a beginner’s guide to starting a film writing a script created by mr. whitfield service high...
TRANSCRIPT
A Beginner’s Guide to
Starting a Film
Writing a Script
Created by Mr. WhitfieldService High School English
Step One: Title Page
• Courier Font Size 12
• Title centered horizontally and vertically in bold font
• Two lines down, write “Written by” centered
• Two lines down, write your name centered
• Lower right hand corner: contact info (name, address, telephone number, email address)
• Lower left hand corner: Copyright info
Typical Title Page
I Hate My Life
Written by
Daniel Whitfield
Service Productions
5577 Abbott Road
Copyright ©2006 Anchorage, AK 99507
(907)555-5432
Scene Headings or “Sluglines”
• Every change of location needs a new scene heading
• Always in capitals
• Part 1: INT. or EXT.
• Part 2: Location
• Part 3: Time of Day
• Example: INT. SERVICE HIGH CLASSROM - DAY
ACTION
• Description of actions that do not include dialogue
• Mixed letter cases
• Start flush left
• New characters are capitalized
• Example with Slugline:
INT. SERVICE HIGH CLASSROOM – DAY
The bell rings continuously as students walk in. MR. WHITFIELD enters the room and slams a book on the desk.
CHARACTER NAMES
• When speaking, character names always precede dialogue
• Characters are always in capital letters
• Name is centered
• Example:
INT. SERVICE HIGH CLASSROOM – DAY
The bell rings continuously as students walk in. MR. WHITFIELD enters the room and slams a book on the desk.
MR. WHITFIELD
Dialogue
• No quotes needed• Indent 2.5’’ (3-4 tabs)• Only write 30-35 characters per line• Example:
INT. SERVICE HIGH CLASSROOM- DAY
The bell rings continuously as students walk in. MR. WHITFIELD enters the room and slams a book on the desk.
MR. WHITFIELDSit down and shut up! I’m not in a good mood.
Transition
• All caps• Indent 6.5’’ (10-11 indents)• Describes Scene change
– CUT TO: – DISSOLVE TO:
Example:INT. SERVICE HIGH CLASSROOM- DAY
The bell rings continuously as students walk in. MR. WHITFIELD enters the room and slams a book on the desk.
MR. WHITFIELDSit down and shut up! I’m not in a good mood.
CUT TO:
Remember:
• Follow the rules
• No graphics whatsoever
• Always Courier Font Size 12
• Always write in present tense
• Don’t forget your cover page
Now it’s your turn!
• Parameters:
• 15 minutes
• Must write a title page and one scene
• Don’t worry about font for today– we will be in the computer lab for the next 2
days and you will type it correctly then.