How to Format A Screenplay

How to Format A Screenplay | Script Frenzy: "Almost 99% of your script will involve just four elements: Sluglines, Action, Character Names, and Dialogue. Learn how to format the Big Four and you're in the clear."

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

• Slugline: 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)
• Parentheticals: left margin 3.1 inches, right margin 2.9 inches

Spacing Between Elements:

• Between Slugline 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 Parentheticals: single space
• Between Parentheticals and Dialogue: single space
• Between Action and Slugline: double space
• Between Dialogue and Slugline: 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.

Microsoft Word Templates:
American (uses Styles)
A4 with Metric (uses Styles)