2.1 Standard script format

Standard script format is the shared language of the television industry. Every producer, director, and actor expects scripts to look a certain way, and deviating from that format signals inexperience before anyone reads a single line of dialogue. This section covers the specific rules and conventions you need to know, from title pages and margins to specialized formatting for montages and flashbacks.

Elements of script format

Script format exists so that everyone involved in a production can read a script quickly and extract exactly the information they need. A director looks for scene headings and action lines. An actor scans for their character name and dialogue. A producer checks page count to estimate runtime. When the format is consistent, all of that happens smoothly.

Title page components

Your title page is the first thing anyone sees, so keep it clean and simple.

• Title centered and in ALL CAPS, positioned about 1/3 down the page
• "Written by" placed below the title, followed by your name on the next line
• Contact information (name, address, phone number, email) in the bottom left or right corner
• Draft date in the bottom right corner to track revisions
• WGA registration number, if applicable, placed below contact information

No images, no logos, no decorative fonts. A cluttered title page works against you.

Scene heading structure

Scene headings (also called slug lines) appear at the start of every new scene. They tell the reader three things at a glance: are we inside or outside, where are we, and when is it?

The format has three parts, always in ALL CAPS and left-aligned:

INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY

1. INT. or EXT. (interior or exterior)
2. LOCATION (specific place name)
3. TIME OF DAY (DAY, NIGHT, etc.)

That's it. No extra description in the slug line itself.

Action lines vs dialogue

Action lines describe what the audience sees on screen. They're written in present tense, left-aligned, and should be concise. Think visual: what does the camera capture?

Dialogue represents spoken words and is centered on the page beneath the character's name. Good dialogue captures each character's distinct voice and personality.

The balance between action and dialogue drives your script's pacing. Too much action description and the read feels slow. Too much unbroken dialogue and the script starts to feel like a stage play rather than television.

Character introductions

The first time a character appears, their name goes in ALL CAPS within the action line. You can follow it with a brief description in parentheses, but keep it tight. Focus on traits that matter to the story or that an actor can actually play.

JANE SMITH (30s, sharp-dressed, radiates impatience) strides into the courtroom.

Avoid cataloging hair color, eye color, and outfit unless those details are plot-relevant. A casting director will handle the rest.

Dialogue formatting rules

• Character name centered and in ALL CAPS above the dialogue
• Dialogue block starts 2.5 inches from the left margin and extends to about 6.5 inches
• Each new speaker gets a new dialogue block, even for a one-word response
• Use (CONT'D) after the character name when their dialogue is interrupted by an action line and then resumes
• Emphasize specific words through underlining, not italics or bold

Parentheticals and wrylies

Parentheticals are brief directions placed on their own line between the character name and the dialogue. They clarify how a line is delivered or note a small action performed while speaking.

</>Code
JOHN
(whispering)
We need to get out of here now.

Use these sparingly. Actors and directors interpret performance. If the tone is obvious from context, skip the parenthetical. Overusing them is one of the fastest ways to mark yourself as a beginner.

Transitions and camera directions

Transitions like FADE IN:, CUT TO:, and DISSOLVE TO: are right-aligned and in ALL CAPS. In spec scripts, use them sparingly. Most scene changes are implied by a new slug line, so an explicit CUT TO: between every scene is unnecessary.

Camera directions (ANGLE ON, CLOSE UP, PAN TO) should generally be avoided in spec scripts. Instead, describe the visual effect you want. Writing "Sarah notices the blood on the doorknob" implies a close-up without dictating one. Production scripts written for filming may include more technical direction, but that's not your job at the spec stage.

Page layout and margins

Consistent page layout does more than look professional. The entire industry relies on a simple rule of thumb: one properly formatted script page equals roughly one minute of screen time. If your margins or font are off, your page count becomes unreliable, and nobody can estimate episode length from your script.

Industry-standard page dimensions

Scripts use standard 8.5 x 11 inch paper. Digital scripts maintain these same dimensions so formatting stays consistent whether the script is read on screen or printed.

Typical page counts:

• Half-hour comedies: 22–35 pages
• Hour-long dramas: 45–70 pages

Margin specifications

The wider left margin accounts for the binding (brass brads), so the text isn't swallowed by the holes.

Font and spacing requirements

• Courier or Courier New, 12-point. No exceptions. Courier is a fixed-width (monospaced) font, meaning every character takes up the same horizontal space. This is what makes the one-page-per-minute rule work consistently across different computers and printers.
• Single-spaced within elements (action blocks, dialogue blocks)
• Double-spaced between scenes and between major script elements
• Properly formatted pages hold approximately 55 lines

Page numbering conventions

• Page numbers go in the top right corner, 0.5 inches from the top edge
• Numbering starts on the second page (the first page after the title page)
• Place a period after each page number (1., 2., 3.)
• Revised pages use letter suffixes (10A, 10B, 10C) so that inserting new pages doesn't throw off the entire numbering system
• The title page and any preliminary pages (character lists, etc.) are not numbered

Scene elements

Scene elements are the building blocks of your script. Each one serves a specific function, and using them correctly keeps the reader oriented in your story without confusion.

