Into the Story
8. The Screenplay Database
3. Drew’s Script-o-Rama
9. The Script Lab
4. Simply Scripts
10. Movie Scripts and
5. AwesomeFilm Screenplays

6 BOOKS EVERY
SCREENWRITER NEEDS TO READ

STORY BY ROBERT MCKEE

SCREENPLAY THE FOUNDATIONS
OF SCREENWRITING BY SYD FIELD

SAVE THE CAT BY

BLAKE SNYDER
 HOW TO WRITE
DAZZLING DIALOGUE
BY JAMES SCOTT BELL

ADVENTURES IN THE
SCREEN TRADE BY
WILLIAM GOLDMAN

WRITING MOVIES FOR

FUN AND PROFIT BY
ROBERT BEN GARANT
& THOMAS LENNON
 STOP WAITING
FOR INSPIRATION
DON'T WAIT AROUND FOR THAT
MAGIC LIGHT BULB MOMENT...

JUST START WRITING!

BECAUSE REMEMBER...

Writing 1 Page Per Day is

4 Feature Screenplays Per Year

Writing 5 Pages Per Day is

20 Feature Screenplays Per Year

Small Habits Make a BIG Difference