Margins Slug lines have a margin of 1.7" of the left and 1.1" on
the right.
Dialog has a left margin of 2.7" and a right margin of 2.4".
Character names over dialog 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 have a left margin of 6.0".
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 end of a scene.
Paper size: 8.5 by 11
Font: Courier size 12
Alternatives
Using these software programs is highly recommended as it cuts down on the
technical aspects and allows you to create.
Hollywood Screenplay, By Hollywood
Screenplay
Movie Magic Screenwriter, By Dramatica
Hollywood Screenwriter, By Dramatica
Final Draft, By Final Draft
Some great books to further learn the craft of Screenwriting are:
Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting, By Sid Field
Screenwriting Tricks of the Trade, By William Froug
The Complete Book of Scriptwriting, By J. Michael Straczynski
Like any craft, mastering screenwriting is a lifetime undertaking, but one
that can be very rewarding. The very best way to learn not only how a script is
formatted, but how to write a GOOD script, is to read screenplays. The links
below are free resources where you can download and read thousands of scripts.
The basics described in this article will give you a jumpstart towards
writing your first screenplay. See you in Hollywood!