What are basic screenwriting formatting rules…
The importance of correct screenplay formatting lies in the need to make a script easy to read.
Good script formatting allows a reader to immerse themselves in the story, rather than getting distracted by screenwriting formatting.
Here are the absolute basics of screenplay formatting:
Font
12-point Courier.
Margins
7mm left margin, 25mm right margin. No justification. Don’t shrink margins for more space.
Slugline
Capital letters, left-aligned, keep it simple:
INT/EXT. PLACE – DAY/NIGHT
Action descriptions
Present, active tense (“sits”, not “is sitting” or “is sat”), to-the-point, no more than 4 lines a paragraph.
Character names
Capitalised the first time they are introduced, normal case thereafter. Central and capitalised before dialogue.
Dialogue
Normal case, 88mm from left margin, not beyond 35 characters across.
Want to learn more about formatting> Check out our ‘learn formatting’ section!
