Format a Title Page
Format a
Title Page
While your logline and first 10 pages
both play a major role in whether your screenplay will catch the attention of a
reader, nothing makes a better first impression than a properly-formatted title
page.
"You never get a second chance to make a great first impression."
Not sure how to make the perfect title page first impression? Fear not! You’ve come to the right place. We’ll walk you through all the elements you should and should not include on your title page.
Just like the rest of your screenplay, ALL of the text on your title page should be formatted in Courier, 12-point font. Margins should be set at:
"You never get a second chance to make a great first impression."
Not sure how to make the perfect title page first impression? Fear not! You’ve come to the right place. We’ll walk you through all the elements you should and should not include on your title page.
Just like the rest of your screenplay, ALL of the text on your title page should be formatted in Courier, 12-point font. Margins should be set at:
- Left Margin: 1.5”
- Right Margin: 1.0”
- Top and Bottom Margins: 1.0”
Front
and Center:
1.
First thing’s first, the TITLE of
your screenplay!
1.
The title should be written in ALL capital letters.
1.
This can also be bold or underlined, but no matter
what, it must ALWAYS be capitalized.
2.
The title should be centered horizontally on the
page.
3.
The title should start about 1/4 to 1/3 down the
page (approximately 20-22 line spaces below the 1” top margin).
2.
Next up, the BY-LINE.
1.
The by-line should fall about 2 line spaces down
from your title line.
2.
The by-line can read something like: “by” or
“written by.”
3.
Last, but certainly not least for this
section: AUTHOR’S NAME(S). Give yourself (and your team) the
much-deserved credit for completing the screenplay here.
1.
If the screenplay was created by you, and you
alone, just include your name.
2.
If the screenplay was created as a collaborative
effort by 2+ screenwriters, separate writer names with an ampersand (&).
3.
If the screenplay was worked on independently by 2+
screenwriters, separate names
with the word “and.”
with the word “and.”
4.
When applicable, you can also include ADDITIONAL
CREDITS beneath the Author’s Name(s). This would include story and
adaptation credits.
1.
The additional credits should fall somewhere around
4 line spaces down from Author’s Name.
2.
The additional credits can read something like:
“story by” or “based on the novel by”
3.
Include the original source’s author name 2 line
spaces below.
Bottom
Right Corner:
1.
In the bottom right corner of your title page,
include your (or if applicable, your agent’s) CONTACT INFORMATION.
Be sure to include your name (or your agent’s name) and email address. It is
optional to also include your mailing address and phone number, but not
required.
2.
This section of your title page should be
single-spaced. Continue to use Courier, 12-point font.
A basic title page may look something
like this example given in the Screenwriter's Bible, a textbook by David
Trottier (below right).
Okay, now that we’ve covered what NEEDS
to be included, let’s talk a bit about what we should not include.
What
NOT to Include?
- Copyright notice
- Your WGA registration number
- Dates of drafts
- Draft/Revision numbers
- Creativity (Sorry folks, let’s save the
creativity for the story. It’s best to stick to the formatting
guidelines.)
Now that you’ve got the tools, let’s
get to it!
Cheers to screenwriting!
Clicking on an item in this list will put a demonstration of how that
element is properly used in a screenplay at the top line of your screen;
clicking on that element will give you a definition in the bottom window.
- Act
Numbers
- Action
- Action,
Breaking Up
- Agent
Information
- Beat
- Binding
- Byline
- Character
Attributes
- Character
Name
- Character
Names-- Capitalization
- Character
Descriptions
- Close On
- Continued
(or CONT'D)
- Cut To:
- Date (on
cover of script)
- Dialogue
- Dialogue,
Uncompleted or Interrupted
- Ending
on a Visual
- Establishing
Shot
- EXT (for
Exterior)
- Extension
- Fade In
- Fade Out
- Feature
- INT (for
Interior)
- Intercut
- Interrupted
Dialogue
- Length,
of Screenplay (pages)
- Length,
of Pages (lines)
- Lines
Per Page
- Noises
- Numbering,
Act
- Numbering,
Page
- Numbering,
Scene
- Page
Length
- Paper
- Parenthetical
- Playability
- POV
- Reveal
- Scene
Heading
- Sound
Effects
- Surprise
- Time of
Day
- Transitions
- White
Space
Margins
Stage direction and shot headings (also known as slug lines) have a
margin of 1.7" of the left and 1.1" on
the right. TWO BLANK LINES PRECEDE EACH SHOT HEADING.
Dialog has a left margin of 2.7" and
a right margin of 2.4".
Character names over dialog (speaker) have a left margin of 4.1".
Parenthetical direction within dialog has a left margin of 3.4" and
a right margin of 3.1".
Scenes transitions such as CUT TO: and FADE OUT. have a left
margin of 6.0".
Scene/shot numbers: When a script is numbered in preproduction,
the left number is placed 1.0" from the left edge of the
page and the right scene number is placed 7.4" from the
left edge of the page.
Top page margin is .5" (or three single
lines) before the page number. A single blank line separates the page number
from the body of the script, which begins with either a CONTINUED: or a new
shot heading/slug line.
Bottom page margin is at least .5" (or
three single lines) following the (CONTINUED) or the end of a scene.
