The Five Technical Basics You Need Before FADE IN

Five Screenwriting Fundamentals to Get You Started

Here are the five technical know-hows every screenwriter needs to understand.

1. USE SCREEN WRITING SOFTWARE

Use a screenwriting software to ensure that you use the correct font, font size, margins, proper page-breaking conventions and transitions format. Instead of ignoring these by writing in a Word document or attempting to do all the formatting yourself, let computing magic do it for you.

What's the best screenwriting software? The one that you write in.

2. USE SCENE HEADING CORRECTLY

When to use a new scene heading:

• Whenever the location changes.
• Whenever the time changes.
• Whenever logic requires it.

How to use the correct scene heading order:

Begin with:

• INT. or EXT.

Add the name of the location itself:

• EXT. FARMHOUSE

Add time of day:

• EXT. FARMHOUSE - DAY

That's it. That’s all you need. When your story needs it, you can add:

Add type of shot:

• EXTREME CLOSE UP

Add subject of shot:

• BUG

And you can also combine them in different ways:

• EXTREME CLOSE UP - BUG
• EXT. FARMHOUSE - EXTREME CLOSE UP - BUG

Just please don't do this:

• DREAM SEQUENCE - EXT. JOHNNY APPLESEED FARMHOUSE - STABLE - EXTREME CLOSE UP - BUG - DAY (JULY 4TH, 1999) (16MM FOOTAGE)

If your Scene header overflows to the next line, you're probably doing it wrong.

3. WHEN TO CAPITALIZE WORDS IN ACTION DESCRIPTION

Capitalize words in only two instances (maybe three):

The introduction of a speaking character.

• The door slides open and JOHNNY APPLESEED jumps off.

Capitalize the sound effects and off-screen sounds.

• After a promising SPUTTER, the ENGINE WHEEZES to life but then DIES.

At Script Slug, we think that the writer should write and leave the camera movements to production and the director. But if you're gonna do it:

• Johnny runs for his life, CAMERA MOVING WITH HIM THROUGH a forest of never-ending trees.

4. WHEN TO USE PARENTHETICALS

Only use the parenthetical character direction if it is pivotal to your story and unclear in the writing that comes before it. Don't state the obvious. If a character is furious, the action description and words spoken in dialogue should convey that, not a parenthetical of (furiously).

5. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WHEN WRITING A SCREENPLAY

Say it shorter, say it faster. Less is more. Communicate as much information as you can with the least amount of words possible.  Make sure there is plenty of white space on the page.

But! How do I write a montage? What's the proper way to format a flashback? Does the V.O. signifier go before or after the character name? 

Go read a script to find out. Seriously. With any additional question, think of a film where your question lies, go to Script Slug, and read a script. It's the best way to learn unique formatting, structure and pacing. After that, worry about writing a great fucking story.*

Whether this was a reminder of the basics or your first introduction to the technical rules of screenwriting, the goal is the same: to help you start. This isn’t everything you’ll ever need to know—but it’s enough to begin.

If you’ve been waiting for permission to write without getting it “perfect,” consider this your sign. Technical mistakes can be fixed. Blank pages can’t.

So take the idea you’ve been holding onto and put it on the page. 

*Still worried about specific formatting? Check screenwriting.io Or make sure you share your script with friends, teachers and writers groups before sending it to a decision maker.