General Style and Formatting

[napolyphonic]

Ok, so, I've had a lot of comments on the first fifteen pages of AETHER I posted in the Entire Acts section. Some of the comments address the formatting of the pages I've written. I know there are some formatting issues, but I save those for closer to a polish because things change constantly and reformatting is a pain. And right now, in early stages, I don't want to hear about formatting, I want to hear about story issues.

Also, I personally don't use any software. I format in Word because I feel it's more organic. If I want something to be somewhere or look a certain way, that's where it goes. That's just my style. I got my initial formatting guidelines from the Academy website (the ones used for the Nicholls Fellowship), and from there, I just look to other produced screenplays for specifics. I personally feel that the rules aren't completely written in stone, that style can be more important as long as it translates the story to the reader in a viable manner(just look at Tarantino's style). I don't subscribe to any specific format and it changes from script to script depending on genre. For example, an actioner would have more dashes, in oppose to more commas in a drama.

Having said that, maybe we could have a discussion on format right now. Who believes hardline formatting is more important than style? Why do you feel that way? Do you think standardized formatting can serve every genre the same? And, can the rules be broken?

[mscherer]

napolyphonic,

My take on formatting is this: follow the rules for SLUG lines, CAPing character introductions and dialogue – ie. Character name placed a certain distance from the left margin – actual dialogue in the center of the page, yadda yadda yadda.

What I don’t think is written in stone is what you do otherwise. For example I use beau coupe dashes and sentence fragments in my action lines. I only CAP sounds – BLAM!. I make up my own sounds – KEEERRRAAASH!

To reiterate: the only formatting details that might label you as an amateur have to do with SLUG lines; character introductions (name in CAPS); and dialogue format. Other than that just,

Keep Writing!

[patricks]

Sorry, but format pretty much is written in stone. Margins, spacing, sluglines - all of that. Dashes or commas, what to ALL CAP inside your action text lines, those are more flexible and can vary from project to project (and writer to writer).

The other stuff is basic, and if you're not following it, then expect to have your screenplay tossed in the trash after a page or two if you make it to a reader, agent, or prodco.

Quentin Tarantino doesn't have have to follow format because a) he's mostly writing for himself as the director and b) he's Quentin Tarantino. When you have 8 or 10 blockbuster movies under your belt, you can write your screenplays any way you want, too.

Until then, your scripts probably need to be in proper format.

Patrick Sweeney
I Blame Ninjas

PS Get off my lawn you darn kids!

[trellicktower]

Agreed, unless you're shooting it yourself or you're well-established then the accepted rules should be followed, just to be safe.

I would hate to have my script cast aside because I decided to get creative with the formatting.

Even the pros seem to follow the basic accepted rules.

[napolyphonic]

Not quite the discussion I was hoping for.

Maybe something a bit more conceptual? Philosophical?

[teamcoco]

The problem is, napolyphonic, that when most people talk about formatting on a message board or a blog, what they really are asking is "I dont format properly, but Tarantino, Soderbergh et al. do not either, so its ok, right?" So the natural response to that is "No, you DO have to format properly. You are not special. Do it right". It is instinctive.

So if you really want to talk about formatting, and not just trying to get someone to confirm you dont have to worry about, then happy to discuss: I think it is important mainly because it stamps the writer as someone who takes screenwriting seriously and is willing to learn about it. Obviously, once you understand the rules and can prove you have a firm grasp on them, you can mess with them, play around, even outright break them.

But never before then.

[scottmyers]

@ napolyphonic: The simple answer is a dogmatic stick-to-guns response that you have to write by standard guidelines and for one good reason: a script reader sees any deviation from those as a sign of an amateur.

However you raise a point I've never heard before: you choose to write in Word, not Final Draft or some other screenwriting software because you "feel it's more organic." That combined with your last set of questions -- "Who believes hardline formatting is more important than style? Why do you feel that way? Do you think standardized formatting can serve every genre the same? And, can the rules be broken?" -- and the responses here makes me think this is worthy of a discussion on GITS.

So if you don't mind, I'm going to post something on GITS, probably today, maybe tomorrow re this subject.

[trellicktower]

I wrote the first two episodes of a spec pilot in Word, but they followed the format of two Frasier scripts I had for reference. There were minor deviations, mostly due to my ability to master the "tab" feature!

