Writing a Script

Show Don’t Tell Film is a VISUAL medium. Think of a way to show your story, not have someone tell it to the audience.

Page Setup Set the left margin at 1.5”. Set the font to Courier 12.

Script Elements Slugline Action Dialogue

Slugline Where Interior (INT.) or Exterior (EXT.) Where Specific location must be consistent When General time of day (T.O.D.)

Slugline New slugline when the location or time change. Written in ALL CAPS. Typed at the left margin (left align).

Example EXT. FRONT YARD - AFTERNOON

Action What the audience can SEE happening. Don’t write thoughts, emotions, or feelings in an action line. Don’t write explanations in action.

Action Written in present tense and third person. Written in Regular Case. Except when introducing a character. Typed in block style, left align.

Example The hot afternoon sun beats down on the scraggly grass of the front yard of a small cottage. GOLDILOCKS, a young blonde haired girl, walks up the path to the front gate wearing her backpack and carrying her jacket. She pauses at the gate, looks up at the sun and wipes her forehead. Sighing she pushes the gate open and trudges up the walkway toward her front porch.

Dialogue What the character says. Dialogue cannot follow a slugline. There has to be action first.

Dialogue Character’s name is ALL CAPS, typed five tabs from the left. Dialogue is Regular Case, typed three tabs from the left. Hit return for the next line at inches.

Example MOM (O.S.)Goldi? Did you get the mail?

Assignment Write one full page of correctly formatted script based on your step outline. Include sluglines, action, and dialogue. Introduce at least one character.