Slug lines and scene numbers

Slug lines appear at the top of every new scene, formatted as described earlier: INT./EXT. LOCATION - TIME OF DAY.

Scene numbers are added during production, not by the spec writer. In a production script, they appear on both sides of the slug line for easy reference:

14 INT. HOSPITAL WAITING ROOM - NIGHT 14

If you're writing a spec, leave scene numbers out.

Time of day indicators

Common options: DAY, NIGHT, MORNING, EVENING, DAWN, DUSK

A few special indicators:

• CONTINUOUS means the scene picks up immediately where the previous one left off, in real time (e.g., a character walks from the hallway into a room)
• LATER signals a time jump within the same location
• Specific times (3:15 PM) should only appear when the exact time matters to the plot

Stay consistent with your choices throughout the script. Don't switch between DUSK and TWILIGHT for the same lighting condition.

Interior vs exterior locations

• INT. for indoor scenes
• EXT. for outdoor scenes
• INT./EXT. (or I/E.) for scenes that move between inside and outside, like a conversation through a doorway or a scene inside a moving car with exterior shots

INT./EXT. CAR - NIGHT

Clearly defining interior vs. exterior helps the production team plan lighting, equipment, and shooting schedules.

Action description best practices

1. Write in present tense, always. "Sarah walks to the door," not "Sarah walked to the door."
2. Keep language concise and visual. Describe what the audience sees and hears.
3. Break action into short paragraphs of 3–4 lines max. Dense blocks of text cause readers to skim, and skimming means they miss story details.
4. Focus on details that drive the story or reveal character. If it doesn't do either, cut it.
5. Avoid camera directions in spec scripts. Instead of writing "CLOSE UP on the letter," write "Sarah's eyes lock on the letter. Her hands tremble."

Dialogue attribution rules

• Character names appear in ALL CAPS above their dialogue
• (O.S.) after the name means off-screen: the character is in the scene's location but not visible in the frame
• (V.O.) means voice-over: narration, internal thoughts, or a character speaking from a different time/place
• For phone calls, use (INTO PHONE) for the character we see speaking
• Foreign language dialogue can be noted as: MARIA (in Spanish)
• Unnamed speakers can be attributed to VOICES, CROWD, or a descriptor like BARTENDER

Specialized formatting

These techniques handle storytelling situations that go beyond basic scene-dialogue-scene structure. You won't use them constantly, but you need to format them correctly when you do.

Montages and series of shots

A montage compresses time or shows a progression through a series of brief images. A series of shots works similarly but typically stays in one storyline rather than cutting across multiple locations.

Format it like this:

</>Code
MONTAGE - SARAH'S FIRST DAY IN NEW YORK

-- Sarah hails a taxi in front of the airport
-- She struggles with her luggage in a crowded subway car
-- A hot dog vendor hands her a loaded dog with "everything on it"
-- Sarah stands awestruck in Times Square, taking in the lights

END MONTAGE

Center the MONTAGE header. List each shot as a separate action line, prefixed with double dashes. Close with END MONTAGE or END SERIES OF SHOTS.

Flashbacks and dream sequences

Indicate a flashback or dream directly in the slug line:

INT. CHILDHOOD BEDROOM - NIGHT (FLASHBACK)

or

INT. DARK FOREST - NIGHT (DREAM SEQUENCE)

For very brief flashbacks, you can use QUICK FLASH: in the action line instead of a full slug line. End extended sequences with BACK TO PRESENT or END DREAM SEQUENCE so the reader knows you've returned to the main timeline.

Within the flashback or dream, format everything normally: standard slug lines, action, dialogue.

Voice-over vs off-screen dialogue

These two notations look similar but mean different things:

• V.O. (voice-over): The character is narrating, thinking aloud for the audience, or speaking from a completely different time or place. The voice exists outside the physical scene.
• O.S. (off-screen): The character is physically present in the scene's location but just not visible on camera, like someone shouting from another room.

Both go in parentheses next to the character name:

</>Code
SARAH (V.O.)
I should have known then that everything was about to change.

Dual dialogue presentation

Dual dialogue is used when two characters speak at the same time. On the page, their dialogue appears side by side in two columns:

</>Code
JACK                    JILL
I can't believe         What were you
you did that!           thinking?

Most screenwriting software handles dual dialogue formatting automatically. You'll typically just select both dialogue blocks and apply a "dual dialogue" function.

Intercut telephone conversations

For phone calls where you cut back and forth between two locations:

1. Establish both locations with their own slug lines first

2. Write INTERCUT - PHONE CONVERSATION (or INTERCUT as appropriate)

3. From that point, alternate dialogue freely without repeating slug lines

4. You can include action lines for either character between dialogue

5. End with BACK TO: and the location where the scene continues

Some writers combine both locations into a single slug line:

INT. JACK'S OFFICE / INT. JILL'S CAR - DAY

Software and tools

Screenwriting software handles formatting automatically, which means you can focus on the writing itself rather than manually setting margins and tabs. That said, you should still understand the underlying format rules so you can catch errors and make informed choices.

