Screenplay Format Basics In Five Minutes - The Absolute Basics To Get You Writing!

You have two options with your scene. Inside, or outside. INT. is for interior, EXT. is for exterior.

Next up, we need to know where the scene is taking place. Is it in a cafe? In a football field? In a spaceship? It's best to keep this simple. Go with CAFE, or BEDROOM. Of course, there might be various bedrooms in the film -- so you need to separate one bedroom from the other, so you might say BOB'S BEDROOM or SMALL BEDROOM or CHILDREN'S ROOM.

Is it day, or night? You decide and choose either DAY or NIGHT. Some of my favorite screenplays from the past say things like 'LATER' or 'THAT EVENING' or 'TWENTY MINUTES LATER.' If you feel these are essential, then use them; but, generally screenwriting wisdom is that you just go with day, or night.

So far; your script looks like this:

INT. SMALL BEDROOM - DAY

Or:

EXT. BUCKINGHAM PALACE - NIGHT

Or:

INT. JUNO'S BEDROOM - MACGUFF HOUSE - DAY

All of the above must be in CAPITALS!
Now you need to set the scene for us. Where is it? Who is there? What information do we need to know?

Try to keep in concise. Some writers write a big long paragraph. The best ones don't. Say for example you need to tell us that Barry walks into the room and turns on a light switch. Some writers might write:

Barry walks into the room. He takes a look around, ponders over what to do-- before stepping further inside. He walks over to the light switch and hits it with his fingers.

But do you need to write all of that? You could just write.

Barry enters. He hesitates - then hits the switch.

If this is the first time we see Barry on screen, you need to capitalize him. BARRY enters. In fact; it's good to have a bit of information about him. You can write a sentence explaining him -- or you can be short and succinct. BARRY, 19, a computer-whizz. Obese. -OR- BARRY, 52, grumpy-and-balding.

Do whatever you need to do to make him interesting. It should be information that is relevant and important. There's no point saying that Barry is a chess fanatic if he spends every scene from that moment onwards surfing.

So far your script looks like this.

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

BARRY, 79; a frail ex-cop with an attitude, steps awkwardly towards the light switch.

Now we need some dialogue. The person speaking always has their name in the center. Like this:
BARRY
If Barry speaks in voice over, it's like this:

BARRY (V.O)

If we hear dialogue, but the character is out of shot, we see this:

BARRY (O.S)

V.O meaning voice over, O.S meaning out of shot.

What you'll see in a lot of scripts is information under the dialogue, like:

BARRY

(screaming)

I am screaming really loud!

Or

BARRY
(confused)
I look like a woman.

BUT; I recommend you DON'T do this. I used to do it all the time. And if Aaron Sorkin wants to do it, no-one will stop him. And in fact, if you're absolutely desperate to do it, the world won't end. But it's best not to. If your dialogue is good, the reader/actor/dude on the internet will grasp your intent without them; and it allows for the actor and director to do their job, without you forcing something on them.

Dialogue between two people is very simple. It's as easy as this.

BARRY
I'm speaking dialogue.

GEOFF
No shit.

BARRY
Do you read that great
film blog?

GEOFF
Every day.

If something happens in the middle of the scene. Just write it in - from the left hand side. Like this.

BARRY
I'm speaking dialogue.

GEOFF
No shit.

Barry picks up a pen.

BARRY
Do you read that great
film blog?

GEOFF
Every day.
OR

BARRY
I'm speaking dialogue.

Barry's face suddenly ERUPTS into flame. Geoff ignores it.

GEOFF
No shit.

BARRY
Do you read that great
film blog?

GEOFF
Every day.

So now you can write a standard scene.

INSIDE OR OUTSIDE/WHERE/DAY OR NIGHT?
What's going on? What do we need to know?

WHO'S TALKING?
What are they saying?

The picture below shoes part of a scene from the 'Sunshine Cleaning' screenplay. I'm showing you this because it is a bit more accurate than my blog, formatting wise. As you can see, the dialogue isn't quite centered, it's actually to the left of the character name. For some reason, the blog editor isn't allow me to demonstrate that properly; so here is what it should look like.

Don't talk about camera angles. Writing CLOSE-UP or CAMERA TILTS LEFT is not your job! Your job is to tell a story.

The basic things I have told you are enough to get you started. I didn't want to say anything about content-- this is for people who've been daunted about simple formatting. And I hope this demystifies the basics!

Care to share?

Tweet

Screenplay Competition 2010...

Last year, on a bit of a whim, I started the Kid In The Front Row Screenwriting Festival. The winner was a wonderful script by Patrick O'Riley, which I will be sharing shortly.

Anyhow, the time is nearly upon us again, for a new competition. Once again, it will have a 5 page limit, and I will give you a few stimuli for the screenplay. And then we will have a short, sharp deadline -- so you'll need to be on your toes.

