Formating Guide
A professional looking script
QUESTION
How “perfect” must my pagecraft and formatting be? Do I have to have everything exactly right?
ANSWER
If your story is wonderful, then the reader may overlook little formatting problems. Then again, the reader may never read your script if he or she is turned off by those “little formatting problems” when he or she glances through your script. Obviously, the story is the most important thing, but formatting is also important. In marketing, we call this packaging. Packaging is important in selling the product—your script.
Here’s the bottom line. If the formatting errors in your script are minimal, you will probably be okay. Keep in mind that different people in the biz have different ideas of what correct formatting is. Thus, be smart and follow the rules of spec formatting as best you can, and then don’t be unduly concerned. Relax and write.
- From ASK DR. FORMAT by Dave Trottier
on the site, screenplay.com
Slug Lines
aka SCENE HEADINGS
GUIDELINE: Use as few Sluglines as is possible and keep them as simple as you can.
Too many sluglines or sluglines that are too complex create visual barricades for a reader and slow the read down. Here’s an example that may be necessary, but seems way too long:
Sluglines are the first line of any new scene and tell the reader where the action is happening. It’s usually a location, followed by a time, and most often looks something like this:
INT. GOLD STAR FUEL STATION - GARAGE - DAY
Sluglines typically have THREE PARTS:
1) Interior or exterior (INT. or EXT.)
Interior or exterior is always presented as an abbreviation in ALL CAPS
Generally speaking if it has a roof, it’s an interior. A baseball stadium is a structure, but it’s outside, so that would be an EXT.
2) Location
The location component may involve more than one detail like the above example. If so, list in order from the least specific (largest scale) to the most specific. Do your best not to use any more than TWO or THREE details at the very most. Here is an example:
INT. GOLD STAR FUEL STATION - GARAGE - SERVICE PIT - DAY
The above, 3-part example feels excessive. You could easily remove the second part (Garage), and the Slugline still works fine. Here’s an even more excessive example:
EXT. WHITE HOUSE - SOUTH LAWN - CLOSE ON CNN CORRESPONDENT -SUNSET (MARCH 15, 1999)
In my opinion, that’s way too much information. You can deliver a lot of that in the action/description lines that follow or in a MINI-SLUG, especially the “CLOSE ON” detail. And how are you planning on communicating the date to a viewer watching the final film? Via dialogue? Via an on-screen chyron? Putting it in the slugline virtually guarantees the audience won’t get this important information.
3) Time
99% of the time, the only necessary options are simply DAY or NIGHT. Do not complicate things further unless the scene absolutely needs something more specific. Having said that, if you need more specificity, then why not use the action/description block?
Mini Slugs
aka Shot Headings
Mini Slugs are formatted like a full slugline, but are NOT used to start a new scene. They are used to specify a NEW FOCUS and can be used to shift focus or point of view or to make certain your reader absorbs an important detail. The two options are:
To specify a particular CAMERA SHOT
To specify the SUBJECT of a new shot
In my opinion, option B) is to be avoided at all cost unless you, yourself are going to make this film. If you want to sell the script and have someone else direct it, then know most professionals don’t like being told how to direct their movie. Once they buy the script they get to make those choices. You can SUGGEST a specific shot (in the action/description blocks), but to dictate specific camera shots in your formatting is extremely risky and not recommended. You will likely be considered an amateur.
A ) MINI-SLUGS (CAMERA SHOTS)
Everyone has their own opinion and a lot is open to interpretation, but I’m going to break these shots into two groups: the kind I think you can get away with, and the kind I think that will get you into trouble by making it look like you are trying to direct the film.
