Screenplay format

Screenplays are different from essays, novels or short stories in that they are used exclusively as directions to the shooting crew and actors. Therefore, all the language in a screenplay is visual. In other words, it tells us what we can see on the screen. It does not tell us thoughts or attitude. Only what we can see.

There are three elements to screenplay format:

1. The Location Line. This line appears whenever the scene changes. It tells us three things:
A. Whether we are inside or outside.
B. What kind of place we are at.
C. Whether it is daytime or night time.

For example, if the scene is in Billy Bob's Bowling Alley during a league tournament we could write:

INT: BILLY BOB'S BOWLING ALLEY - NIGHT

If the scene is at a water park we could write:

EXT: WATER PARK - DAY

The location line is used whenever the scene changes. It is written in ALL CAPS.

2. The Action Line tells us what we see on the screen. It does not tell us what the characters are thinking, it does not tell us what their goals are. It only tells us what we see.

For example, for the scene in the bowling alley we might write this:

LuAnne holds a pink bowling ball up to her mouth. She breathes on it three times and then mutters something lovingly into one of its finger holes.

Or if we are writing a scene at the water park, we might write:

Shay takes a running start and jumps cannonball styles into the wave pool. A giant splash goes up, soaking a pair of girls sunning themselves on the deck. They scream.

Notice that neither of these two lines tell what the character is thinking or what their goal is. That is because action lines are visual. The action lines, well written, can convey a character's attitudes.

3. The Dialog Line is for letting the actors know what they should say and (when its important) how they should say it. The name of the speaker is always centered, and the speech itself will have three inch margins on both sides.

For example, we could write some dialog lines for LuAnne at the bowling alley:

LUANNE
(whispering to bowling ball)

Go to glory on guilded wings my little rolling man.

Or the recently wetted girls could have their say:

GIRL

Who did that? Whoooooo did that!

These are the three elements of screenplay format.

1. The Location Line
2. The Action Line
3. The Dialog Line

For an example of how they work together to make a screenplay, CLICK HERE.