Writing

How to Write a Properly Formatted Screenplay

Put “FADE IN” on the first page., Begin every scene with a scene heading., Include short action lines., Capitalize all character names on their first appearance., Format the dialogue properly., Include a transition note at the end of every scene...

8 Steps 6 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Put “FADE IN” on the first page.

    The first page of your screenplay should always include a “FADE IN” note at the top of the page as the first item on the page.

    Make sure the letters are in all capitals and are flush to the left margin of the page.Opening your screenplay with this note will indicate the screenplay has been formatted correctly, as you do not want to simply launch into your story right away.

    You should give the reader a sense of how the scene will open on the very first page. , The next item on the page should be a scene heading, also known as a slugline, which is a one line description of the location and time of day of a scene.

    If the scene takes place indoors, you would have the heading: “INT.”, short for “interior.” If the scene takes place outdoors, you would have the heading “EXT.”, short for exterior.The scene heading should also indicate the location of the scene, such as “LIVING ROOM” or “HARDWARE STORE” and the time of day, such as “DAY” or “NIGHT.” Make sure the scene headings always appear in all capitals, flush to the left margin of the page.

    You should always have a scene heading at the beginning of every new scene in your screenplay so the reader knows where they are.

    For example, if your scene is outdoors at night in front of a hardware store, your scene heading would be: “EXT.

    HARDWARE STORE
    - NIGHT.” , Underneath the scene heading, you should have a very short line of text that describes the first images we will see on screen.

    Action lines should be no longer than three lines at a time and only give the reader the most concise amount of information.

    Do not include long, convoluted action lines in your screenplay, as this is considered an amateur move.The action lines should give the reader a sense of setting and one to two strong images.

    These lines do not need to be in all capitals.

    For example, you may have the action lines: “In a small, Canadian town, the streets are empty and covered in snow.

    The window display of the local hardware store is dimly lit.” , You should make sure all character names appear in all capitals the first time they appear in the script.

    After the first appearance, you can revert to using regular punctuation for the character’s name.For example, if you are mentioning a character named Barb Hersh for the first time, the name would appear as “BARB HERSH” in the script.

    After the first time, you can refer to the character as “Barb” or “Barb Hersh.” , The dialogue should appear properly formatted in your screenplay, especially as you will likely have a lot of dialogue and it should appear right every time.

    You should place the name of the character who is speaking above the dialogue and then have the dialogue appear below the character’s name.Make sure the name of the dialogue always has a left margin of
    2.7” and a right margin of
    2.4”.

    It should not be flush to the left or right margin of the page and should appear more in the center of the page.You should also include any notes on the attitude or demeanor of the character’s dialogue in parentheses underneath their name.

    Avoid including too many parenthetical notes in the dialogue and only use it when necessary.

    Try to limit the use of parenthetical notes to one time per a scene.

    You may also extensions, which should be placed in parenthesis next to the character’s name.

    Extensions let the reader know how the character’s voice will appear on screen.

    Your character’s voice may be heard off screen (O.S.) or as a voice over (V.O.).

    For example, the dialogue in your screenplay may appear as:
    BARB What are you doing out so late at night, Max? MAX Oh you know, couldn’t sleep.

    BARB Nightmares, again? MAX (agitated) No. (pause) I mean, good night.

    BARB (O.S.) Good night, Max. , Transition notes are used in screenplays to let the reader know how the action will transition from scene to scene.

    Transition notes will also be useful for the editor of the film in post-production, as they will have a better sense of how you would like to transition from scene to scene.Common transitions used in screenplays include “FADE IN”, “FADE OUT”, “CUT TO”, and “DISSOLVE TO”.

    You may choose “FADE IN” or “FADE OUT” if you would like to gradually open and then gradually close a scene. “CUT TO” means a quick jump to a new scene. “DISSOLVE TO” means that as one scene fades out, a new scene fades into place.

    Scene transitions should have a left margin of
    6.0”.

    They should be in all capitals in the script. #*You should include a new scene heading after a transition note so the reader is situated in a new setting or scene. , If a character’s dialogue continues onto the next page, you should indicate this in the screenplay.

    You may place the word “MORE” or “CONTINUED” in parentheses underneath the dialogue so it is clear that the dialogue is not done and continues on the following page.

    For example, your dialogue may appear as:
    BARB I just don’t understand what he was doing out so late.

    He looked scared of something, like he had seen a ghost. (MORE) , You should include notes on how a shot will look on screen, especially if you feel it is important how the shot appears and want to notate this to your reader.

    Rather than include shot notes for every line of dialogue or throughout every scene, pick key moments in a scene to include a shot note.Common shot notes include “CLOSE UP” or “TIGHT ON”, which indicates a close up on a person or object on screen.

    For example: “CLOSE UP on Max’s face.” If someone or something is going to be inserted into an ongoing scene, you may put in an "INTERCUT." Notate the intercut on its own line to the left margin of the page and then specify what is being inserted.

    For example, "INTERCUT PHONE CONVERSATION." You may also note if there is going to be a montage on screen.

    A montage is a series of images that reflect a theme, contradiction, or passage of time.

    Notate a montage with the word “MONTAGE” and then a list of the images in the montage.

    For example, “MONTAGE:
    Max grabbing a can of gasoline, Max holding a box of matches, Max putting a nylon stocking over his face, Max walking up to the hardware store.” You can also notate if you are going to use a tracking shot to follow a person or an object on screen.

    You may write “TRACKING SHOT” and then have a brief action line explaining the shot.

    For example, “TRACKING SHOT:
    Max walks up to the hardware store with the can of gasoline and the matches.”