ACCEPTABLE SHOTS:
CLOSEUP:
EXTREME CLOSEUP:
INSERT:
POV SHOT: / WHAT HE SEES: / WHAT SHE SEES: / SUBJECTIVE CAMERA
UNACCEPTABLE SHOTS:
WIDE:/ WIDE SHOT:/WIDE ANGLE:
MEDIUM:/ MEDIUM SHOT:/MEDIUM ANGLE:
TWO SHOT
THREE SHOT
ESTABLISHING SHOT: / ESTABLISHING:
TRACKING SHOT
ARIEL SHOT:
UNDERWATER SHOT:
NEW ANGLE: / ANGLE ON:
UP ANGLE: / DOWN ANGLE:
HIGH ANGLE: / LOW ANGLE:
REVERSE ANGLE:
HANDHELD SHOT: / (HANDHELD)
B) MINI SLUGS (SUBJECT OF SHOT)
Description of subject without action
Time of Day
Continuous Action / Continuous
Weather (snow, rain, sleet)
Quality/type of footage used in shot (black & white, 8 mm, home video, newsreel footage etc.)
Formatting is a painfully dry, but absolutely critical part of screenwriting. It may be true that there is more flexibility in regard to what the industry wants these days – and many people argue over what is “correct” formatting – but make no mistake; if your work does not LOOK like a screenplay, it will not be treated like one. You absolutely must – MUST – learn how to properly format your script to industry standards.
SOFTWARE
You absolutely MUST use a proper, proven, brand-name program to write your screenplay. Do NOT try to use WORD or PAGES or an app on your phone. I can’t stress this enough.
In years past, options were not only limited, but also expensive and the cost of these programs were a serious barrier for a lot of emerging writers – especially those not yet SURE this was a job they wanted. But those days have passed. Today, there is no excuse for screenwriting without the proper software. There are many more options out there, but I’m not familiar with a lot of them, so here are favourites of mine that I know will serve you well:
FINAL DRAFT® and MOVIE MAGIC SCREENWRITER have become the industry standards, but both are still considered expensive.
KIT SCENARIST is a new, open-source screenwriting software solution that can export scripts in the formats PDF, FDX, Fountain and even DOCX, so it works to industry standard. There is no paid version of this software. It is 100% FREE!
Understand that formatting is really important, but do not obsess over it. For fifteen dollars, you can hire someone on FIVERR to format your screenplay properly. Learn as you go, but never forget that your #1 job is to write a great story, not worry about its formatting.
With that in mind, acquire one of the above programs and start using it ASAP. They have a huge list of additional and helpful features such as being able to compile lists of your characters and settings, and offer to insert them as you are writing. They automate pagination, maintain consistency of formatting, and do much, much more automatically which will free you up and allow you to concentrate on WRITING. Have I made my point? If you do not own one yet...
GET PROPER SCREENWRITING SOFTWARE IMMEDIATELY!
Reference Books
Consult these books for many more formatting guidelines:
The Complete Guide to Standard Script Formats: The Screenplay
by Judith H. Haag and Hillis R. Cole, Jr.The Hollywood Standard
by Christopher Riley
Some people claim that screenplay formatting has changed and is less bound by rules than it once was, but the fact is that industry standards really haven’t changed that much. These two books are well worth the investment if you are serious about screenwriting, so ignore them – and proper formatting - at your peril.
Learn Formatting By Reading Scripts!
The fastest way to learn everything you need to know about formatting is to simply READ A LOT OF SCREENPLAYS. Read as many as you possibly can. Read the kind of screenplays that you want to write to see how successful screenwriters deal with similar genres, subjects, narrative devices and everything you want to explore as well.
Reading scripts online is free, so there is absolutely no excuse for not learning by reading. To be a writer you NEED to read. And you need to read a LOT OF WHAT YOU WANT TO WRITE.
Don’t know how to find screenplays online? That is ALSO not a problem. Click the menu in the upper left corner of any page on this site (it looks like three horizontal lines stacked on top of one another) Click on the SCREENPLAY LIBRARIES link. I’ve listed a number of free online libraries and where to find them.
USE THEM.
Quick, Clear, Concise
The goal in formatting your screenplay is to lay everything out and manipulate the words so the reader experiences the clearest and most interesting visual picture in their mind.
