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Last updated: Sep 28, 2023
Reads: 3,154
Ari Eisner is a Los Angeles-based filmmaker and content creator, professionally active in the entertainment industry for over 20 years. He’s worked as a Writer, Director, Producer, Narrative Designer and Creative Director across a range of mediums.
FULL BIO
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Script Elements
- Scene Headings (Sluglines)
- INT. House – Day
- INT. House/Bedroom – Day
- Action
- Character Name
- Dialogue
- Parenthetical
- Extension
- Transition
- Shot
- Scene Headings (Sluglines)
- Script Format Types
- Original Script
- Adapted Script
- Screenplay
- Storyboard
- Spec Script
- Standalone Script
- Pitch Script
- Shooting Script
- Things to Leave Out Of A Script
- Loglines
- Anything The Audience Isn’t Seeing
- Wordy Scene Setting (and wordiness in general)
- An Excessive Amount of Parentheticals
- Camera Direction
- Too Many Transitions
- Scene Numbers
- Credits Roll
- Screenwriting Software
- Summary
- References
People also ask
- What are the 8 elements of script formatting?
- How is a script formatted?
- What should not be included in a script?
- Why are scripts formatted a certain way?
- What are the 8 different types of script formats?
- Are script format and style the same thing?
You only get one shot at a first impression.
And first impressions in the Entertainment Industry can be everything. A script’s format is the first thing that jumps off the page when you’ve handed someone your material. The work is judged by that initial look. Making sure you’ve gotten it right, and adhering to the rules and guidelines of standard screenplay format is crucial to ensuring your material will be considered seriously. Let’s discuss the specific format required of a screenplay.
Script Elements
Why are scripts formatted a certain way?
Ari Eisner (CareersInFilm)
Scripts are formatted to follow an industry-wide standard in order for them to be easily understood at every level, from executives to directors to production crew to marketers.
Your script is typically the introduction of your talent to a prospective representative, executive or buyer. A properly formatted script signals an out of the gate level of professionalism that speaks volumes and can’t be faked. A script written following industry guidelines tells readers, executives, producers and directors you’re an artist who takes their craft seriously and your work should be treated as such.
In addition to readability and clarity, script formatting also affords a length-gauge for writers, producers, directors, and executives. This aids immensely when it comes to finance and budgeting. For auditioning purposes, the script format affords casting directors designated space to denote casting ideas. And finally, when it comes to editing, the standard industry script format allows the necessary space to make adjustments (which are constant in the script writing world).
What are the 8 elements of script formatting?
Ari Eisner (CareersInFilm)
- Scene headings (Sluglines)
- Action
- Character name
- Dialogue
- Parenthetical
- Extension
- Transition
- Shot
Scene Headings (Sluglines)
Sluglines set the scene via a few components. The first is denoting if the scene is taking place inside or outside (INT. for interiors, EXT. for exteriors). The next piece of information a slugline offers is the scene’s location. Finally, sluglines designate the time of day the scene is taking place (this is done using a dash after the location). Sluglines are always capitalized (they can be bolded as well, but that’s not necessarily required).
A sample slugline looks like this:
INT. House – Day
Sometimes, if there’s a specific location you want your reader to know the scene is taking place in, the slugline can be detailed with an addition to the location, like so –
INT. House/Bedroom – Day
Always remember to keep your sluglines brief. Save your descriptions for the action lines.
Action
Action lines define what happens in your scenes. They describe the look of the scene and designate the characters’ movements inside it. In short, action lines lay out everything an audience can see onscreen. They’re also always written in present tense.
Occasionally, certain words or phrases can be bolded, underlined, capitalized or italicized for emphasis.
For instance:
…no time to stop, the car smashes right through the wall of the building. People scatter in the chaos…
While these highlights can be striking and fun to use, make sure not to overdo them. The effect of the underscoring tends to be less impactful with each use.
Character Name
A character’s name should be capitalized the first time they appear onscreen. It also helps to give a bit of information about them – gender, age, and any personality specific(s) that would help define them in the reader’s mind (this benefits both story and casting purposes). Be descriptive, but brief. Don’t let a description slow down the pace of your narrative.
Dialogue
All spoken dialogue, whether in voiceover or in-scene should be written as dialogue. The name of the character speaking should appear in caps, centered on the page. The dialogue is also centered, and appears directly beneath their name.
If two characters are speaking at the same time, set the character names and dialogues side by side with one another. This is called dual dialogue.1
Parenthetical
If you’re looking to make certain aspects of your characters’ dialogue be clearly distinct or very specific, you can put a parenthetical between the character’s name and their dialogue to provide some extra direction and context on how the line is meant to be performed. A parenthetical can add depth and meaning to dialogue. It’s also used to indicate a pause in speech, if the moment calls for it. Setting a pause, or a beat of silence, in a character’s speech is often used to offer a dramatic moment to land or allow the character to switch topics without confusing the reader or audience.
