Most screenwriting software will have its own preset standardized templates, so you don’t have to worry about formatting columns yourself. Your left margin should be about one-and-a-half inches, which leaves ample room for a hole punch once your script is printed. The top margin of your screenplay should be one inch the bottom and right margins can vary from there but by no more than a quarter inch. Be confident that the subtext of your dialogue is clear on its own and let your actors discover their own delivery. Over-directing on the page can be the mark of an inexperienced writer. Parentheticals can either indicate the emotion of a line or a small physical movement that happens in tandem with a line.Īs you start out, be aware that you should only use parentheticals when they are absolutely necessary. Sparingly, you’ll use parentheticals to offer more specifics on your dialogue. Whenever your character speaks, center and capitalize their name and write the dialogue beneath it. Sometimes, your action will transition through sub-locations within the larger, overall location established in your slug line. Note that you write action lines in the present tense.
When you introduce a major character for the first time, capitalize their name and add any descriptions that are absolutely necessary for the reader to understand who they are (age, demeanor, overall attitude, etc.). This is where you explain all of the action, subjects, and movements in the scene other than dialogue. Whether the scene is an interior/indoor shot or an exterior/outdoor shot (INT.The three key things to signify in your slug line are: Slug lines should be capitalized and aligned left. This allows the reader to fully picture your story and-when your script goes into production-the creative team to plan elements such as location, budget, and scheduling. Whether you use specific software like Final Draft or just good old-fashioned Microsoft Word, make sure to include the basics: Slug linesĪlso known as scene headings, slug lines inform the reader where and when the action of a specific scene takes place. All screenplays are formatted in a similar, standardized way.