Start here · Format & Workflow
Screenplay Format
The formatting readers expect, explained without fuss—from scene headings and action to dialogue and the final PDF.
01 / The idea
Why does screenplay format matter?
Format helps the reader stop noticing the page and start seeing the film. It won't make the story good, but odd margins, heavy blocks of text and inconsistent headings can make good writing much harder to enjoy.
Formatting is meant to help the reader forget they are reading. Once the basics are right, the page gets out of the way and the film can start playing in their head.
02 / What to remember
Three things worth holding onto
None of this is about looking clever or perfectly ‘industry’. It's about being considerate to the next person who opens the PDF and giving your story the cleanest possible read.
Use standard page architecture
Twelve-point Courier or Courier Prime, familiar margins and screenplay elements keep timing and scanning reasonably predictable.
Headings orient production
Use INT. or EXT., a stable location name and a simple time marker. Consistency matters more than decorative specificity.
Action describes present evidence
Write what can be seen and heard in present tense, with paragraph breaks that shape pace and emphasis.
03 / On the page
Try it this way
Set things up once, keep the process simple and save your attention for the writing. The best workflow is usually the one you can still trust at eleven o'clock the night before a deadline.
- 1
Set the document once
Use dedicated screenwriting software or a proven template rather than manually spacing every element.
- 2
Standardise locations and names
Search for variations that may accidentally describe the same set or character.
- 3
Check awkward page breaks
Keep character cues with dialogue and avoid isolated headings at the bottom of a page.
- 4
Export and inspect the PDF
Submission readers see the PDF, not the editable project. Open it on another device before sending.
04 / Trouble spots
If this feels familiar, take another look
Action paragraphs become walls of text.
Parentheticals direct every performance beat.
Transitions appear at the end of most scenes.
The shared file is not a clean, selectable-text PDF.
Don't treat this list as a scorecard. Every draft has a few of these. Pick the one causing the most trouble, find the earliest place it appears and work forward from there.
05 / Have a go
Try this on your script
Format one two-page scene containing a new character, a phone call, an off-screen voice and a location change. Compare every element against your software's default.
A couple of questions writers ask
Why does screenplay format matter?
Format helps the reader stop noticing the page and start seeing the film. It won't make the story good, but odd margins, heavy blocks of text and inconsistent headings can make good writing much harder to enjoy.
How can I practise screenplay format?
Format one two-page scene containing a new character, a phone call, an off-screen voice and a location change. Compare every element against your software's default.
Where to go next