[napolyphonic]

I guess I understand why people responded the way they did to my post, because it does sound like I'm trying to find affirmation. But I'm not. If it's any consolation, I've written many scripts in both Final Draft and Word. I written shorts, pilots, and features. I absolutely understand the format of all of them. The purpose for my post was not to go over sluglines, but to get a feel for what people think of the interior of the screenplay. Because I've read over a hundred screenplays and they are all different. Every one of them. The basic formatting is all the same: margins, indents, sluglines, etc. But there are differences in the way they format description, dialogue, and bits of action. I would also bet that everyone who has responded thus far formats their script differently from everyone else, even if they use the same software.

I was hoping to get away from basic concepts here and get into more depth regarding those subjects. Yes, I know you capitalize characters on first introduction, yes I know sluglines are capitalized. Those are rudimentary. How about this question: Are there things that you do specifically that are slightly different from standard? For example, instead of writing...

Bobby
Why do we always argue about
the same thing?
(a beat)
I got it! Because we don't communicate!

...between bits of dialogue while their talking, do you just...

Bobby
Why do we always argue about
the same thing?
I got it! Because we don't communicate!

...so it starts a new line?

Lets. Get. Deeper.

[oz]

I hear what you're saying, Napo. I've seen the vast differences you're talking about and initially wondered, too, how one way is acceptable as 'the standard' while the next is wildly successful when it is so different. I'm thinking it has more to do with substance. The old, "if it's good, it can be written in crayon", theory. You know?

I don't get hung up on a novelistic description of a character versus a technically (per what we've all read) visual only if it works. If the character still plays out properly and lives up to that description, I'll forgive it and good thing, because I've seen it in some pretty great scripts. Conversely, I don't care how technically perfect it is, per screenwriting standards, contemporary preferences, whatever, if the story doesn't jibe with what it promised, doesn't matter how pretty you package it.

We had this conversation in a class I took with our own Scott Myers. My take was simple. People forget that writing is art. Used to be in novels every spoken word was in quotations. Not any more. The writer has the discretion but he/she better make it work if they're going to stray. So put the (beat) in there or don't. Just make it work, however you chose to do it. That's how I write. If I find out it doesn't work, I can always change it and try again.

Good thing I'm not sculpting with rock : )

[outofcontext]

I think you were misunderstood because you posed the question in terms of your preference for Word, which implied to me that you felt constrained by the automatic formatting aspect of screenwriting software. You can leave out parentheticals in any software, so that part of it has nothing to do with Word.
I agree with you about formatting questions on the drafts you post here. I appreciate all comments and I often find some formatting critiques useful, but in general, I just don't concern myself with that stuff unless format has made something unclear.
Sometimes I use (beat), sometimes ellipses.... I think there's plenty of room for individual preferences in those choices.
Fashion plays a big part in a lot of choices, even the basic formatting. For instance, it doesn't seem long ago when transitions like Cut to: were mandatory...now they're not used at all.
I write poetry and prose as well, and I indulge myself with form freedom there, but the problem with this media is that there are gate-keepers and apparently some of them are petty, or at least overworked and burned out by reading lots of amateurish work. My feeling is to do what is not distracting while injecting my personality in the words and syntax I choose, rather than 'special effects' of formatting.
Sorry if this is disjointed, but I'm in a hurry to get out the door this morning.

[echomusic]

Very interesting thread.

I think this is something that we, as writers, deal with – either on a conscious or unconscious level – how to write in a standard format that has been around for quite a long time, yet present something interesting to the reader, in our own voice and our own style, but without deviating greatly from said format. But we don’t really talk about it

I know for a number of years I copied styles of screenwriters I admired, until I realized that not only was I doing myself a disservice, but more importantly, doing the story a disservice. I can’t write MY scripts in Aaron Sorkin’s style or format. I certainly can’t do it in William Goldman’s style (I would get tired of writing CUT TO: every ten seconds). And I wouldn’t want to parrot Tarantino’s style (but that’s a whole other thread).

After years of reading script after script (because that’s what we’ve been told to do) I finally encountered a couple of scripts by a screenwriter that, for some reason – like the queen of diamonds card – unlocked some portion of my brain and kind of showed me how it is possible to write in format, and tell a story that doesn’t come across as clinical, or textbook. And that was all I needed.

After that, it didn’t matter if I was writing the script in Final Draft or on a Lucas-approved yellow legal pad, I knew HOW I wanted to write the script in that format. (I do use Final Draft though)

And (I swear I’ve got a point here) I think the thing about reading script after script is to not only ‘see how it is done’ on a technical level, but to find that one script that shows you HOW IT IS DONE on a storytelling level.

I think once you KNOW how you want to write – how to tell your story – a lot of the hard work is done.

Okay, upon going back and reading…maybe not so much of a point. But damn this was fun to type up!