| 1. Feature film script should be between 95 and | | | | letters so the reader can more easily distinguish |
| 120 pages in length. Never longer. A script over | | | | them. Different numbers of syllables can also help |
| 120 pages needs editing. Never shorter. A script | | | | (e.g. Stan, Sue, Sam and Sara is far more |
| shorter than 90 pages is too short. The perfect | | | | challenging for the reader than Susan, Drew, |
| length is 100 pages for comedies, 110 for dramas. | | | | Alyssa, Charlie). In particular, characters that talk |
| Cheat your margins if you have to, but better | | | | to one another should have uniquely different |
| yet write and cut to the correct length. | | | | names (e.g. not ‘Lyle’ and |
| 2. Do NOT use camera directions. Ever. (Note: | | | | ‘Kyle). |
| Historically, writers used to employ camera | | | | 7. If a particular character has few lines (half a |
| directions, but the practice is no longer in vogue.) | | | | dozen or so) and only appears in one or two |
| Do not use words like CAMERA, CLOSE UP, | | | | scenes, it’s best to refer to that character |
| LONG SHOT, DOLLY, PAN, or anything else that | | | | by occupation (e.g. POLICEMAN, MAID, |
| refers to the camera. Do not use CUT TO or any | | | | BARTENDER). This lets the reader know they do |
| references to editing. At the beginning of the | | | | not have to worry about this character fitting into |
| script, you may use FADE IN. At the end of the | | | | the story. Use a proper name only if important to |
| script, you may use FADE OUT. Please use a | | | | do so or the character has a signficant effect on |
| maximum of two dissolves in the entire script. If | | | | the story. |
| any. Dissolves are not generally well-received, | | | | 8. Do NOT use parentheticals, except when |
| disdained by directors and studio readers. | | | | absolutely essential. Typically, a parenthetical is |
| 3. Dialogue should generally be one to three lines | | | | used to introduce a line of dialogue, describing how |
| long. Only occasionally should dialogue exceed four | | | | that line should be read (e.g. angrily, laughing, |
| lines. Keep it short and simple. A few monologues | | | | nervously). Please make every effort to avoid |
| may be acceptable, but even they should be | | | | this device and, if you must, limit to four or fewer |
| broken up with action (e.g. ‘he drags on a | | | | your use of parentheticals. The litmus test is: is it |
| cigarette’), so they are under ten lines in | | | | likely the reader will misinterpret this line (sarcastic: |
| length. Long stretches of one character talking are | | | | “Sure I will.). Beginning writers often make |
| boring and hard to read. | | | | the mistake of using parentheticals consistently |
| 4. Scene description should be kept to a minimum. | | | | throughout a screenplay. |
| Many studio executives and readers may actually | | | | 9. Slug lines – the first line of scene, |
| skip over scene description. If they can’t | | | | describing time and place – always begin |
| get the story from the dialogue, some may feel | | | | with INT. (interior) or EXT. (exterior). They always |
| frustrated and stop reading. Scene description | | | | end with NIGHT or DAY. Do NOT use |
| should be one to three lines in length, and never | | | | ‘Magic Hour’, ‘Late |
| more than five lines without a break. When | | | | Afternoon’, or any other such departure. |
| describing significant amounts of action, break the | | | | Only use ‘Morning’ or |
| description into logical paragraphs, separated by | | | | ‘Sunset’ if it is critical to the timeline |
| double spacing. | | | | of the story. |
| 5. An entire scene – from one slug line to | | | | 10. Character names are capitalized in scene |
| the next – ideally runs three pages or less | | | | description only once, the very first time that |
| (it can be as brief as a small fraction of a page). | | | | character appears in the screenplay. Sounds are |
| Never more than five pages in length. The | | | | capitalized (e.g. BANG). Please don’t use this |
| average scene should be a page and a half or | | | | often or get carried away with capitalizing sounds |
| less. Larger, important scenes can run three or | | | | (e.g. PATTER, PATTER, PATTER of feet as he |
| four pages. Please make certain the script keeps | | | | SHUFFLED; or the faucet went DRIP, DRIP, DRIP |
| ‘moving’ or ‘flowing’ | | | | as the kettle WHISTLED). Stick to loud, important |
| for the reader. If you have a great deal of | | | | sounds. If in doubt, don’t capitalize. Nothing |
| dialogue or information, experiment with breaking | | | | else in scene description should be capitalized. |
| the scene up into multiple locations (e.g. | | | | (Note: Long ago, writers sometimes included |
| “Let’s get to the restaurant, and | | | | lighting effects, props and other capitlaized items, |
| I’ll explain…”). | | | | but these are no longer accepted practices). |
| 6. Character names should begin with different | | | | |