How To Present A Film Script

If you want to ensure that your script is taking seriously when dishing it out to agents and producers you need to make sure the film script presentation is up to snuff.

A finished script should contain a front cover, a title page, the script itself and a back cover.

The front and back covers should be a piece of solid-color index stock of the 110 pound variety, try to keep the color light. Do not write anything on the cover. When an agent or producer receives your script they will be added into a pile of scripts to be read. An assistant will go through these and write the title of the script on the side of the binding.

The title page consists of the name of the script, in CAPS and quotation marks, in the middle of the page. Then miss a line, and put “by”, miss another line and include your name. Your contact details in the centre of the page and copyright details in the bottom right corner.

The script should be printed on A4 paper, using only one side of each sheet.

These are all to be three hole punched and bound together using a fastener such as those produced by Acco. Make sure the fastener is strong and secure, this makes it easier for producers and agents to photocopy the script to pass around which they will do if they are interested in the script.

The Script Itself

If you are using scriptwriting software such as Final Draft then you can ignore this section since Final Draft will automatically do all this for you.

The industry standard font is Courier or Courier New at font size 12.

Your left margin should be 1.5 inches while your right margin can be between 0.5 inches to 1.25 inches, which is down to your personal preference. Both the top and bottom margins should be 1 inch.

Dialogue should be 2.5 inches (10 spaces) away from the left margin and should not go past 6.0 inches (60 spaces) from the left margin. Actor’s instructions at 3.1 inches (16 spaces) from the left margin and no longer than two inches. The character’s name should be 3.7 inches (22 spaces) from the left margin.

Keep the right margin ragged rather than justified.

Each page of the script should contain about 55 lines. This is not including the page number and blank line after the page number. Page numbers appear in the top right corner, 0.5 inches from the top edge. No page number is required for the first page of your script.

Beginning and End

If you choose you can add the title of your script, in CAPS and underscored, to the top of the first page. Your script will probably begin with:

FADE IN:
Or
BLACK SCREEN:

You don’t have to add a point to insert the opening or closing credits in a spec script. But if you have a moment that you think perfect for the opening credits then put:

ROLL CREDITS:
Or
BEGIN CREDITS:

When the credits have finished:

END CREDITS:

Treat credits as headings.

When you have come to the end of your script you can finish it of by either putting THE END or one of the following:

Note that these endings appear all the way over to the right margin.

Please CLICK HERE To Check Out The Top 5 Online Scriptwriting Courses