How to Format a Screenplay: Every Element on the Page

The real screenplay format spec. Courier 12pt, exact margins and indents, scene headings, action lines, parentheticals, transitions and the title page.

Jun 1, 2026•2 min read

How to Format a Screenplay: Every Element on the Page

Screenplay format looks strict because it is. Readers judge a script in the first page, and a format mistake tells them you're new. The good news: there are only a handful of elements, and each has one job.

This guide covers every element, with a real page from our short screenplay Last Ferry, written in Skrib.

A screenplay page in Skrib with a scene heading, action lines, character names, a parenthetical and dialogue — A real page: scene heading, action, character, parenthetical and dialogue.

The page

Font: Courier, 12 point.
Margins: about 1.5 inches on the left (for binding), 1 inch on the right, top and bottom.
Page numbers: top right, from page 2.

This is why one page roughly equals one minute of screen time.

Scene heading (slugline)

A scene heading tells us where and when: EXT. PORTLAND FERRY TERMINAL - NIGHT. INT. or EXT., then the location, then the time. All caps.

Action lines

Present tense, what we see and hear. Keep paragraphs to three or four lines. "Fog sits on the harbour like it pays rent."

Character introductions

The first time a character appears, write their name in caps with an age and one telling detail: "JUNE HALLORAN (64), oilskin coat, reading glasses on a cord."

Character name, dialogue and parentheticals

The character name sits centred above the dialogue. Dialogue runs in a narrower column. A parenthetical under the name gives a short direction, like (to no one). Use them rarely.

Transitions

Right-aligned, like CUT TO: or FADE OUT. Modern scripts use them sparingly.

Do it in Skrib: a Screenplay project knows the elements. Each line has an element type, like Scene Heading, Action, Character or Dialogue, and the formatting happens for you.

The title page

The title, centred, then "Written by" and your name. Contact details bottom left. Nothing else: no dates, no drafts, no pictures.

A screenplay title page in Skrib — A clean title page: title, author, contact details.

The Skrib screenplay editor with page, scene and word counts in the footer — The live page count, scene count and word count sit in the footer.

FAQ

Do I need Final Draft to format a screenplay? No. Any tool that follows the standard format works.

Can I use bold or italics? Sparingly. Some writers bold scene headings.

Format your screenplay in Skrib

Copy the Screenplay Format Board, or start a Screenplay project and let Skrib handle the format.

Copy the Screenplay Format Board

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