Total page length is a maximum of 60 lines,
including page number and CONTINUEDs (but not including the 3 line margins at
the top and bottom of the page).
Paper size is 8.5" wide by 11" long.
Font
Use 12-point Courier (not Courier New) or Prestige
Pica. These are fixed-pitch fonts that yield ten (10) characters per
horizontal inch and six (6) lines per vertical inch.
Use of "CONTINUED"
When a shot or scene continues from one
page to the next, (CONTINUED) must be added at the bottom of
the page where the break occurs, preceded by a single blank line. CONTINUED: is
then added at the top of the next page, followed by a single blank line.
Breaking stage direction
When stage direction (also known as
action) is broken at the bottom of a page, break it only at the end of
a complete sentence. CONTINUEDs must be added as explained above.
Breaking dialog
When a character's speech is broken at
the bottom of a page, break it only at the end of a complete sentence.
Add (MORE) 4.1" from the left page edge at the bottom of
the page where the break occurs, directly beneath the dialog (in
other words, no blank line separates the (MORE) from the dialog) On the
following page put (CONT'D) after the character name and on the same
line as the name.
Also, when breaking speeches, do
not place parenthetical character direction before the (MORE). Place
the parenthetical direction with the remainder of the speech on the next page.
For Example:
SKYLAR
See, it's my life story.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
-------------------------page
break--------------------------
Page
23.
CONTINUED:
SKYLAR (CONT'D)
(parenthetical goes here)
Five more minutes and I would have
got
to hear your best pick-up line.
WILL
The caramel thing is my pick-up
line.
End Example (from Good Will
Hunting)
Formatting parenthetical character
direction
"Parenthetical character
direction" is specific business relating only to the speaking
character. Parenthetical character direction is placed in parens,
on a separate line from dialogue.
If the direction goes more than
four lines, place it at the left margin as regular direction, using a colon
(:) to indicate it goes with the character's next speech.
Incorrect
BOBBY
(balancing on one foot
as he aims his dart,
sips a beer, and eats
a handful of peanuts)
I guess I need a bulls-eye.
Correct
As he balances on on one foot aims
his dart, sips a beer, and
eats a handful of peanuts:
BOBBY
I guess I need a bulls-eye.
If CAMERA MOVEMENTS or SOUNDS (which
should be capped) appear in parenthetical character direction, they should be
"pulled out" and treated as regular direction:
Incorrect
BOBBY
(as the PHONE RINGS)
Dammit! I told her not to call me!
Correct
As the PHONE RINGS:
BOBBY
Dammit! I told her not to call me!
Do not put another character's
direction in the speaking character's dialogue. It MUST go at the left margin.
Incorrect
GIRL
You are such an idiot.
(Bobby flips her off)
Oh, that's mature.
Correct
GIRL
You are such an idiot.
Bobby flips her off.
GIRL
Oh, that's mature.
Formatting dialogue
Words are never broken
by a hyphen at the end of a line of dialogue unless it's a naturally hyphenated
word, such as twenty-three, point-blank, etc.
Formatting shot headings
All shot headings are placed on
a line by themselves with two blank lines above and one blank line below. This
includes any so-called "hidden" shots which may be imbedded in
descriptive passages.
An example of a hidden shot follows:
Incorrect
INT. GOOBER'S SPORTS BAR - NIGHT
Cigarette smoke fills the room. From Bobby's POV, we see
JULIA enter the bar. Bobby pretends to stab himself with one
of his darts.
Correct
INT. GOOBER'S SPORTS BAR - NIGHT
Cigarette smoke fills the room.
BOBBY'S POV
JULIA enters the bar.
BACK TO SCENE
Bobby pretends to stab himself with
one of his darts.
Additional examples of
"hidden" shots include insert shots, close shots, wide shots, and any
other specific shot called for within direction. All of these must be
pulled out onto a line of their own.
A shot heading can never stand
alone at the bottom of a page without at least one complete sentence of
direction of dialogue -- unless there is no direction or dialogue to
go with it, such as an INSERT SHOT or an ESTABLISHING SHOT.
Scene transitions
Scene transitions such as CUT TO: and
DISSOLVE TO: are entirely optional, but when used should be preceded by one
blank line and followed by two blank lines. When breaking
pages, the scene transition must remain with the shot just completed.
In other words, it is never permissible to start a new page with a CUT TO: or a
DISSOLVE TO:. It must be placed at the bottom of the previous page.
Other Notes (by Dana)
The first time a
character is introduced in the stage direction of a script, his/her/its name
should be written in all caps. If the name is mentioned again, it
may appear as normal.
Character names over dialog are always in all CAPS.
Capitalize major sound effects.
Try to avoid using the word "camera." Use "we" instead.
(Instead of "The camera follows..." use "We follow...")
For example, if the following is the
opening scene of a movie:
INT. GOOBER'S SPORTS BAR - NIGHT
The place is a mess, having suffered
the insanity of a Friday
night. Cigarette smoke floats in the air.
INSERT: THE DART BOARD
As a dart SMASHES into the board.
BACK TO SCENE
BOBBY plays darts in a dark corner of
the bar. Even in his
drunken state, he's not too bad. Bobby's darts still fall
into the board.
BOBBY
Damn! I'm good!
The phone RINGS.
We follow Bobby over to a phone
sitting on the bar.
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