You want to make sure that your lines come to life, that they paint a picture in as few words as possible, which then manipulates our eye into moving along at a faster pace, making your pages feel even cleaner and faster to read. In short, a good movie script format is simply one that helps the reader see and feel what’s happening on the page as best as it can. Ask yourself:
Is it crystal clear where we are?
Are you setting the right kind of tone for the scene?
Can the reader get a clear sense of the atmosphere of your scene?
Do we feel our shoes stick to the floor in the crappy bar?
Slug Lines
aka SCENE HEADINGS/SHOT HEADINGS
A SCENE HEADING or SHOT HEADING, commonly referred to as a “SLUGLINE” is typically a short description of the location and time of day of a scene. For example:
EXT. MOUNTAIN CABIN - DAY
This denotes that the action takes place outside a mountain cabin during daylight hours.
SLUGLINE BASICS:
A) Shot headings consist of UP TO five basic categories of information:
interior or exterior
location
type of shot
subject of shot
time of day.
Including type of shot and subject of shot is unusual today and should be considered for advanced writers only. I recommend emerging writers simply avoid those details. The fundamental rule is:
Use as few scene headings as possible and keep them as simple as you can.
B) Do not bold or underscore Scene Headings. Francis Ford Coppola underscores his scene headings, but such idiosyncrasies should be avoided in a speculative script.
c) Always use complete Scene Headings, beginning with the abbreviation “EXT.” or “INT.” It is neither necessary nor acceptable to spell out “EXTERIOR” or “INTERIOR.” When cutting to a different room in the same location, “INT.” or “EXT.” is still required.
D) “INT.” and “EXT.” are abbreviations. As such, they should each end in a period.
E) When it comes to Scene Headings, there are just two acceptable times of day: “DAY” and “NIGHT.”
Unacceptable times include “THE NEXT DAY,” “LATER THAT MORNING,” and “THAT SAME MOMENT.” No matter when one scene takes place relative to another, all that’s evident on screen is whether it’s day or night.
A time-of-day modifier, such as “DAWN,” “DUSK,” and “LATER,” may be added,
if necessary, in parentheses. Example:
INT. APARTMENT - DAY (LATER)
Keep them short. Do not write like this:
INT. APARTMENT BLOCK – APARTMENT 123 – BEDROOM – DAY
Just write:
INT. JULIE’S BEDROOM – DAY
Note how it’s also a good idea to include a character’s name where appropriate. This way you don’t end up with five INT. BEDROOM – DAY Scene Headings and your audience not knowing whose bedroom we’re in.
WHAT NOT TO DO:
Don’t:
EXT. THE BLUE ANGEL BAR – NEW YORK – NIGHT
Do:
EXT. NEW YORK – THE BLUE ANGEL BAR – NIGHT
Always start with the general location and then get more specific, but in this example, that’s only if we don’t already know we’re in New York. If we do, you can leave it out.
F) It is possible to feature two locations in a single scene heading if the scene moves from one to the other or back and forth between the two. Here’s an example:
INT. ELEVATOR/HOSPITAL CORRIDOR - DAY
Scene Headings - Continuous
“CONTINUOUS” should only be used at the end of the Scene Heading when we follow a character from one location to another. For example, literally through a door. Not from morning to night, or sitting on a plane to jumping in a cab. Don’t do this:
INT. STARBUCKS – DAY
Kelly gives Jim a refill and a smile.
INT. JIM’S APARTMENT – CONTINUOUS
Jim and Kelly burst in kissing passionately.
Instead, write:
INT. STARBUCKS – DAY
Kelly gives Jim a refill and a smile.
INT. JIM’S APARTMENT – DAY
Jim and Kelly burst in kissing passionately.
Scene Headings - Same
The same holds true for “SAME”; we only note it’s the same time or continuous action if we’re moving straight from one location to another. Most often, writers should leave both of these terms out completely and just stick with DAY and NIGHT for clarity.
Technically, every scene in a screenplay is “later” and we think it’s better to only employ it as a mini slug on its own, or at the end of a slugline to show a passage of time in the same location. Don’t do it like this:
INT. BANK OF AMERICA – DAY
Marsha looks about nervously – too afraid to approach a teller.
