by P Vandegrift

Created on: January 10, 2007   Last Updated: August 01, 2010

The how to for writing a screenplay is often a mind-boggling process. Think of your script like a skeleton, and the director, actors, editors, and cinematographers as the muscles, tissue, and skin. The screenplay is the foundation because without it no films could be made. Just as without a skeleton, we would not be able to move so well, if at all.

A full-length screenplay should have three acts; a beginning, middle, and end. Act 1 introduces us to your location, characters, action etc. Think of it as first chapter of your novel. But in film, you must be very frugal with your descriptions. The first couple pages should show the director who, where, what, why, and when so that he/she will be able to see it clearly in their head without having to read through pages and pages of description just to get the 1st scene clarified.

Usually you begin with a 'Fade In' and a short line of the location and time of the action. This is called the Scene Heading. Example:

EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE-DAY:

The next line is the Action - a brief description of what is happening or about to happen, such as: A young boy, out of breath, races up to the dilapidated door of the house. The door swings open and he steps inside.

These instructions give the director and cinematographer the chance to picture the set up of the scene in their minds - like a snapshot. That is all they need. The more concise Headings and Actions can give, the better. Use either Times New Roman or Courier New 12 pt. Characters names are close to center, with their dialog below. It is highly recommended to have some kind of screenplay formatting software for in Ms Word, this as it can be very time consuming to do this with a Tab button each time.

There are many scriptwriting formats available on-line or software programs, like Final Draft. The best free down loadable software program is Celtx. Their on-line support team is fantastic and always able to help with a very quick response time. There are also screenwriting classes available at local colleges that are not for 'credit' so you do not need to feel pressured except to learn what you can. Join a local Media center and place an ad looking for screenwriting help. There are also on-line screenwriting sites with forums and feedback opportunities that will help you through your writing process.

Dialog can be the most difficult. Keep your dialog to a minimum as you do not 'talk your

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