Why you should stop thinking of movie script format in terms of rules.
(This post is an extract from our book “Master Screenplay Formatting: A Clear Guide On How To Format A Screenplay For The Spec Market.”)
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 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.
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.
The two types of movie script format choices.
When it comes to thinking of your movie script format in terms of choices, there are good ones and bad ones.
Bad movie screenplay format choices.
The bad ones tend to do three things:
1. Confuse the reader. They have to struggle to figure out what’s going on in the scene because it’s not clear due to the formatting.
2. Be inconsistent. Elements change throughout the script. (V.O.) becomes (v.o.) becomes (VOICEOVER.)
3. Irritate the reader by going against “the norm.” These things aren’t necessarily “wrong” but they’re not usually seen in a script. For example, writing action lines in all caps.
Better movie screenplay format choices.
Good screenplay format choices tend to do the following:
1. Make it easy to understand what’s happening. 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.
2. Remain consistent. Every single element, character name, slugline etc. stays the same throughout the whole screenplay.
3. 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. You’re running the risk of irritating the reader if you do.
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.
Movie script format example 1: how to format email/text message conversations.
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.
Rookie format choice.
Short messages can be handled with an action line, wrapping the message in quotation marks. However, problems arise with your movie script format when whole conversations are written out using this method, like in the following example:
While this method is fine for one message, it doesn’t look so great for whole conversations. Again, there are no formal rules to follow here.
Better format choice.
Feel 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.
Here’s an example of a better screenplay format of the same scene:
You could also switch out the character cues for actor directions and quotation marks for italics, like so:
As we said, it doesn’t really matter how you do it as none of this stuff is codified anywhere when it comes to movie script format. Go with the method that feels right to you and that doesn’t confuse the reader.
Movie script format example 2: misusing INT. instead of EXT. and vice versa.
Sometimes a location may feel like it’s an interior when really it’s an exterior, and vice versa.
Rookie format choice.
Here are some examples of mistakes we see in this regard:
Better format choice.
And here’s how these scenes could be better handled:
As a general rule of thumb, if a character can look up and see the sky, it’s an exterior. If not, it’s an interior. But what if they’re underwater? In this case, it depends on how we arrive underwater.
Let’s say you have a character on a beach who then decides to go swimming. That could be handled with a mini slugline, like this:
But let’s say we’re not following a character underwater, but just jumping into a scene that’s already set underwater. In that case, we recommend something like this:
Or here’s another alternative:
It’s not that important which particular words you use—i.e. UNDERWATER, or UNDERWATER SHOT, or UNDERWATER SEQUENCE—as long as it’s clear what’s happening.
Scenes set in outer space can also cause confusion but stick to the general rules for underwater scenes above—avoiding INT. or EXT. before either of them—and you should be fine.
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In our book, “Master Screenplay Formatting: A Clear Guide On How To Format A Screenplay For The Spec Market” we show you how a few bad movie script format choices are never going to be a deal breaker as to whether your script gets picked up or not. But consistent and obvious bad choices can make a reader think the writer doesn’t know what they’re doing story-wise either. Whether that’s true or not.
It’s extremely rare that a script riddled with formatting mistakes turns out to be a masterpiece. It’s all about making your script as easy to read and as professional as possible. Why deduct points from it before they’ve even read the story?
We hope this helps clear up some of the confusion surrounding movie script format. Always remember, there are no rules, just choices, and it’s always best to go for the clearest, most easily understood screenwriting format you can.
And don’t forget to make your life as easier by using one of these 5 best screenwriting software, or these 10 best free screenwriting software options.
Enjoyed this post? Read more about how to nail format and write a great script…
How to Format a Script If You Want to Break Into the Spec Market
How to Write a Screenplay That’s Unlike Any Other in 6 Steps
16 Screenwriting Tips That Will Improve Your Script Today
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