Formatting

How should I incorporate titles regarding date, time, location, etc. into a script for the viewer to read on the screen when the movie is complete?

–DJ

Anything that needs to be printed on screen (that is, it’s not part of the set or other design) is preceded by two magic words —

TITLE OVER:

You then center whatever information you want to appear on screen, be it the location, the time, whatever. Unless you’re doing a long, Star Wars-style crawl, this should be all you need.

For GO, there was a “RONNA” at the head of her section. In the second CHARLIE’S ANGELS, one title read:

NORTHERN MONGOLIA, NEAR THE SIBERIAN BORDER.

As opposed to Southern Mongolia, which is totally different.

That said, you probably don’t need to label every new location you visit, a la “The X-Files”. Always ask yourself whether the moment would be just as clear without printing anything on the screen. And you certainly shouldn’t include any titles that are really just credits, such as “A FILM BY DJ SMITH.” (And frankly, I believe no one should ever use that credit, because it cheapens the contribution of everyone else who worked on the film.)

Some writers really frown on using titles, because they feel that it’s the director’s prerogative whether or not they’re needed. I disagree. If it helps the reader understand the flow of the story, and makes the script read more like the final movie you want to make, by all means use them.

I have a very simple question that has to do with secondary scene headings. I know this differs writer to writer, but let’s say you have a character who walks into a closet — how do you label it in the script? Is it:

What is the best way to go? Thanks in advance.

–Dustin Tash
The Oreogod

Of course, there’s no one best answer that’s appropriate for every situation. In most cases, I would opt for the first format, without the "moments later," which I generally save for a minor time cut. So it would look like:

This is assuming the character is in the closet long enough for there to really be a scene. That is, a few lines, or at least some dialogue. Anything less, and I might not break out the closet at all, and just let the scene description handle the location:

When in doubt, use the simplest form that works for the moment.

Can you tell me what is preferred/correct
for this situation? Mabel is moving through a house (and, if necessary,
outside):

INT. LIVING ROOM – DAY

Mabel searches for the cat.

INT. KITCHEN – DAY

Mabel searches for the cat.

EXT. STREET – DAY

Mabel searches for the cat.

Et cetera. Thanks very much.

–Arnold Sable

Yeah, that pretty much sucks, Arnold. Unless you are repeating the sentence
for some effect, perhaps showing how
intensely single-minded Mabel can be, almost anything else would be better.

The simplest choice would be to use a different scene heading that encompasses
all needed locations, such as:

INT. HOUSE – VARIOUS ROOMS – DAY

Or, if you do want to show each location, try varying your descriptions of
Mabel’s search so that they don’t repeat.

Finally, you could consider using a montage format:

MONTAGE as Mabel searches for the cat:

— She pulls open the dryer in the laundry room.

— Checks the kitchen cupboards.

— Searches under the porch with a flashlight.

— Pokes the broom under the sofa.

— Rechecks the kitchen cupboards again.

What format you choose really depends on the situation, and how much information
you need the reader to know.

Could you please refer me to a website that gives detailed
information regarding the proper format that a film script is to be written
before being passed around.

–Pat Meehan

If you’re using either Final
Draft or Movie
Magic Screenwriter, you can rest assured that the standard formatting
these programs recommend is fine.

If you’re not using either of these, I suspect you’re consulting one of the
many screenwriting books out there, all of which will point you in the right
direction in terms of margins and spacing.

But the best advice I can give you is to do what I did: find a properly
formatted script and copy it exactly. Not only will looking at real scripts
show you how they’re formatted, but it will also give you a sense of how standardized
the format truly is, for
better or worse.