Format

• Size 12 font size, page numbers at the top of the right margin, top and right margins are 1 inch, bottom margin is a quarter inch, left margin is 1.5 inches wide.

• Slug line indicates the location of where the action occurs.  

• Action lines are beneath the slug line to inform what the viewer will hear and see. 

• Include character cues. 

• Dialogue is positioned in the middle of the page. 

• (CONT’D) indicates the character’s lines will carry on after they’ve been interrupted. 

• (V.O) refers to a voice over. 

• (O.S) or (O.C) when a character is speaking but they are off camera. 

• (Pre-Lap) dialogue that begins before the current scene ends. 

• Parentheticals tells how the dialogue is to be acted out, e.g. loudly, painfully, giggling, shrugging, falling to knees. 

• Show there is a screenplay transition, e.g. ‘CUT TO,’ ‘DISSOLVES TO,’ ‘BEGIN MONTAGE.’ 

• Sub-headers indicate a different location or time in a scene. 

• Important shots and angles are used only if necessary for the scene’s interpretation. 

• End of Act is centred and underlined on the page, then move onto the next page.