How to

Format a
Screenplay
Riley Hernandez
Standard Screenplay Typeface
● 12pt Courier (or any variation)
○ Courier
○ Courier New
● Why?
○ Fixed Pitch Font: Spacing between each letter is exactly the same
○ One page = One minute of screen time
● Flexibility (in general)
○ Only if you’re an “A-list auteur" (you can’t follow your own format just
because some famous script writer did it and expect it to be
perceived the same unless you want your script to be rejected)
Title Page
● Title in all capitals, bolded
● Episode #, if applicable
● Written by
● Directed by
● Based on, if any
● Production Drafts
○ Printed on colored paper
● Copyrights
Revision History
● White ● Salmon
● Blue ● Cherry
● Pink ● Tan
● Yellow ● Ivory
● Green ● Double white
● Goldenrod
● Double Blue
● Buf
● And so on...
Cast List
● Grouped or listed by
frequency or importance
● Sometimes has actor names
listed for each character
● Some scripts have character
descriptions
Set List
● Divided by interiors first,
then exteriors
● Grouped by main locations
● Subcategories of rooms
within locations
Margins
● 1.5” left margin
● 1” right margin (or .5 - 1.25”)
● 1” top and bottom margins
● Ragged text
● Single spaced (double for 3-camera TV shows)

* Adjust these to fit approx. 55 lines of text

● Numbered pages in top right corner with a period afterwards.
○ Note: Starting from the actual start of the screenplay, not the title page.
Frequent Abbreviations
● EXT - exterior location
● INT - interior location
● (V.O.)- voice over
● SFX - sound effect
● (CONT’D) - continuing dialogue
● (BEAT) - a pause taken by the actors
● (--) - an interruption or a character gets cut off
● (O.C) - actor is in scene but off camera
● (P.O.V.) - point of view
● (M.O.S) - without sound (German Director)
Scene Headings & Action
● Shot number aligned left and
right, and continued if it falls
onto another page
● Location and time of day bolded
● Only things that can be seen
and heard should be in the
action description
● Capitalize
○ Camera angles
○ Transitions
○ Important visuals (The first time)
○ SFX, if not specified
Characters
● Full names are capitalized
the first time they’re
introduced in the script
● Character names are 3.7”
from the left in all caps
above dialogue
● Dialogue should be 3.5” wide
starting
Parentheticals… AKA “Wrylies”
● Indented at 3.0", right at 3.5"
● Notes for attitude, verbal
direction or action direction
● Short, to the point, descriptive,
and only used when absolutely
necessary.
● Not used often anymore
because they give direction to
an actor that may not be
appropriate once on the set
Writing to Read Easier
● CUT TO
○ It’s presumed, so don’t use it
○ Better to only specify dissolve,
smash, quick, or fade cuts
● ANGLE ON
○ It’s implied, so it’s a waste of
space (animations may be the
exception in this case)
● Other
○ Underline and italicize sparingly
Fin.