So before you write a 'creative word', here is the basic formatting for a standard Cinematic Script:
Margins (10 pitch type)
Directorial Info: Paper Edge 0
Left Margin 20
Right Margin 75
Dialogue: Left Margin 30
Right Margin 60
Indentations: Parenthetical Dialogue Direction (i.e. emotional state, angry, sad etc.) 35
Character Name 40
Optics (Cut, Dissolve, Fade Out) 60
Page Formatting: Start 10 lines down from page top
End page 11 lines from bottom of page
Line Spacing: Double space to separate shots, dialogue and physical direction
Single space within each of the above
Dialogue Direction: Single-spaced within the dialogue, indented as noted above and enclosed in
parentheses
Capitalization: CHARACTER NAMES - Only when introduced
CAMERA DIRECTION
SOUND CUES
SCENE LOCATION AND TIME OF DAY (EXT. or INT., and either NIGHT or DAY)
SHOTS - Required once a scene location and time are established
OPTICS - (DISSOLVE TO:, FADE OUT, CUT TO:, FADE TO BLACK, etc.) all at tab
60, with one exemption - FADE IN:. This appears at the extreme left margin, only
once at the beginning of the script, four spaces down from the title.
CONTINUED - If a specific shot continues on the next page, at tab 60 at the bottom
of the page, the again at the top left of the following page tab 26
According to the Arcane rules of Scriptwriting, each page of your script represents 1 minute of screen-time. So don't get carried away with 'parentheticals' or 'camera direction'. They'll add to the amount of time to your script and the Director will have most if all of them cut out anyway. Also, when properly formatted, your script when measured with a ruler should be able to be broken down into 'eighths' of an inch. This becomes very important later when the script is being 'broken down' during the Pre-Production Phase.
*Note: These are the format guidelines to use if you are using a Word Processor or (God forbid) a typewriter. Should you use a dedicated Scriptwriting Program, the software will do all of this stuff for you once you set up your preferences. It has been my experience that if required to submit a script in a Word Processing friendly format after using Scriptwriting software or vice versa, you will experience a gain or loss ratio of 2-3 pages of script. So a 10 minute script written in MS Word, will only be an 8 minute script in Movie Magic Screenwriter 2000. Whereas an 8 minute script written in MMS 2000 will be a ten minute script in MS Word. This can be a critical issue as each page is worth 1 minute.
In part 2, you shall begin writing your script. Be ready!
You need to be a member of Blacksciencefictionsociety to add comments!
Replies