INT. MARSHA’S APARTMENT – LATER
Marsha sits at the table staring at Kevin lying drunk on the couch.
Do it like THIS instead:
INT. BANK OF AMERICA – DAY
Marsha looks about nervously – too afraid to approach a teller.
INT. MARSHA’S APARTMENT – DAY
Marsha sits at the table staring at Kevin lying drunk on the couch.
Some professional writers liberally use the first version. Avoid it if you can, however, purely for ease of reading and keeping things as simple as possible.
Mini - Slugs
Mini-slugs direct our attention to what’s important within a scene or from one place to another within a scene when jumping to another location for just a single shot would be too clumsy. They add punch, and can be used to heighten the pacing. That being said, they can become annoying if used excessively.
Mini-slugs cannot be used to change the location or the time of day. Written in ALL CAPS, this type of slugline may consist of just the character or characters we see in the shot:
PARKER
WEAVES HER WAY THROUGH THE CROWDED PUB
A mini-slug that designates a close-up must also reference the subject of the close-up, such as:
CLOSE-UP – MARIA’S LIPS
When a shot originates from a particular character’s point-of-view, it’s customary to break it out with its own slugline. This slugline must state the character by name and refer to what the character sees. It’s not enough to simply write “SHAMUS’ P.O.V.,” for example (using periods because it’s an abbreviation), without also specifying in the slugline what Shamus sees:
SHAMUS’ P.O.V. - THE KILLER
After describing the p.o.v., we return to the scene by means of another mini-slug:
BACK TO SCENE
In the case of a camera move to another location inside the main location of a scene, some writers like to use mini-slugs which look like this:
INT. – BOB’S OFFICE – DAY
It’s empty. The door to the bathroom is closed.
BATHROOM
Bob hides behind the door, letter opener in his hand as a weapon.
The word BATHROOM is the Mini-Slug that draws attention to a new shot within a scene. We move from a wider shot of the entire office to shot inside the office’s private bathroom.
ACTION (DESCRIPTION) BLOCKS
Everything that isn’t dialogue or connected to dialogue, like parentheticals, is called an ACTION BLOCK. Action blocks can also be used to briefly describe a person, place or thing, like the setting of a scene.
ACTION SHOULD BE FAST
Action Blocks should no more than three sentences long if at all possible. If you need more, start a new paragraph or break it up with dialogue. Having action sets run longer than this, especially six lines and longer, accomplishes only two things:
It makes the reader skip or skim over them. And, if they hold important story information, it can leave the reader out of the loop and confused.
It makes you look like an amateur.
Do all that you can to keep your readers’ eyes flying across and down the page. THAT should be your first priority, rather than stressing over all the intricacies of an “official screenplay format guide”.
WHEN TO USE ALL CAPS
Refrain from using ALL CAPS just for emphasis. Use an underline. There are three occasions when it’s permissible to use ALL CAPS in action/description blocks:
Introducing a character
Drawing attention to sound effects.
Denoting camera direction (RISKY! AVOID!)
The main reason for using ALL CAPS is to aid the production manager in breaking down the script.
OTHER ACTION BLOCK RULES
The titles of books and publications should be underscored when they appear in a description.
Song titles in sction blocks should be enclosed in “quotes”. (Caution)
When wrapping lines, do not insert hyphens to break words.
CHARACTER INTRODUCTIONS
In action/description blocks, a character’s name should be written in ALL CAPS only when that character first appears in the script. After that, the name should appear in Title Case. This holds true even for bit parts, such as Medical Examiner.
Always employ the number symbol (#) when referring to numbered characters, such as Girl #1 and Girl #2. There should be a space before the number symbol.
A character’s age is typically written numerically, enclosed in parentheticals, although many choose to present the age bracketed by commas. I recommend the first option, but acknowledge that a significant number of working screenwriters use the latter.
