Screenwriting : Please point me in the right direction by Hazel Smith

"The Screenwriter's Bible" —a great reference book written by David Trottier. ;)

Screenwriters Bible is good, I also read Syd Fields books when I first started learning the process.

If someone told you that you needed "more fade ins, fade outs, cut to this, cut to that"....you might want to reconsider that recommendation. I would eliminate a technical recommendation for how a scene ends and just start the next scene with the appropriate heading. You'll also end up adding a few pages to your page count if you add how a scene should end for every scene.

Good luck and Happy Learning/Writing, Hazel!

But, if I don't have any, does it look more like a play and less like a tv script?

I used The Hollywood Standard by Christopher Riley. It has a lot of good info about the format for all types of script projects.

I only use fade in and fade out at very beginning and end. I do not use cut to or anything else that could be construed as direction. No continueds except for when a characters dialogue carries on to next page. Spec scripts should be lean and mean, clear of direction, camera angles, etc.

That's how I was taught anyway.

I don't drink, so I have that part covered. Thank you for the link, John!

Hazel: Yes....you should just end the scene with the dialogue or scene description, and then move on to the next scene with a double-space and the appropriate next scene heading.

Just for your own continuing education purposes, here is a link to a great film terms glossary on the filmsite.org website. It doesn't include formatting rules, but it's a great website and screenwriters should be familiar with the terms in the list.

http://www.filmsite.org/filmterms1.html

Good luck and Happy Learning/Writing, Hazel!

This is great. Thank you. I think for a first draft of my first script ever, it's not bad. I've gotten lots of good feedback and suggestions. Most people said good things, and one guy hated it. I want to focus on the characters and making sure the story flows well, and then I'll make sure my formatting is good as well.

A good way to see how others are doing it is to read current and past scripts. There are some great resources out there like Simply Scripts and Drews Script O Rama.

http://www.simplyscripts.com/

http://www.script-o-rama.com/

You will find there are Rules Mavens out there and Rule Breakers. It think the truth is in between, with telling a good story in a clear, concise manner the most critical thing. The conventions such as scene headers, action blocks and dialogue formatting have all evolved so that communication between the individuals who will collaborate on the project can be facilitated. When trying to sell producers and agents on your ability to work in this medium, showing your facility with the craft is important. Once you're established, it is still expected of you, but you are given more leeway with the rules as long as you are still fulfilling the core mission: tell a great story that can be translated into an audio/visual medium accomplished by craftspeople who only have your blueprint to go off of.

Just want to add to what B Constantini and Jody Ellis said. The current advice does seems to be to for scriptwriters to have as few camera directions as possible in the script. One of the blogs (can’t remember which one) said your script (especially a spec) is meant to be an invitation for other professionals to participate. You’re the writer not the director so…Also the leanness argument re wordcount. Some prof script readers on their blogs say things like they know just from the length of a script whether it’s serious or not.

As well as the many books and blogs out there (2 that really helped me are bang 2 write and storysense) I also found that reading/looking at actual scripts helped. There’s plenty online. When you compare a modern day film/tv script with something older you’ll see there does seem to be less directions currently.

The sluglines will make it look like a screenplay and not a stage play.

As Jody said, only one Fade In at the start and one Fade Out at the end and even those aren't essential. As for the other comments, it's really hard to know what they're referencing without context. Why don't you post it on your logline page for some decent feedback.

This might be a vague suggestion, but try reading finalist scripts from competitions like Nicholls or Big Break or BlueCat. Those tend to stick to proper industry formats and have the more "correct" format for screenplays. I read dozens of those scripts from my producer's suggestion, and they've helped me immensely.

On another note, if you ever want an outside opinion or feedback on a script, feel free to message or email me any time.

That's good advice. I should read more scripts, that way I see how others format them and the terms they use and how the begin and end scenes. Thank you, everyone!

WTF? No - you don't need FADE INs and FADE OUTs or CUT TOs - those will make you look like an amateur. Whoever told you that - punch them in the face as hard as you can.

Read scripts of films you like from the last ten years. That will serve you well.

lol, William. PUNCH. I agree. It looks completely ridiculous when you "FADE IN" and "FADE OUT" as if the reader wouldn't know that your film begins when s/he begins to read. Also the "CUT TO". How often did you write this in your script then? Your screen description is absolutely enough and everything else lies in the hands and creativity of the director and producer (and is of course limited by the budget).

I also agree to our fellow screenwriters that it's most helpful to read screenplays. Good screenplays, bad screenplays and read yourself through all genres. If you want to write a novel you read novels and analyze them. Read the scripts of films you like and watch them again with the script on your knees. Musicians do the same when they hear Gershwin or Mozart. They listen and follow the music from the score. Make notes in the script copy, check when the acts change and how. Does every act have a climax, if so at what time? How about the end of the acts, are there cliffhangers and a climax? Do you like the way the story is told and most interesting - do you still like the film afterwards?

There are tons of great how-to books on screenwriting, and a lot more "meh" how-to books. I picked-up about a dozen from a used bookstore yesterday. Several are top-rated and come highly-recommended, but they'll all have something to say about formatting. There are some good websites, too. :)