Typeface: 12-point Courier (or Courier family font)
- It is not a proportional font (a font that compresses letters and characters to get more words on a line)
- It’s how one page equals one minute of screen time
Margins & Spacing:
- Left margin 1.5”
- Top/Bottom margins 1.0” each
- Right margin 0.5”
- Character 3.5” from the left of the page or 2.0” from the left margin
- Parenthetic
3.0” from the left of the page or 1.5” from the left margin
(don’t use parenthetical)
- right margin 3.5”
- parenthetical no more than 2” wide
- Dialogue
2.5” from the left of the page or 1” from the left margin
- right margin 2.5”
- dialogue no more than 3.5” wide
- Page numbers top right corner
Start with the scene header or slugline using the following elements:
INT. or EXT. LOCATION - TIME OF DAY
| LOCATION HOUSE STORE HIGH SCHOOL FEDERAL BUILDING OFFICE | TIME OF DAY DAY NIGHT CONTINUOUS SAME | DAWN DUSK LATER 10:04 PM |
- ALWAYS write in the present active tense. Use “Steven walks” instead of “Steven is walking.”
- DO NOT write camera angles, movements, transitions, shots (such as CUT TO)
- ELIMINATE or reduce parenthetical directions. Leave this to the actor and director.
- ELIMINATE “we see” / “is seen” / “can be seen” / “we hear” / “can be heard” / “is heard”. Just write the action.
- DO
NOT describe in detail what a character is wearing. Give an overview
or creative description.
- Steve is a middle-aged time capsule, wrapped in grunge fashion that died with Kurt Cobain.
EXAMPLE
INT. JOHN’S KITCHEN - NIGHT
John is startled as Sarah crashes through the door to the
kitchen. She holds a file folder up for John to see before
tossing it on the table in front of him.
SARAH
(controlling anger)
Tell me this was a mistake. Tell me
this was unintentional.
JOHN
Oh, it was very intentional.
She explodes.
SARAH
I was doing a personal favor for
you! PERSONAL!