Recommended:
Girl #2 (12)
Optional, but NOT recommended:
Girl #2, 12,
CHARACTER CUES and DIALOGUE
Keep the character cues as short as possible. It’s not necessary to use both the first and last names. Leads generally go by their first names.
When a character’s name changes, it’s customary to remind the reader of the original name by placing it in parentheses the very next time a speech is cued using the new name. In other words, if we’ve been referring to a character as DOMINATRIX, but discover her real name is MIRANDA, then the next cue for her would read:
MIRANDA (DOMINATRIX)
All subsequent speeches for Miranda would be cued with just her name alone.
When breaking a page in the middle of dialogue, it’s customary to add the word “MORE” (in ALL CAPS and parentheses, but without the quotes) after the speech at the bottom of the page. This “(MORE)” appears on its own line at the same margin as the character cue.
To indicate the speech is continuing, insert the modifier “cont’d” (in lower case and enclosed within parentheses, but without the quotes) at the top of the next page, one space to the right of the character cue.
Spell out numbers when they appear in dialogue. Avoid using symbols and abbreviations in dialogue. This is partly to avoid a timing issue, by preserving the one page-per-minute estimate standard in screenplays.
TRANSITIONS
Transitions such as FADE IN, CUT TO, DISSOLVE TO, and FADE OUT are rarely used today and with few exceptions are considered unnecessary. Even use of the transitional instruction “CUT TO:” is superfluous. Unless otherwise specified, all transitions are cuts.
There is no such thing as a “SMASH CUT.” In a screenplay, a cut is a cut. Whether it “smashes” the viewer in the face depends upon what sort of image is in the new scene. Note: People do use these terms and you may see them in other screenplays, but it is NOT recommended today.
Every transitional instruction must end with a colon. The exception is the final “FADE OUT,” signifying the end of the script, which ends in a period.
“FADE TO BLACK.” is an archaic term dating from live television. The correct cinematic term is “FADE OUT.”
CAMERA DIRECTIONS
Camera moves, such as C/U (Close Up), or ANGLE ON, or any other abbreviation for a camera move or shot are considered bad form today and can be insulting to directors and cinematographers and other production staff. They suggest you’re trying to direct the film. That’s not your job.
Rather than saying:
C/U on a bloody knife as a hand reaches in to pick it up.
Instead, you can write:
A bloody knife sits on the counter, a hand reaches in and picks it up.
It’s the same visual, but better storytelling the second way. And more specifically, it does not draw attention to the camera.
FLASHBACKS
A FLASHBACK is a scene or series of scenes that take place prior to the story’s main action. A DREAM SEQUENCE is, naturally, a scene or series of scenes that take place in a dream. In a flashback, the word “flashback” appears underlined as the very FIRST element in the scene heading/slugline, followed by a hyphen.
FLASHBACK - INT. FUNHOUSE– NIGHT
A dream sequence is set up the same way:
DREAM SEQUENCE - INT. FUNHOUSE - NIGHT
Alternatively, more recent terms sometimes used to introduce short flashbacks are MEMORY HIT and MEMORY FLASH:
MEMORY HIT - CORVETTE
Careens out of control.
Or:
MEMORY FLASH
Melissa’s face the instant before impact.
When a flashback or dream sequence ends, you have more than one option. You can simply move on to the next scene:
DREAM SEQUENCE – EXT. FERRIS WHEEL – DAY
Josh dangles by his fingertips from the highest car. Melanie sits in the car above him, prying his fingers loose one by one. Suddenly Josh is falling, falling, falling ...
INT. SCIENCE CLASSROOM – DAY
Josh jerks his head up off his desk, jolting awake. He looks across the room at Melanie with deep suspicion.
For the first option above, the context makes it obvious that the dream has ended and no further cues are required. Other less obvious situations benefit from a more explicit indication that the flashback or scene is over:
DREAM SEQUENCE – EXT. FERRIS WHEEL – DAY
Josh dangles by his fingertips from the highest car. Melanie sits in the car above him, prying his fingers loose one by one. Suddenly Josh is falling, falling, falling ...
END DREAM SEQUENCE.