  2. Step 2: Begin every scene with a scene heading.

  3. Step 3: Include short action lines.

  4. Step 4: Capitalize all character names on their first appearance.

  5. Step 5: Format the dialogue properly.

  6. Step 6: Include a transition note at the end of every scene.

  7. Step 7: Indicate when dialogue is continuing to the next page.

  8. Step 8: Add in shot notes.

Detailed Guide

The first page of your screenplay should always include a “FADE IN” note at the top of the page as the first item on the page.

Make sure the letters are in all capitals and are flush to the left margin of the page.Opening your screenplay with this note will indicate the screenplay has been formatted correctly, as you do not want to simply launch into your story right away.

You should give the reader a sense of how the scene will open on the very first page. , The next item on the page should be a scene heading, also known as a slugline, which is a one line description of the location and time of day of a scene.

If the scene takes place indoors, you would have the heading: “INT.”, short for “interior.” If the scene takes place outdoors, you would have the heading “EXT.”, short for exterior.The scene heading should also indicate the location of the scene, such as “LIVING ROOM” or “HARDWARE STORE” and the time of day, such as “DAY” or “NIGHT.” Make sure the scene headings always appear in all capitals, flush to the left margin of the page.

You should always have a scene heading at the beginning of every new scene in your screenplay so the reader knows where they are.

For example, if your scene is outdoors at night in front of a hardware store, your scene heading would be: “EXT.

HARDWARE STORE
- NIGHT.” , Underneath the scene heading, you should have a very short line of text that describes the first images we will see on screen.

Action lines should be no longer than three lines at a time and only give the reader the most concise amount of information.

Do not include long, convoluted action lines in your screenplay, as this is considered an amateur move.The action lines should give the reader a sense of setting and one to two strong images.

These lines do not need to be in all capitals.

For example, you may have the action lines: “In a small, Canadian town, the streets are empty and covered in snow.

The window display of the local hardware store is dimly lit.” , You should make sure all character names appear in all capitals the first time they appear in the script.

After the first appearance, you can revert to using regular punctuation for the character’s name.For example, if you are mentioning a character named Barb Hersh for the first time, the name would appear as “BARB HERSH” in the script.

After the first time, you can refer to the character as “Barb” or “Barb Hersh.” , The dialogue should appear properly formatted in your screenplay, especially as you will likely have a lot of dialogue and it should appear right every time.

You should place the name of the character who is speaking above the dialogue and then have the dialogue appear below the character’s name.Make sure the name of the dialogue always has a left margin of
2.7” and a right margin of
2.4”.

It should not be flush to the left or right margin of the page and should appear more in the center of the page.You should also include any notes on the attitude or demeanor of the character’s dialogue in parentheses underneath their name.

Avoid including too many parenthetical notes in the dialogue and only use it when necessary.

Try to limit the use of parenthetical notes to one time per a scene.

You may also extensions, which should be placed in parenthesis next to the character’s name.

Extensions let the reader know how the character’s voice will appear on screen.

Your character’s voice may be heard off screen (O.S.) or as a voice over (V.O.).

For example, the dialogue in your screenplay may appear as:
BARB What are you doing out so late at night, Max? MAX Oh you know, couldn’t sleep.

BARB Nightmares, again? MAX (agitated) No. (pause) I mean, good night.

BARB (O.S.) Good night, Max. , Transition notes are used in screenplays to let the reader know how the action will transition from scene to scene.

Transition notes will also be useful for the editor of the film in post-production, as they will have a better sense of how you would like to transition from scene to scene.Common transitions used in screenplays include “FADE IN”, “FADE OUT”, “CUT TO”, and “DISSOLVE TO”.

You may choose “FADE IN” or “FADE OUT” if you would like to gradually open and then gradually close a scene. “CUT TO” means a quick jump to a new scene. “DISSOLVE TO” means that as one scene fades out, a new scene fades into place.

Scene transitions should have a left margin of
6.0”.

They should be in all capitals in the script. #*You should include a new scene heading after a transition note so the reader is situated in a new setting or scene. , If a character’s dialogue continues onto the next page, you should indicate this in the screenplay.

You may place the word “MORE” or “CONTINUED” in parentheses underneath the dialogue so it is clear that the dialogue is not done and continues on the following page.

For example, your dialogue may appear as:
BARB I just don’t understand what he was doing out so late.

He looked scared of something, like he had seen a ghost. (MORE) , You should include notes on how a shot will look on screen, especially if you feel it is important how the shot appears and want to notate this to your reader.

Rather than include shot notes for every line of dialogue or throughout every scene, pick key moments in a scene to include a shot note.Common shot notes include “CLOSE UP” or “TIGHT ON”, which indicates a close up on a person or object on screen.

For example: “CLOSE UP on Max’s face.” If someone or something is going to be inserted into an ongoing scene, you may put in an "INTERCUT." Notate the intercut on its own line to the left margin of the page and then specify what is being inserted.

For example, "INTERCUT PHONE CONVERSATION." You may also note if there is going to be a montage on screen.

A montage is a series of images that reflect a theme, contradiction, or passage of time.

Notate a montage with the word “MONTAGE” and then a list of the images in the montage.

For example, “MONTAGE:
Max grabbing a can of gasoline, Max holding a box of matches, Max putting a nylon stocking over his face, Max walking up to the hardware store.” You can also notate if you are going to use a tracking shot to follow a person or an object on screen.

You may write “TRACKING SHOT” and then have a brief action line explaining the shot.

For example, “TRACKING SHOT:
Max walks up to the hardware store with the can of gasoline and the matches.”

About the Author

K

Kimberly Sanchez

Kimberly Sanchez is an experienced writer with over 11 years of expertise in education and learning. Passionate about sharing practical knowledge, Kimberly creates easy-to-follow guides that help readers achieve their goals.

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