Screenplay Formatting Guide: The Six Core Elements

Screenplay format helps producers, actors and crew picture the film and estimate its running time. Roughly speaking, one formatted page equals about one minute of screen time.

The basics

• 12-point Courier (or a Courier-style font such as Courier Prime)
• US Letter or A4 pages with generous margins
• Written in the present tense

1. Scene headings

Also called sluglines, they tell the reader where and when a scene takes place. They begin with INT. (interior) or EXT. (exterior), followed by the location and time of day, all in capitals.

INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT

2. Action

Action lines describe what we see and hear. Keep paragraphs short. Three or four lines is a good maximum. Capitalise a character's name the first time they appear.

The kitchen is dimly lit. EMMA (30s) stands by the sink,
staring at a mug in her hands.

3. Character

The name of the speaking character, in capitals, positioned above their dialogue.

4. Dialogue

The spoken words, set in a narrower column beneath the character name.

                    JACK
          You've been quiet all night.

5. Parentheticals

Brief directions placed under the character name, used sparingly to clarify how a line is delivered or who it is addressed to.

                    EMMA
               (not looking up)
          I just don't know what to say.

6. Transitions

Instructions such as CUT TO: or FADE OUT., aligned to the right. Modern scripts use them rarely.

Let software handle the layout

Getting indents right by hand is slow. Dedicated screenwriting software applies these rules as you type. If you are just starting out, read how to write a screenplay next.