NT. SCIENCE CLASSROOM – DAY
Melanie looks up from her book and notices Josh giving her a suspicious look.
It can also be handled this way when you have more than one scene within your flashback or dream sequence:
FLASHBACK – EXT. RIVERBANK
Charity watches the riverboat burn, her hands over her mouth. Slowly, she collapses in the mud.
EXT. SMALL-TOWN CEMETARY – DAY
A half-dozen funerals underway simultaneously. The scope of the tragedy hits home. Charity stands at a fresh grave, grieving her sister alone.
END FLASHBACK.
PARENTHETICALS
Also, known as a "wryly" because of the propensity of amateur screenwriters to try to accent a character's speech -- as in BOB (wryly) – where the parenthetical describes a character’s inflexion/delivery of the line.
“Directing off the page," as it's often called, is seriously frowned upon. Parenthetical direction must apply only to the character who is speaking. If it gives direction to other characters, then it most often should be broken out as an action element. However, another character’s reaction can be incorporated into some parenthetical direction if the speaking character is responding to it:
TYLER
I just saw a dog driving a car.
(Reacting to Bruce’s incredulous look)
I swear!
Use parenthetical direction to indicate a speech is continuing. When the same character speaks again in the same scene following some action, it’s customary for the word “continuing” to appear in parentheses on the next line after the cue. Screenwriting software will do this automatically.
It’s also acceptable to place the word “CONT’D” in parentheses as an extension to the character cue, but things can get messy if there’s already a “V.O.” (voiceover) or “O.S.” (off-screen) extension. Use a parenthetical beat, not just an ellipsis, to indicate hesitation or an adjustment in a speech.
Personally, I prefer the use of “(then)” instead of “(beat),” as it flows better and cues the actor that this is an adjustment.
Generally speaking, keep parentheticals to a minimum. Many writers seem to want to direct every action and emotion a character makes while speaking, but leave that to the actor and director.
The general rule is to only use parentheticals sparingly – i.e. when what a character is saying contradicts in some way their intention. For example, instead of writing:
CATHERINE
(angrily)
Get out of my way you idiot!!
Write instead:
CATHERINE
(angrily)
I’d love to go away with you, Gary!
In the first example, it is completely obvious that Catherine is angry and therefore it does not need the parenthetical direction. The second example is using dialogue subtext where the character uses words that betray the real message. And even in the second example, parentheticals are often not needed if the scene has already set up the fact that Catherine is angry.
Similarly, if we already know a character’s personality well enough to know that they are always angry, we don’t need repeated use of parentheticals telling us that her delivery is “angry,” “frustrated,” “grumpy” etc. throughout the entire screenplay.
ELLIPSES
…
An ellipsis consists of three periods. No more, no less. There should be a space between an ellipsis and the text that follows it, but no leading space. An ellipsis does not have any spaces between the periods.
ONSCREEN / OFFSCREEN TEXT
Text that is visible onscreen, such as a newspaper headline, words on a sign or on a computer monitor, should be set off in quotes. The abbreviations for background (b.g.) and foreground (f.g.) are written in lower case – unless used in a SLUGLINE which is always in caps.
The same applies to the abbreviation for point-of-view (p.o.v.), without sound (m.o.s.), so described because legend has it that a German-born director wanting a scene with no sound told the crew to shoot "mit out sound.", voice-over (v.o.), and off-screen (o.s.) when used in description.
THE CONCEPT OF “REAL TIME”
Edited from an excerpt of Bob Saenz’s book, That’s Not How it Works.
The vast majority of films and T.V. shows take place in “real time”. You are telling the reader; this is what you are seeing – right now. Exactly like the experience of watching a film. You watch what happens, as it happens. Your words commit you to it and commit your story to it.
The term “REAL TIME” means there is a stopwatch running for every scene. That stopwatch is timing exactly how long that scene is on screen. Ideally all of the scenes in your script will add up to less than two hours. Better yet, something closer to an hour and a half for a feature. The same goes for your hour-long pilot or half our comedy show. There are hard limits you need to keep in mind.
