Page Setting in Scriptwriting

Cover page:

Centered on the page is the title of your film in ALL CAPS, then a double space and then “by,” another double space, and “your name.” In the lower right-hand corner, put your name, mailing address, telephone number, email, and (if you’ve decided to register your script with the Writer’s Guild) your Writer’s Guild registration number.

FONT, MARGINS, AND SPACING

Screenplays live on letter-sized paper (8.5 x 11 inches). They’re always written in Courier font, 12 point, 10 pitch. No bold, no italics.

Page Margins:

Left: 1.5 inches

Right: 1 inch

Top: 1 inch

Bottom: 1 inch

Screenplay Element Margins

Slug line: left margin 1.5 inches

Action: left margin 1.5 inches

Character name: left margin 3.7 inches

Dialog: left margin 2.5 inches, right margin 2.5 inches (or 6 inches from left edge of page)

Parenthetical: left margin 3.1 inches, right margin 2.9 inches

Spacing Between Elements:

Between Slug line and Action: double space

Between Action and more Action: double space

Between Action and Character Name: double space

Between Character Name and Dialogue: single space

Between Dialogue and the next Character Name: double space

Between Dialogue and Action: double space

Between Character Name and Parenthetical: single space

Between Parenthetical and Dialogue: single space

Between Action and Slug line: double space

Between Dialogue and Slug line: double space

You know, it’s probably a lot easier to remember that in a single character’s speech, made up of Character Name, Dialogue, and possibly a Parenthetical, there are single spaces between the elements. Between everything else, double space.