Here’s an example:
JOHN
I got the groceries.
(then)
What was it you were going to ask me?
Be careful about overusing parentheticals in scripts, as they can sometimes encroach on actors and/or directors (more on this in the “what not to include” section).
Extension
An Extension is an indicator placed to the right of a character’s name to explain how their voice will be heard. If a character is speaking in voiceover, denote this with a “V.O.” inside a parenthetical next to the character’s name. When a character is present in a scene but not visible on camera (either out of frame or in another room/adjacent location), place an “O.S.” for off-screen (“O.C.”, for off-camera, is also typically used) next to the character’s name above the dialogue.
Transition
Script transitions are cues to the reader on how changes to the next scene can be executed. They can be effective communicators on the mood of a scene when it comes to an end. Transitions are always capitalized and followed by a colon. Except for the final FADE OUT or CUT TO BLACK, which should be followed by a period.
The most common transitions are CUT TO, DISSLOVE TO, FADE IN and FADE OUT.
Shot
A shot is an action line describing what the camera is seeing in your script. For story purposes, it can sometimes be necessary to draw specific attention to certain details. But it’s important to remember that you’re writing your script, not directing it, so curtail any need you may have to design a camera movement. Your job as the writer is to describe, as clearly as possible, what it is the camera is seeing. How this is done is not the writer’s job, it’s the director’s.
How is a script formatted?
Ari Eisner (CareersInFilm)
Use these guidelines to format a script:
- 12-point Courier font size
- 1.5 inch margin on the left of the page
- 1 inch margin on the right of the page
- 1 inch on the of the top and bottom of the page
- Each page should have approximately 55 lines
- The dialogue block starts 2.5 inches from the left side of the page
- Character names must have uppercase letters and be positioned starting 3.7 inches from the left side of the page
- Page numbers are positioned in the top right corner with a 0.5 inch margin from the top of the page. The first page shall not be numbered, and each number is followed by a period.2
Script Format Types
What are the 8 different types of script formats?
Ari Eisner (CareersInFilm)
- Original script
- Adapted Script
- Screenplay
- Storyboard
- Spec script
- Standalone Script
- Pitch Script
- Shooting Script
So let’s dive into these, one at a time…
Original Script
An original script is created entirely by the writer, without using any IP (Intellectual Property). It’s something that comes one hundred percent from a writer’s imagination and they are the sole owner of said work.
Adapted Script
Adapted scripts are taken from other mediums (and sometimes even the same medium) to build a script. Often elements such as setting and character are translated according to their new medium so there’s a more flow and organic fit to the material.
Screenplay
A screenplay is a script written for the movies (a teleplay is a script written for television). It’s primarily focused on what the audience sees and hears. Unlike a novel, characters’ thoughts and feelings need to be externalized and clearly defined in screenplays. The only inner monologue one would find in a screenplay (or teleplay) is one heard in voice-over.
Storyboard
A storyboard is a script told using primarily images and minimal writing to tell the story. Storyboards can be very useful in terms of conveying a scene’s intent in a quick glance. For a fun video on how MAD MAX: FURY ROAD used storyboards instead of a script to tell its tale, watchthis.
Spec Script
A spec, or “speculative” script is one executed by a writer to demonstrate their abilities without being commissioned by any company or studio to do so. More often than not, spec scripts aren’t written to sell as much as they’re used as calling cards in the hopes of garnering other work on projects with similar themes and tones.
Standalone Script
Standalone scripts are specifically written for existing franchises and are typically used during production in the event of unexpected occurrences and an alternate script is needed to replace what was originally to be shot.
Pitch Script
Less a screenplay and more of a guideline, a pitch script is a written treatment of sorts, breaking down all the key elements of a to-be-written script. It contains the major characters, plot points, setting, genre, tone, and all other necessary elements to convey the essence of the script you plan on writing. In brief, pitch scripts are written to get the writing job.
Shooting Script
The shooting script is exactly that – the script that’s going to be shot in production. In addition to all of the format elements mentioned in this article, it also contains scene numbers, which aid the production team in better understanding what scenes are being shot and what is required for each one.
Does grammar matter in a screenplay?
Ari Eisner (CareersInFilm)
While screenwriting doesn’t require you adhere to every grammatical known tenet, following as closely as possible to grammar’s basic ground rules are essential for creating a smoother script which keeps your reader’s focus on the story you’re telling.
