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The format of a screenplay

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Alan Hardcastle
Alan Hardcastle

1) A screenplay is a technical document that tells a story in pictures through sluglines, action, character names, and dialogue. It provides instructions for what the audience will see on screen. 2) The key elements of a screenplay are the slugline, action, character names, and dialogue. A slugline indicates interior or exterior location and time. Action describes what is happening visually. Character names appear in all caps above dialogue. 3) Dialogue is indented and follows rules of capitalization. It has no quotation marks unless quoting another character. A new slugline is needed for a new scene in a different location or time.

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THE FORMAT OF A SCREENPLAY A screenplay By Alan Hardcastle Copyright 2007 by Alan Hardcastle All Rights Reserved Bridgwater College 01278 441367
What is a screenplay? A story told in Pictures A set of instructions The Hook for the production team to hang their ideas on A description of what the audience sees It is a technical document that needs to be in a specific format.
The Big Four Sluglines, Action Character Names Dialogue
Sluglines 1) INT. or EXT. Short for Interior and Exterior, this tells the production crew whether or not they'll need to wear sunblock on the film shoot. 2) Location. Where the scene takes place. These should be short: LIBRARY CIRCULATION DESK or TRAILER PARK or AL'S BRAIN. 3) Time. Usually just DAY or NIGHT but can be as specific as 4:59 A.M. (if, say the bomb is set to go off at 5:00.)
Action This describes what is happening on the screen, and which characters, if any, are involved. Action will always follow a Slugline. Action follows standard rules of capitalization. It's single-spaced and always in present tense. If the action happened in the past, the Slugline will tell us this.
Character Names This always appears above Dialogue and tells us which character is speaking. Character names are always in ALL CAPS. And sometimes you'll have minor characters that you won't want to name. It's okay to just call them CLERK or PEDESTRIAN or MONKEY WARRIOR. If there are several of the same type of character, add a number: COP #1 or BODY BUILDER #2,
Dialogue Dialogue is single spaced and follows standard rules of capitalization (If it's in all caps, you're probably reading a TV script). Unlike in novels, there are no quotes around Dialogue, unless the character is quoting someone Dialogue is ALWAYS Indented.
. INT Interior 1 EXT - Exterior HOW TO WRITE A SCREENPLAY The Slug Line Says FADE IN: Where Exactly where When. INT. TV STUDIO DAY The studio is a large room with a high ceiling. It is obviously not a classroom. 30 students sit around tables, chatting. As ALAN ENTERS, they pay little attention. Action or Description The visual elements what the audience needs to see and nothing else! Character names need to appear in CAPITALS the first time they appear in a scene, as does their action
2. HOW TO WRITE A SCREENPLAY FADE IN: Character indented INT. TV STUDIO DAY The studio is a large room with a high ceiling. It is obviously not a classroom. 30 students sit around tables, chatting. As ALAN ENTERS, they pay little attention. ALAN Right you lot! Shut up now! (MORE) Speech Indented
2. ALAN (CONT.) Today we are looking at how to format a script. The students continue to talk. JACK, JAKE and ALEX giggle to each other. Alan turns towards them. ALAN (SHOUTING) I told you to be quiet! New Slug Line because its a new scene, in a different location, at a different time of day INT STAFF ROOM EARLY EVENING A dingy, badly lit office. Smoke hangs in the air. A group of dishevelled staff members console each other. MINO passes a BOTLLE OF WHISKY to DARREN while ALAN speaks. ALAN I just cant take it any more

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The format of a screenplay

  • 1. THE FORMAT OF A SCREENPLAY A screenplay By Alan Hardcastle Copyright 2007 by Alan Hardcastle All Rights Reserved Bridgwater College 01278 441367
  • 2. What is a screenplay? A story told in Pictures A set of instructions The Hook for the production team to hang their ideas on A description of what the audience sees It is a technical document that needs to be in a specific format.
  • 4. Sluglines 1) INT. or EXT. Short for Interior and Exterior, this tells the production crew whether or not they'll need to wear sunblock on the film shoot. 2) Location. Where the scene takes place. These should be short: LIBRARY CIRCULATION DESK or TRAILER PARK or AL'S BRAIN. 3) Time. Usually just DAY or NIGHT but can be as specific as 4:59 A.M. (if, say the bomb is set to go off at 5:00.)
  • 5. Action This describes what is happening on the screen, and which characters, if any, are involved. Action will always follow a Slugline. Action follows standard rules of capitalization. It's single-spaced and always in present tense. If the action happened in the past, the Slugline will tell us this.
  • 6. Character Names This always appears above Dialogue and tells us which character is speaking. Character names are always in ALL CAPS. And sometimes you'll have minor characters that you won't want to name. It's okay to just call them CLERK or PEDESTRIAN or MONKEY WARRIOR. If there are several of the same type of character, add a number: COP #1 or BODY BUILDER #2,
  • 7. Dialogue Dialogue is single spaced and follows standard rules of capitalization (If it's in all caps, you're probably reading a TV script). Unlike in novels, there are no quotes around Dialogue, unless the character is quoting someone Dialogue is ALWAYS Indented.
  • 8. . INT Interior 1 EXT - Exterior HOW TO WRITE A SCREENPLAY The Slug Line Says FADE IN: Where Exactly where When. INT. TV STUDIO DAY The studio is a large room with a high ceiling. It is obviously not a classroom. 30 students sit around tables, chatting. As ALAN ENTERS, they pay little attention. Action or Description The visual elements what the audience needs to see and nothing else! Character names need to appear in CAPITALS the first time they appear in a scene, as does their action
  • 9. 2. HOW TO WRITE A SCREENPLAY FADE IN: Character indented INT. TV STUDIO DAY The studio is a large room with a high ceiling. It is obviously not a classroom. 30 students sit around tables, chatting. As ALAN ENTERS, they pay little attention. ALAN Right you lot! Shut up now! (MORE) Speech Indented
  • 10. 2. ALAN (CONT.) Today we are looking at how to format a script. The students continue to talk. JACK, JAKE and ALEX giggle to each other. Alan turns towards them. ALAN (SHOUTING) I told you to be quiet! New Slug Line because its a new scene, in a different location, at a different time of day INT STAFF ROOM EARLY EVENING A dingy, badly lit office. Smoke hangs in the air. A group of dishevelled staff members console each other. MINO passes a BOTLLE OF WHISKY to DARREN while ALAN speaks. ALAN I just cant take it any more