As a screenwriter, you need to be aware of that stopwatch and the total “SCREEN TIME” taken to tell your story. This is something novelists do not have to think about. It’s exclusive to screenwriting, which is why so many new screenwriters don’t grasp it right away.
Never tell your reader how long a scene SHOULD be. SHOW them exactly how long it IS.
INT. RESTAURANT – DINING AREA – DAY
Bob and Bobette take their seats at a table. Bob reaches out his hand and takes hers in it.
BOB
Wanna do the salad bar?
Bobette pulls her hand away.
BOBETTE
Are you trying to tell me I’m fat?
BOB
No. Of course not. I just ... really want
some salad. That’s all. C’mon.
They stand and walk to the salad bar and make salads. After, they return to their table, sit down and eat. They finish their salads.
BOBETTE
You know. That really was a good salad.
Thank you for suggesting it.
Bob smiles. Triumphantly.
Let’s break this scene down. An insensitive jerk tells his girlfriend she’s fat. She reacts, and he shrugs it off. That’s about 10 seconds of real time.
Then things get weird: They stand, go to the bar and make salads. Are we watching them that whole time? Is the writer suggesting we watch people cross a room and prepare salads, carefully choosing each ingredient, and then walk them all the way back to their table and eat them entirely – with no dialogue?
That’s what the writer just described with the words chosen. This scene – as written – takes about twenty to thirty minutes of screen time. In an hour and a half film. Obviously, that’s ridiculous and would make the writer look clueless. This is bad writing and there’s no excuse for it.
Here’s another example illustrating the same problem in a different way:
EXT. ROADWAY – DAY
Bob stands by the side of the road and hitchhikes for an hour, watching cars pass by until a white limousine pulls up.
There’s half (or more!) of your film’s running time right there.
Action lines are LITERAL.
And if you are telling yourself this isn’t that big of a deal, you’re wrong. This is more than enough to encourage a reader to toss your script aside.
It’s not hard to see the writer’s intent, but they chose the worst, most lazy way to do it. Here are other, more effective options:
EXT. ROADSIDE – DAY
Bob stands, watching cars whiz by, thumb out, waiting for a ride.
MONTAGE: Quick cuts
Bob dances around as he sticks his thumb out.
Bob moves his thumb from place to place. Over his head, under his arm, under his lag as cars quickly pass.
Bob sits on the side of the road, thumb out.
Bob shakes his fist as cars go by, not stopping.
Bob walks down the road, thumb halfway out, his back to the cars as they pass.
EXT. ROADSIDE – DAY
A large white limo drives past Bob and pulls over. The back door swings open. Bob runs to the open door.
And here’s another option:
TIME LAPSE.
Bob stands, sits, moves down the shoulder as cars streak by in fast action.
EXT. ROADSIDE – DAY
A large white limo drives past Bob and pulls over. The back door swings open. Bob runs to the open door.
Both of those options work. I prefer the first, but both are considered acceptable and either can help make you look like you know what you’re doing.
SPELLING / GRAMMAR / SYNTAX
You can purposefully use bad grammar in dialogue – IF your character uses bad grammar. When they speak.
That is the only exception.
In your action/description blocks, proper spelling, syntax and grammar counts. Correct grammar will make those sections easier to understand and not pull your reader out of the story as they wonder if you ever attended school. Having said that, ...
CONTRACTIONS ARE YOUR FRIEND.
Use contractions to save space and speed up the read. You can also use incomplete sentences in your action/description blocks, if you want, for effect. You can even use one-word sentences, again, for effect.
But generally speaking, there really is only one rule:
NO ERRORS!
ZERO TOLERANCE!
Get an editor, or use the skills of a writing partner or language-savvy ally before you ever send a script off to a professional.
One basic error will hurt your chances, and a script laden with errors will get tossed and you will find it EXTREMELY hard to be taken seriously by the reader of that first script.
You’ve got one shot. Don’t let simple spelling, grammar or syntax errors blow it for you.
