Here’s an example of a better screenplay format of the same scene:
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Better format choice.įeel free to tweak this or come up with your own, but we think email, text and instant message conversations are best handled as normal dialogue-albeit with a couple of minor alterations indicating the fact we’re reading messages. Again, there are no formal rules to follow here. While this method is fine for one message, it doesn’t look so great for whole conversations. However, problems arise with your movie script format when whole conversations are written out using this method, like in the following example: Short messages can be handled with an action line, wrapping the message in quotation marks.
In this case, instead of worrying about if you’re following “the rules” and formatting the conversation “correctly” it’s better to think in terms of choices.
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Movie script format example 1: how to format email/text message conversations. Let’s start our exploration on how you should aim to make better movie script format choices rather than look for definitive rules, by taking a look at how to format an email and/or text message in a script. You’re running the risk of irritating the reader if you do. Largely stick to “the norm.” While you’re trying to get noticed with a spec script, it’s best not to do things your own way just for the sake of it. stays the same throughout the whole screenplay.ģ. Every single element, character name, slugline etc. The reader shouldn’t have to struggle to figure out what’s going on, such as if a character’s indoors or outdoors, as it distracts hugely from the read.Ģ. Make it easy to understand what’s happening. Good screenplay format choices tend to do the following:ġ. For example, writing action lines in all caps. Irritate the reader by going against “the norm.” These things aren’t necessarily “wrong” but they’re not usually seen in a script. (V.O.) becomes (v.o.) becomes (VOICEOVER.)ģ. They have to struggle to figure out what’s going on in the scene because it’s not clear due to the formatting.Ģ. When it comes to thinking of your movie script format in terms of choices, there are good ones and bad ones. The two types of movie script format choices. In this post, we’re going to discuss why and how you should start to reframe your mind to think about movie script format in terms of choices rather than cast iron rules and give a couple of examples along the way. This is because, when it comes to movie script format, there are very few hard and fast “rules.” However, some script formatting choices will make you look more amateurish than others.
Rather than discussing rules and regulations like most formatting books, we prefer to talk about how to format a script in terms of choices. (This post is an extract from our book “ Master Screenplay Formatting: A Clear Guide On How To Format A Screenplay For The Spec Market.”) 38 comments Why you should stop thinking of movie script format in terms of rules.
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