Screenplay format and software

Screenplay format can look fussy at first: a single font, specific margins, scene headings in capitals, character names centered above their dialogue. But format is not decoration. It makes scripts quick to read, makes page count a reliable estimate of screen time, and lets every department find what it needs. A script that ignores format signals inexperience, and many readers stop reading. This lesson covers the elements of standard format, the conventions for scene headings, action, dialogue and transitions, the special formats used for television and other media, and the software writers use.

Why format matters

Standard format grew out of studio practice in the early sound era and was refined over decades. Its main purposes are practical.

• Timing: in standard format, one page averages about one minute of screen time, which makes budgeting and scheduling possible.
• Readability: readers can scan quickly, see who speaks and where scenes change.
• Production: the first assistant director breaks the script into eighths of a page to schedule each day's shooting.
• Professionalism: correct format tells readers you know the craft.

The core of standard feature format is a 12-point Courier or Courier-style monospaced font. Monospacing gives each character the same width, which keeps page density consistent.

The elements of a screenplay page

A screenplay page combines a small number of element types, each with its own position and style.

Scene headings

Every scene starts with a scene heading, also called a slugline. It has three parts: interior or exterior, location and time of day.

• INT. (interior) or EXT. (exterior). Some scenes that move between inside and outside use INT./EXT.
• Location: specific enough for the production team, such as "ROSA'S KITCHEN" or "FERRY TERMINAL - PARKING LOT".
• Time of day: usually DAY or NIGHT; some writers use DAWN, DUSK or CONTINUOUS. Avoid exact clock times unless they matter to the story.

Example: EXT. HARBOR ROAD - NIGHT. When a character moves continuously from one place to another, the next heading may use CONTINUOUS. Minor sub-locations within a larger location can use shorter headings, such as "KITCHEN" after "INT. FARMHOUSE - DAY".

Action lines

Action lines describe what the audience sees and hears, in the present tense. Write vividly but briefly. Most professional scripts keep action paragraphs to three or four lines, using white space to create pace. A long block of description slows reading and suggests a slow film.

• Write only what can be seen and heard.
• Use active verbs: "Rosa yanks the rope" rather than "the rope is being pulled by Rosa".
• Capitalize a character's name the first time they appear.
• Some writers capitalize key sounds or props for the production team; use this sparingly.
• Break action into short paragraphs to suggest separate shots without writing camera directions.

Dialogue blocks, extensions and continued lines

Dialogue appears in a narrower block under the character's name. Extensions next to the name indicate where the voice comes from: (V.O.) for voice-over, (O.S.) or (O.C.) for off-screen, and sometimes (CONT'D) when the same character continues speaking after an action line. When a speech breaks across pages, writers mark (MORE) at the bottom of the first page and (CONT'D) on the next, though screenwriting software handles this automatically.

Transitions and camera directions

Older scripts used transitions such as CUT TO: after every scene. Today most writers omit them, since a cut is assumed. Use transitions only when they matter: MATCH CUT TO:, SMASH CUT TO:, DISSOLVE TO: for a passage of time, or FADE OUT. at the end. Similarly, avoid camera directions such as PAN or DOLLY unless an image is essential to the story. Writers suggest shots through the way they write action: a new paragraph implies a new image, and a short line such as "Her hand. Trembling." implies a close-up without saying so.

Special formats and conventions

• Montage: a series of brief images showing time passing or a process, often headed MONTAGE and listed with dashes or letters.
• Series of shots: similar to a montage but within one continuous action.
• Intercut: when two locations alternate, such as both ends of a phone call, writers establish each location and then write INTERCUT to avoid repeating headings.
• Flashbacks and dreams: marked in the heading, such as "INT. CLASSROOM - DAY (FLASHBACK)".
• Text on screen: written as SUPER: or TITLE: followed by the text.
• Inserts: close views of written material or small objects, such as "INSERT - THE LETTER".

Television formats

Television scripts follow similar rules with a few differences. One-hour dramas usually look much like features but include act breaks, marked ACT ONE, END OF ACT ONE and so on, and often a TEASER. Traditional multi-camera sitcoms filmed before an audience use a distinct format with double-spaced dialogue, scenes lettered A, B and C, and action in capitals, so a multi-camera page plays in roughly half a minute. Single-camera comedies use a format close to feature style. Writers should follow the format of the specific show they are writing for.

Title pages and drafts

A title page includes the title, "Written by" and the writer's name, and contact details in the lower corner. It should be simple: no images, no dates on spec scripts, no draft numbers that suggest a long rewrite history. Writing credits use specific conventions: "and" between writers who worked separately, an ampersand-style joint credit for writing teams, and "Story by" when one writer created the story and another wrote the screenplay. Guilds determine final credits on covered productions.

Screenwriting software

Screenwriting software formats automatically, so writers can concentrate on the story. Programs typically switch elements with the tab and return keys, track characters and locations, manage revisions, produce reports for scheduling and export to PDF.

Production companies often prefer a particular file format, especially once a script enters production and revision pages must be tracked. Always deliver PDFs for reading, since they preserve layout on any device.

Common formatting errors

Readers notice formatting errors quickly, and a few are especially common in student scripts.

• Camera directions in every scene: replace them with precise action writing.
• Character names that change: if a character is "MOM" in one scene and "LINDA" in another, readers get confused; choose one.
• Missing scene headings: every change of location or time needs a new heading.
• Unfilmables: lines such as "she remembers her childhood" or "he realizes the truth" describe thoughts that cannot be seen.
• Overlong parentheticals: if a parenthetical runs more than a few words, it probably belongs in action.
• Numbered scenes in a spec script: scene numbers are added only when a script goes into production.
• Inconsistent time of day: a scene marked NIGHT following continuously from a DAY scene in the same place needs explanation.

White space and pace

Experienced readers can sense a script's pace from the look of the page. Dense blocks of action suggest a slow, heavy film; short paragraphs with plenty of white space suggest momentum. This is not just style. Because one page is about a minute, the visual density of a page tells producers and directors how the film will feel. Action sequences in particular benefit from short lines that mirror quick cuts, while emotional moments may slow down with a single line on its own.