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Dear Group, I am both new to this group and to screenwriting. I have several ideas for movies but as yet have not attempted to lay them down on paper. The advice I seek is as follows - Could someone suggest a book or website which explains fully the correct, recognised standard for presentation and formating of a movie/TV drama script? Do formats differ between UK, Europe and the US? I would be extremely grateful for any help on this one?

Mazdaz.

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]Dear Group, I am both new to this group and to screenwriting. I have several ideas for movies but ... formats differ between UK, Europe and the US? I would be extremely grateful for any help on this one? Mazdaz.[/nq]
Hi Mazdaz -- One of the best (and there are more than a few out there) is David Trottier's THE SCREENWRITER'S BIBLE. It covers format and craft, and other related screenwriting subjects quite well, especially for those starting out.
[nq:1]From what i've seen formating is pretty much auniversal sameness. There are a number of websites that house a number ... is a good way of getting to grips with format. Having a good look at screenplay scripts such as on:[/nq]
http://www.dailyscript.com/ http://www.simplyscripts.com/ (you'll need PDF as all in original format) http://script-o-rama.com/

There's a lot of crossover here but they maybe of interest. Just be aware some are shooting scripts so they do differ from specs.

Here are some software demos to check out.

FINAL DRAFT 6.0: http://www.finaldraft.com/ MOVIE MAGIC 2000: SCRIPTWARE: http://www.scriptware.com/ SOPHOCLES: http://www.sophocles.net/ PAGE2STAGE: http://www.page2stage.com/

I mostly use FD (Final Draft) and sometimes Movie Magic 2000 and Scriptware. The all cover the basics well. Whatever slight differences won't make a difference to the acceptable standards.

Paul :-)Nz

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Dear Group, I am both new to this group and to screenwriting. I have several ideas for movies but ... formats differ between UK, Europe and the US? I would be extremely grateful for any help on this one? Mazdaz.[/nq]
I'd second Paul's advice, especially about David Trottier's book.

Another source of info regarding screenplay format is http://www.oscars.org/nicholl/format.html - yes, those Oscars, and more specifically the Nicholl Fellowships: one of the big screenwriting competitions.

British TV format (at least for sitcoms) seems to be quite different to the US format: this page http://www.bbc.co.uk/talent/sitcomwriter/ has a few links that may be of help. There's also http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/arts/features/howtowrite/ but I haven't looked at that one in a while, so I'm not sure exactly what's there.

As for software (which you didn't mention, but Paul did), a dedicated program such as Final Draft is good but far from essential, certainly when you're just starting.

If you already have a word processor like Microsoft Word that can handle style sheets, you can probably find ready-made templates available on the internet, for free - a Google search for (screenplay template word) should do it - replace (word) with the name of your word processor, if you're using something different.

Or if you're good at such things, you could set up a template yourself, and all it'll cost is a little time. (Movie format is fairly easy, as templates go: it's all 12-point Courier, single spaced. No bold or italic or underlining, but some parts like sluglines or character cues are in ALL CAPS. Some elements have a blank line between them and the next element, which you can probably set to happen automatically when you hit the return key (at least, I managed to set it in Word when I tried...) Other than that, it's just various margin settings.

If I think of anything more, I'll post again later. For now, all I have left is "welcome to the group" and "good luck!"

Cheers, Dave

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]Dear Group, I am both new to this group ... be extremely grateful for any help on this one? Mazdaz.[/nq]
[nq:1]I'd second Paul's advice, especially about David Trottier's book. Another source of info regarding screenplay format is http://www.oscars.org/nicholl/format.html - yes, ... macros (which you were), I've quite successfully used the Script Smart set that is available on the BBC's Writers Room.[/nq]

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[nq:1]As for software (which you didn't mention, but Paul did), a dedicated program such as Final Draft is good but far from essential, certainly when you're just starting.[/nq]
I guess the reason I mentioned it was from my experiences when first starting to learn about craft particularly when I was itching to write something in format I didn't have the books, screenwriting schooling, or software to use as a guide and reference. You would ask someone which was the preferred space between a header and an action scene and you'd get about five diferent replies. An it wouldn't stop there - suddenly from a perspective of inches you'd end up with expletives and paybacks for some other long-forgotten slight. I just missed the great SCRNWRiT Brad War when I joined but some folk still think of the time fondly. The point is it was hard to get a grip on which one to use effectively. Being a newbie you want to learn the right things so you do the right things. Liitle did I know then that there's more than a little tolerance in "the acceptable standard."

