Script Writing A Basic Guide

by Jignesh Pandya

A script is a document that outlines every aural, visual, behavioral, and lingual element required to tell a story. Why "outlines"? Because film is a highly collaborative medium and the director, cast, editor, and production crew will, based on your "outline", interpret your story their way when it is filmed. They may consult you, or they may not. Other writers may be brought in or you may be asked to re-write the entire thing. That's life, in the world of screenwriting. But because so many people are involved in the making of a film, a script must conform to standards that all involved parties understand and thus has a specific format or layout, margins, notation, and other conventions. This document is intended to overview the typical elements used screenplay writing.

Table of Contents
1. What Exactly Is a Script? What Makes Good Story?
2. Script Styles, Submission Scripts, and Shooting Scripts
3. Spec Screenplay Page Properties and Script Length
4. Script Elements and Scene Heading
5. Action
6. Character Name
7. Dialogue
8. Parenthetical
9. Extension
10. Transition
11. Shots
12. Page Breaking, Finer Points, Dual Dialogue, and Adlibs
13. Abbreviations and Montages
14. A Series of Shots and Short Lines/Poetry/Lyrics
15. Intercuts
16. Titles or Opening Credits, and Superimpose or Title
17. Title Page
18. Production Drafts, Top Continued and Bottom Continued
19. Locking Your Script Pages and Locking Your Scenes
20. Header, Do's and Don'ts
21. Other Script Formats
22. Title Page of TV Movies

83 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 11, 2018