I wanted to get some awareness out there now; so that as soon as I launch the competition, you writers are ready to get WRITING. The competition allows for no procrastination, no waiting around for inspiration. Instead, it's a mini-version of a deadline you'd get from a studio, or a producer; we need this, NOW, and it needs to include THIS, THIS, and THIS. Just entering and completing something is proof enough that you are a writer. Entering, completing it, and writing something good - proves that you really know what you're doing.

Stick around, it's coming sooner than you think!

Care to share?

Tweet

Something Good Coming

It's weird how a song will just capture you sometimes. We like songs every day; but every now and then, maybe once every four months-- a song will really, really take you. And I'm not talking about a new song by The Script that is quite cool and everyone likes. I mean, an album version of a song by your favorite singer, or a YouTube cover version with only nine hits that you really really love. It just hits you.

I only found this song today. It's a recent track by Tom Petty, called 'Something Good Coming.' I've literally done nothing all day except listen to it. I think that when you find a song that moves you, really moves you, you need to keep listening to it, you need to figure it out; figure out what it means to you.

I know so well the look on your face

And there’s something lucky about this place

There’s something good coming just over the hill

There’s something good coming I know it will

Is this song important to me, and my life? Is there a feeling that it gives me that I've not been allowing myself? Does it just sound cool? I don't have all the answers-- but I know the way this song makes me feel is something new. It's something slightly different to what has come before. That's the power of music. That's the power of art. It's right there.

Tom Petty fans moan that this video only has 90,000 views when Miley Cyrus has 12 million. But that isn't the point. That isn't why Tom Petty makes music. It isn't a numbers game. This is, clearly, a very personal song for Tom Petty. There's a video on YouTube of him playing it with the band (which won't allow embedding, so I can't bring it here) - but you see how utterly engrossed Petty and the band are, and his little smile at the end when he knows they'll nailed the song. That's the power of music. That's the power of art. It's right there.

In the hands of a lesser singer, or perhaps even Petty earlier in his career - the song would have been something different. It might have been more obvious; more anthemic, more ballad-like. But that's what gets me about this song; it has so much restraint. It has a voice of experience, a voice of maturity, a voice of pain and a voice of love. And it's all rolled into one.

And I know that look that’s on your face
There’s something lucky about this place
There’s something good coming
For you and me
Something good coming
There has to be
I don't know whether you guys like Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, and I don't know whether you'll like this song. I guess it doesn't matter -- what matters is that we all keep an eye out for these types of songs. Songs that speak to us, as individuals, that speak our lives, that give us strength in our lives; and give us the companionship and understanding that sometimes others can't.

And I’m in for the long run

Wherever it goes

Riding the river

Wherever it goes

Care to share?

Tweet

Advice For Starting Your Screenplay

Starting your screenplay is difficult. There are so many reasons not to. You need to check Facebook, you need to convince yourself you have a lung disease on WEB M.D, you need to eat a sandwich, you need to think about the sandwich you've eaten, you need to make phone calls.

Beginning the process of writing is hard, it really is. And there are many tools and tricks you can try, in the hope they'll spur you into action. But for me, there is only one way of really starting. And you can use this phrase as a mantra. I promise you, if you use it, it will work every time.

SIT DOWN

SHUT UP

WRITE

Care to share?

Tweet

It Comes In Threes - Mourning The Loss Of Hollywood Legends

I was in a car last night with my parents and my Brother, when I read about the sad passing of Arthur Penn who directed 'Bonnie & Clyde,' an iconic and important film in the history of cinema. This, of course, coming straight off the back of the unexpected death of film editor Sally Menke.

As I read out the article about Arthur Penn, I said to my family - "I wonder who's next, this always happens in threes."

And then this morning I read that actor Tony Curtis had died, aged 85. The death of Curtis being even more moving for me because he starred in one of my all time favorite films, 'Some Like It Hot,' and was one of the few remaining men from an era I long for.

The natural thing on news websites, blogs and social networks is to mourn the loss of the people who created things we loved - often forgetting that the real loss is for the friends and families of these people. So on the crazy off chance a relative of Sally, Arthur or Tony should ever read this blog - we are all immensely sorry for your loss -- from what we could tell, they were all wonderful people.

But what we know is their art - and for these three individuals, their contributions were immense. 'Bonnie & Clyde' is a landmark in the history of cinema, and has influenced thousands of films since, 'Some Like It Hot' managed something that only about three films in the history of cinema have; it warmed, inspired and excited every generation that came after it, and remains today as the greatest comedy film of all time. And then there's Sally Menke, a name that perhaps is only getting the recognition she deserves after death. Tarantino always knew how important she was, as did Tarantino's die-hard fans -- but now she's getting the praise she no doubt deserves. Tarantino is a once in a generation master -- but now it's become very apparent;underneath all the bloodshed and violence, was a woman steering the ship home, with an editing style that not only helped shape Tarantino's style; it really defined it.

Despite the very very very sad loss of these three amazing people - I feel inspired. Inspired by what a life can be, by what a person can do in the world and what they can leave behind. These are three names that nobody is going to forget.

Care to share?

Tweet