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Things to Leave Out Of A Script
Equally important to what should be included in a script are some elements to leave out. Yes, these guidelines are strict, but they’re also necessary in order to get the format exactly right.
What should not be included in a script?
Ari Eisner (CareersInFilm)
Here’s a quick checklist of things to avoid in a screenplay…
- Loglines
- Anything the audience isn’t seeing
- Wordy scene setting (and wordiness in general)
- An excessive amount of parentheticals
- Camera direction
- Too many transitions
- Scene numbers
- Credits roll
Let’s take a deeper dive into what to leave out of a script…
Loglines
It can be tempting to put a logline, a quick descriptive sentence of your story, on the title page (or immediately following, before the actual script begins). This isn’t part of a script’s standard format and should be avoided.
Anything The Audience Isn’t Seeing
In novels, authors can put their readers inside characters’ heads and give them detailed insight into their thoughts and inner feelings. This doesn’t apply to scripts, where all the screenwriter should put in is what the audience is observing. Instead, try using dialogue and behavior/action to express your characters’ thoughts and emotions.
Wordy Scene Setting (and wordiness in general)
Scripts are meant to be fast reads. Stay away from over-description and try to economically express an idea in the fewest words possible. Your readers will thank you for it.
An Excessive Amount of Parentheticals
There’s a fine line between clarifying the way a line should be performed and stepping on an actor’s (and/or director’s) toes in telling them how to do their job. Sometimes a parenthetical descriptor of a way to deliver a line is necessary, but in genera it’s best to let your dialogue speak for itself.
Camera Direction
As discussed earlier, it’s important to point out what the audience can and can’t see vis-à-vis shots, but don’t direct in your pages. Camera staging is a different department than writing and the writer’s job is to get the story across through words. Camera direction isn’t just inappropriate for a script, it can also get distracting, and worse of all, drag a story’s pacing.
Too Many Transitions
Be mindful of how often you use transitions in your script. A good rule of thumb to keep to whenever you put one is to ask yourself, “Is this transition absolutely necessary to tell my story?” Sometimes the answer to this will be “Yes.” But more often than not, it’ll be a “No.” If there’s any doubt (like say, a “Maybe”), more than likely you don’t it.
Scene Numbers
If you’ve ever seen a produced screenplay, odds are you’ve noticed all of the scenes are numbered. Numbered scenes are used for casting purposes, shooting schedules and post-production. They shouldn’t be included in any draft you’re working on to get noticed or sold.
Credits Roll
Don’t write this. Please. Just don’t. People get tempted to type that phrase in after the final Fade Out, but it’s simply not necessary. Settle for a “The End” instead.
Screenwriting Software
There are several types of screenwriting software available. The good news is, these programs will do the majority of the formatting for you. While some programs focus more on formatting and others on the writing process itself, you’ll want to find one that suits your needs. Final Draft and Studio Binder are two of the most popular used script writing software brands out there3. Keep in mind that not all programs are created equally; research the differences and decide which is the best fit for you.
Are script format and style the same thing?
Ari Eisner (CareersInFilm)
No. They’re actually very different and distinct categorizations. While a script format refers to all the elements we’ve been discussing in this article – the fonts, paragraphs, margins, etc., a script style refers to the way a screenwriter tells their story.
Certain scripts tend to lean more towards certain styles and feels than others. Action scripts tend to read at a more clipped pace while comedy scripts can get snappy, or even snarky in some of their descriptions. Ultimately this is all up to the screenwriter to decide what style and specific voice (if any) to write their material in. Legendary writer William Goldman tends to break his prose down into shots, so as to really create a cinematic feel to his screenplays (check some out). Action writing auteur Shane Black often writes in a style that’s fun and almost conversational with the audience (several of his scripts can be found here).
Scripts don’t necessarily need a specific style to be successful. The important thing to remember is to execute your ideas, narrative and characters clearly and cleanly, Your own personal style will most likely develop over time.
Summary
Scripts require certain mandatory guidelines in their formatting. It gives the final work its own distinct and professional aesthetic and above all, denotes clear professionalism in your work. Fortunately, there are several screenplay sources available to guide you through those specific margin and spacing requirements. Now all you have to do is find that new great idea!
References
- 1Bela Lampert. "How To Format Dual Dialogue With Final Draft 12". Bela Lampert. published: 1 June 2021. retrieved on: November 2022
- 2SC Lannom. "How to Write a Movie Script Like Professional Screenwriters". Studio Binder. published: 19 September 2019. retrieved on: November 2022
- 3Mary-Elisabeth Combs. "Best Screenwriting Software for 2022". CNET. published: 19 July 2022. retrieved on: November 2022
