Well for starters there is way less information in a screenplay than there is in a novel, or even a short story. Your typical screenplay is between 120-123 pages long if that. There are different formats for television than there are for films. Actually depending if your writing a MOW, a blockbuster, straight to video, etc the actual screenplays of films themselves different slightly. In television as well as in MOWs' you have to allow for commercial breaks. You ever watch a television show that ends in a mini cliffhanger to go to a commercial, that's what I'm talking about.
That said here's the basics of a screenplay for beginners:
FADE IN:
INT. JORDAN FAMILY HOME KITCHEN-DAY
The small kitchen is not helped by the addition of an isle in the middle, an over sized stove, and the specialty refrigerator. The dark counters, bright walls, and ugly linoleum show whoever decorated this room has no taste what so ever.
Standing in front of the refrigerator trying not to bang the counters with the overly large doors is MARIA JORDAN; slight build, mid thirties, rough around the edges.
MARIA
Where is the ketchup?
STEPHANIE (O.C.)
Did you look in the fridge?
Maria slams the door closed.
MARIA
No I'm standing in the kitchen staring out the
window in the hopes that it'll raise it's hand
and say here I am.
So that's basically what the beginning of a screenplay looks like. The FADE IN: lets you know that this is the beginning, at the end you write FADE OUT:. The (O.C.) let's the director know this voice comes from Off Camera. Writing (V.O) next to someones name means Voice Over, this is what you type if this person is narrating a scene.
You only have to put their names is all caps the first time they are introduced to the story so the director knows this is a new character, you want to add any quirks like scars or tattoos here as well. Later you can just type there first names unless you have two characters with the same name.
The first paragraph after the slug line is a description of the area in which the scene takes place, you can write that pretty much as dull or creative as you want as long as it gives a feel of what the place looks like. Be warned though if your screenplay is too dull or too involved you will never get past the readers to someone who can help get your film made.
The second paragraph describes the initial movements of the characters in the room, the last of which should be the first character to speak. After opening the scene the movements come just after or just before a character speaks. Another warning only write the movements that are absolutely necessary to the film because some Directors and Actors find it insulting when you try to tell them how to do their job. Basically what I mean is it's your job to write it but it's there job to bring it to life so let them add the quirks to the characters UNLESS they are essential to the characters part in the story.
When it comes to the look of the pages the more white a reader sees the better off the initial judgment of your script is. The reason for this is that screenplays are supposed to be to the point, without any inner dialogue or extra embellishments like novels. It makes you look more professional.
If you are writing dialogue and you come to the end of the page before that character has finished talking you write it like this.
MARIA
No I'm standing in the kitchen staring out
the window in
(MORE)
-------------------------------New Page--------------------------------------
MARIA (cont'd)
the hopes that it'll raise it's hand and say
here I am.
Sheesh I just realized how long this is sorry about that but I hope it helps somebody. D.
