Basic Element of Script Writing

You must format your screenplay, it is also true that formatting is fairly simple. Easy as pie, you might even say. But don’t take our word for it. Take a deep breath and read on.

THE BASICS

Almost 99% of your script will involve just four elements: Slug lines, Action, Character Names, and Dialogue. Learn how to format the Big Four and you’re in the clear.

1) Slug lines, also known as Scene Headings. These appear at the beginning of a new scene and tell us the scene’s setting. They look like this:

INT. BANK VAULT – NIGHT

Or this:

EXT. FOOTBALL STADIUM – LATE AFTERNOON

Slug lines are made up of these three elements:

1) INT. or EXT. Short for Interior and Exterior, this tells the production crew whether or not they’ll be shooting on a sound stage or on location.

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.) Slug lines are always in ALL CAPS. There are usually two spaces between INT./EXT. and Location, and then space, hyphen, space between Location and Time. Occasionally, you’ll need a Sub location to clarify the Location. That looks like this:

INT. DONALD’S MANSION – BILLIARDS ROOM – NIGHT

Remember, a new scene occurs every time there’s a shift in Time, Location, or both. So you’ll be writing a lot of Slug lines.

2) Action. This describes what is happening on the screen, and which characters (if any) are involved. It looks like this:

INT. DONALD’S MANSION – BILLIARDS ROOM – NIGHT

Beatrice picks her way through the ransacked room. Cue sticks, books, papers everything has been searched. She stoops to pick up a photo of a young boy.

With a few exceptions we’ll talk about later, Action follows standard rules of capitalization. It’s single-spaced and always in present tense. (If the action happened in the past, the Slug line will tell us this. Thanks, Slug line.)

Also, you always need some Action after a Slug line; even it’s only a single line. Like this:

EXT. RITZ-CARLTON – DAY

The stretch limousine bursts into flames.

3) Character Name. 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 is several of the same type of character, add a number: COP #1 or BODY BUILDER #2.

4) Dialogue. The words the character speaks.

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.

Presto! You now have the four basic building blocks you need to write a screenplay. Before you continue on to the finer points of variations, margins, and other details, pat yourself on the back.