2
SLUG
Description or actions.
CHARACTER NAME
(Parenthetical action)
Dialogue.
TRANSITION:
PAGE BREAK
TITLE OVER:
SLUG:
CTRL + SHIFT + 1
DESCRIPTION OR ACTIONS
CTRL + SHIFT + 2
CHARACTER NAME:
CTRL + SHIFT + 3
PARENTHETICAL ACTIONS
CTRL + SHIFT + 4
DIALOGUES
CTRL + SHIFT + 5
TRANSITIONS
CTRL + SHIFT + 6
PAGE BREAKS
CTRL + SHIFT + 3
TITLES
CTRL + SHIFT + 7
SLUG LINE (HEADER):
A SCHENE HEADING THAT IS A ONE LINE DESCRIOTION OF THE
LOCATION AND TIME OF DAY OF THE SCENE. INTERIOR: INT AND
EXTERIOR: EXT OR BOTH: INT./EXT.
EXAMPLE: EXT. WRITERS STORE - DAY REVEALS THAT THE ACTION
TAKES PLACE OUTSIDE THE WRITERS STORE DURING THE DAYTIME.
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DESCRIPTION OR ACTION:
THE NARRATIVE DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENTS OF A SCENE,
WRITTEN IN THE PRESENT TENSE. ONLY THINGS THAT CAN BE SEEN
AND HEARD IN THIS SECTION (DIRECTION, VISUAL EXPOSITION,
BLACKSTUFF, DESCRIPTION OR SCENE DIRECTION).
CHARACTER:
WHEN A CHARACTER IS INTRODUCED, HIS NAME SHOULD BE
CAPITALIZED WITHIN THE ACTION. A CHARACTER'S NAME IS CAPPED
AND ALWAYS LISTED ABOVE HIS LINES OF DIALOGUE. MINOR
CHARACTERS MAY BE LISTED WITHOUT NAMES, FOR EXAMPLE "TAXI
DRIVER" OR "CUSTOMER."
DIALOGUE:
LINES OF SPEECH FOR EACH CHARACTER. DIALOGUE FORMAT IS USED
ANYTIME A CHARACTER IS HEARD SPEAKING, EVEN FOR OFF-SCREEN
AND VOICE-OVERS.
PARENTHETICAL:
A PARENTHETICAL IS AN ACTION FOR THE CHARACTER THAT IS
ACTION OR ATTITUDE ORIENTED. USULY USED RARELY UP TO ACTORS
EXPRESSION. DIRECTOR DIRECTS ACTORS ON HOW TO DELIVER
LINES.
EXTENSION:
AN ABBREVIATED NOTE PLACED AFTER THE CHARACTER'S NAME TO
INDICATE HOW THE VOICE WILL BE HEARD. THEY ARE DIRECT,
VOICE OVER (V.O), OR OUTSIDE SHOT (O.S). THEY ARE PLACED
AFTER THE CHARACTER'S NAME, IN PARENTHESE.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF THE CHARACTER IS SPEAKING AS A VOICE-OVER,
IT WOULD APPEAR AS: LIAM (V.O.)
TRANSITION:
TRANSITIONS ARE FILM EDITING INSTRUCTIONS, AND GENERALLY
ONLY APPEAR IN A SHOOTING SCRIPT. TRANSITION VERBIAGE
INCLUDES: CUT TO:, DISSOLVE TO:, SMASH CUT:, QUICK CUT:,
AND FADE TO:.
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SHOT (PLACED UNDER SLUG FORMAT):
A SHOT TELLS THE READER THE FOCAL POINT WITHIN A SCENE HAS
CHANGED. LIKE A TRANSITION, THERE'S RARELY A TIME WHEN A
SCREENWRITER SHOULD INSERT SHOT DIRECTIONS.
PAGE BREAK:
DIALOGEMAX
I WAS WORKING IN THE LAB, LATE ONE
NIGHT.
(MORE)
_PG BREAK_________________________________________________
MAX (CONT'D)
WHEN MY EYES BEHELD AN EERIE SIGHT.
ACTION PAGE BREAK-
PHILLIP CLUTCHES THE KNIFE TO HIS CHEST.
_PG BREAK____________________________________________
HE ADMIRES THE GIRLS THROUGH THE WINDOW AS THEY SKIP AND
LAUGHT ALONG THE SIDEWALKS.
AVOID BREAKING AN ACTION OR DIALOGE IN BETWEEN SENTANCES.
DON’T BE AFRAID TO RETURN AND LEAVE BLANK SPACE ON A PAGE.
2
TITLE PAGE:
TITLE PAGE IS FIRST WITH NO NUMBERING BUT REMAINS PAGE ONE.
NUMBERING STARTS ON PAGE TWO WITH THE NUMBER TWO IN THE TOP
RIGHT CORNER. TITLE, “WRITTEN BY”, AND AUTHER NAME IS
CENTERED VERTICLY AND HORIZONTALY. THE TILE OF THE SCRIPT
IS BOLD IF POSSIBLE
EXAMPLE:
THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE THIN
WRITTEN BY
FATTY TURNER