by Zebulon Rogers

Created on: July 02, 2007

Writing The Screenplay

A screenplay, or movie script, is not unlike a home-cooked meal. It can be wonderful or it can be terrible. Adding ingredients that don't belong in it, or too much of anything, and you end up with a mess fit for the trashcan. As with any great dish, each aspect of the screenplay story has to have a reason for being. I'm sure you've been in a situation where you suffered through a film that left you feeling hollow, saying to yourself "I can do better than that!" Here, I will show you the basic ingredients that will start you on your way to writing that movie you know you've been carrying around inside. Be sure to take this article at your own pace, digesting it at your leisure. Now then, onto the work. Let's get our utensils in order first.

Workspace: The first thing you should do is either get yourself a macro for Word that automatically formats in screenplay form or buy scriptwriting software. Doing the formatting yourself is time-consuming and frustrating. I and many others use Movie Magic's Screenwriter 2000, while many others use Final Draft. Either program serves its purpose: automatically formatting your script in such a way that helps you concentrate on your story and not on which buttons to press. I personally prefer the dedicated software over the macro. Purchase only if you are serious about writing. They are expensive programs.

The Basics of Format

Before you jump headlong into churning out that story, let's cover some simple format rules. These will help your screenplay stay uncluttered and orderly.

The Slugline: This appears above the dialog and action, letting the reader know where and when the scene is taking place. Here is an example:

INT. LABORATORY - NIGHT

or

EXT. FOREST - DAY

Int. and Ext. obviously stand for Interior and Exterior, respectively. Following that is the location and then the time. The slugline should be completely capitalized and left justified.

Action: This appears underneath the slugline and describes what is going on in the scene. Action text is always to be in the present tense. This should also remain left justified. Example:

EXT. FOREST NIGHT

Jake and Chris trudge through the woods, faces dirty and clothes torn, backpacks slung over their shoulders. Branches snap in the distance. They run.

Dialog: The format for dialog is simple. It consists of a character name and his/her spoken dialog. The character name should be centered on the page and appear in all caps. The dialog itself is not center justified, but rather

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• Next Page >>