Popular screenwriting software

• Final Draft: The industry standard. Most production companies use it, and it offers templates for various TV formats.
• WriterDuet: Online platform with real-time collaboration, useful for writing teams. Free tier available.
• Fade In: A more affordable alternative to Final Draft with comparable features.
• Highland 2: A minimalist option that uses Fountain markup language (plain text that converts to formatted script).
• Celtx: Cloud-based with built-in collaboration and pre-production planning tools.

Formatting templates and macros

• Pre-built templates are available for different TV formats (multi-cam sitcom, single-cam comedy, hour drama, etc.), and the formatting differences between them matter
• You can customize and save your own templates with preferred settings
• Macros automate repetitive tasks like inserting scene headings or transitions
• Keyboard shortcuts (Tab to cycle between elements, Enter to start new elements) speed up the writing process significantly
• Most software includes title page generators that handle layout automatically

PDF vs printed script differences

PDF is the standard for electronic submissions and table reads. It preserves your formatting exactly across devices and operating systems.

Printed scripts are still used on set and in production. Minor differences in page breaks can occur depending on the printer, so always proof a printed version if it matters.

Some software offers separate optimization for PDF export and print output.

Revision marks and colored pages

During production, scripts go through multiple rounds of revisions. The industry tracks these with two systems:

• Asterisks in the right margin mark specific lines that changed
• Colored pages indicate which revision round the page belongs to

The standard color order:

1. White (original)
2. Blue (1st revision)
3. Pink (2nd)
4. Yellow (3rd)
5. Green (4th)
6. Goldenrod (5th)
7. Buff, Salmon, Cherry, and so on

This system lets everyone on set quickly confirm they're working from the latest version. Most screenwriting software can generate revision marks and colored page designations automatically.

Industry expectations

Network vs streaming format differences

Network scripts follow stricter structural rules because they need to accommodate commercial breaks. You'll see clearly marked act breaks (ACT ONE, ACT TWO, etc.) and sometimes specific notes about where commercials fall. A one-hour network drama typically has four or five acts plus a teaser.

Streaming scripts have more flexibility. Without commercial breaks, act structure can be looser, scenes can run longer, and episode length can vary more. That said, many streaming shows still use internal act breaks for pacing purposes, even if the audience never sees them.

Both formats still require standard script formatting for all the core elements.

Spec script vs production script

When you're writing samples or submitting to competitions, you're writing spec scripts. Keep them clean and story-focused.

Script length guidelines

• Half-hour comedies: 22–35 pages (multi-cam sitcoms tend toward the higher end because of their specific formatting with double-spacing)
• Hour-long dramas: 45–70 pages
• Pilots may run slightly longer than a typical episode to establish the world and characters
• Streaming platforms sometimes allow more flexibility in length

If your hour-long drama spec is 90 pages, that's a red flag for overwriting, not a sign of ambition.

Common formatting mistakes

• Camera directions in spec scripts. This is the most common one. Write the story, not the shot list.
• Inconsistent slug lines. If you call it INT. MIKE'S APARTMENT in one scene, don't switch to INT. MIKE'S PLACE later.
• Overusing bold, italics, or underlining. Underlining for emphasis in dialogue is standard. Everything else should be rare.
• Wrong margins or font. If it's not Courier 12-point with proper margins, it'll look wrong to anyone who reads scripts regularly.
• Dense action paragraphs. Break them up. Four lines max per block. White space on the page matters.

Script submission etiquette

Cover page requirements

The cover page follows the same rules as the title page described earlier:

• Script title centered, ALL CAPS, about 1/3 down the page
• "Written by" below the title, then your name
• Contact info in the bottom left or right corner
• Draft date in the bottom right
• Keep it simple. No graphics, no taglines, no quotes.

Binding and packaging norms

For physical submissions:

• Use plain, three-hole punched paper
• Secure with two brass brads (top and bottom holes only; leave the middle hole empty)
• No fancy binders, folders, or covers
• If a cover letter is requested, include it separately rather than attaching it to the script
• For mailed submissions, use a sturdy envelope or box

Electronic submission formats

• PDF is the standard electronic format
• Name your file clearly: Script_Title_by_Your_Name.pdf
• Keep file size under 5MB
• Use a professional email address
• Always follow the specific submission guidelines provided by the recipient. If they say "no attachments," don't attach your script.

Watermarking and copyright protection

• You can add a subtle watermark to PDF submissions for tracking, but don't make it distracting
• Register your script with the Writers Guild of America (WGA) or the U.S. Copyright Office before sending it out
• Include copyright info on the title page: © [Year] [Your Name]
• Don't send unsolicited scripts without some form of legal protection in place
• Be cautious about posting full scripts on public websites or forums