Secondly, after a while it got to be a pain in the freckle trying to get the macros just right. And when you emailed to others to read it, it usually arrived **** over tip.

So why sweat it? There are people out there who have worked out a presentable standard format for you. not only that - they've made it easier for you to access the right header or action or wrylie or character or dialogue or whatever with the touch of a key or two. Better yet, you can email it in a number of formats, or if involved in a writing partnership if you've got the same software prog work together realtime, on-the-fly, online on the same page. Wonderful! Cheers!

his novel on. It didn't have much to do with the substance of the story, but more to do with not having to worry about the effort that went into the serving of the applied layout.

In a nutshell, personally I would have done it differently if I had had the opportuity of purchasing the software and not get so involved in the applied maths of directing and balancing digital ink on paper.

Different key strokes for different folks I suppose.

Paul ;-)Nz

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I guess the reason I mentioned it was from my experiences when first starting to learn about craft particularly when ... do the right things. Liitle did I know then that there's more than a little tolerance in "the acceptable standard."[/nq]
The problem is that a lot of people think that whatever they do, so long as they use FD, MMS, or something equivalent, is fine.

But you can still produce dense, unreadable blocks of prose, speechified dialog. You can still writer internal states, clutter up your page with pointless camera directions and detailed descriptions of insignificant things.

I understand why people feel a screenwriting program is a help. I think they're incredibly useful.

But they're no substitute for reading enough scripts to know what a script should feel and read like.

-Ron

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]The problem is that a lot of people think that whatever they do, so long as they use FD, MMS, ... incredibly useful. But they're no substitute for reading enough scripts to know what a script should feel and read like.[/nq]
Exactly. It's a tool like any other.

Having a camera doesn't make you a photographer.

Having a brush doesn't make you a painter.

et cetera

--

"If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it." --Elmore Leonard

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]The problem is that a lot of people think that whatever they do, so long as they use FD, MMS, ... useful. But they're no substitute for reading enough scripts to know what a script should feel and read like. -Ron[/nq]
I totally agree. That's what I meant by substance. So much goes into completing (if it is ever completed) a screenplay, from the idea through to writing your acceptance speech (be it the Oscars or for a Nichol). Given the information is so forthcoming and accessible, and let's face it, in sometimes titanic amounts, it's a struggle (sometimes enjoyable, othertimes a challenge) to sift through and use the stuff that's going to work for you and your first sale.

The Lord of the Rings trilogy screenplays, and off-the-record I asked them what they thought of the software they were using (I knew what they had from a VP friend who supplied them with it) and they laughed about keeping up with all the new software now available (all the stucturing and idea formatting tools). To them it was all about the story, but they did find the software met their needs to get it all down quickly and sharing it out considering things were changing quickly on the sets. Ad as the old sales adage goes regarding Value = Cost + Benefit. I think these type of tools have their purpose and it's one less thing to worry about. The effort can go into the learning and applying the skills and knowledge needed to write a great story.

Paul :-)Nz

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[nq:1]Exactly. It's a tool like any other. Having a camera doesn't make you a photographer. Having a brush doesn't make you a painter.[/nq]
Ah, but you can't photograph without a camera. And you can't paint without a brush, but you can format screenplays without a dedicated screenplay formatter.

A camera is a necessary tool for a photographer.

A brush is a necessary tool for a painter.

A dedicated screenplay formatter is not a necessary tool for a screenplay writer.

Where was I again?

-- Paulo Joe Jingy A computer is a necessary tool for newsgroup troll.

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