FORMATTING YOUR SPEC SCRIPT WHILE SOCIAL DISTANCING: A PRIMER - PART 5
Have we really been at home for five weeks!? Well, as long as we’re here, let’s go over some formatting for some popular shows.
In case you don’t know the drill: While fellowship season corresponds with quarantine season, we’re breaking down formatting of library scripts to help get you the info you need for writing your spec. If we haven’t covered the show you’re spec-ing, or if you have additional, more targeted questions, please send us an e-mail at library@wgfoundation.org.
We can’t send you scripts in their entirety. We aren’t the copyright holders and we don’t have the right to distribute them beyond the physical library. We can, however, pour through the scripts and try to find you the information you need. Also, where possible, we’ll try to link to where award-nominated scripts and early drafts of pilots are available online.
MOM (CBS)
Average page count: 39
Average scene count: 6-14
Broken into acts? Yes, 2 acts; episodes also include a cold open at the beginning and a tag at the end.
Other things to consider:
Act headings are written out like "ACT THREE" and scenes are listed alphabetically with letters like "SCENE A" or "SCENE F." Notice how far down scene headings are on the page. Transitioning from scene to scene, they almost always CUT TO: or FADE TO: on the right side of the page. Acts are about 15-20 pages; cold opens are 4-6 pages; tags are 2 pages.
Formatting the Cold open: COLD OPEN is centered, underlined at the beginning of the page. At the end of the cold open, CUT TO: or SMASH TO: (or some other transition like that) is seen on the right-hand side of the page, then MAIN TITLES centered and underlined. Formatting the tag is very similar. Tags end with "END OF SHOW" centered and underlined.
Because it's a multi-cam show, all of the dialogue is double-spaced, all of the description is in CAPITAL LETTERS and every time you change a location just make sure all the characters in the scene are listed (in parentheses).
Note that all scene headings are underlined.
RAMY (Hulu)
**Note we only have 1 script from Ramy in the library; episode 1-4 “Strawberries” so formatting tips are based on this one script.
Page count: 30
Scene count: 21
Broken into acts? No
Other things to consider:
Scene headings are underlined and in bold.
Description is written simply and sparsely, but paragraphs will occasionally go over four lines.
The thing to note about Ramy is how it tackles difficult personal subjects — like dealing with Islamophobia in post-9/11 New Jersey — with heart and humor. So many sweet friendship and family moments.
Also, note how the writers format a chat room discussion.
An early draft of the Ramy pilot is available online here.
RIVERDALE (The CW)
Average page count: 51
Average scene count: 50
Broken into acts? Yes, 6.
Other things to consider:
The first and second acts are a bit longer — 11-12 pages in length. Acts 4 through 5 are usually 6-9 pages.
Act breaks are formatted in the standard centered, underlined and in bold, with ACT ONE at the top of the page, then when the act is over, END OF ACT ONE centered, bolded and underlined.
The show is full of intrigue, mystery and non-stop twists and turns, emphasized with dramatic act outs, during which the last line of text is often written in italics for emphasis.
The show also features witty dialogue that references pop-culture, past and present.
THE TWILIGHT ZONE (CBS All-Access)
**Like Ramy, we only have one script from The Twilight Zone, episode 1-3 “Replay” so formatting assumptions are going off of this one script.
Page count: 54
Scene count: 40
Broken into acts? Yes, 4. Plus a teaser.
Other things to consider:
Basically, new acts begin with ACT TWO (or whatever act it is) centered, bolded and underlined, then when the act is over, it's END OF ACT TWO also centered, bolded and underlined. The teaser in this particular script is 8 pages and begins TEASER then ends with END OF TEASER.
The script ends with the scene transition SMASH TO BLACK, then END OF EPISODE.
The script includes camera directions and CAPITALIZATION of significant action and moments.
Here’s a look at Jordan Peele’s “Narrator” character and how he is included in the script/story.
WESTWORLD (HBO)
In the library we have the pilot script for Westworld and the script for episode 1-10, “The Bicameral Mind.”
Average page count: 51
Average scene count: 85
Broken into acts? No
Other things to consider:
Note that flashbacks are written in italics.
Sometimes there can be longer blocks of description, given the visual nature of the show.
Significant sounds, feelings, props are often CAPITALIZED.
Advice from library patrons who have written a spec of Westworld: The show has a rich world, and the writing is complex. Avoid filling in obvious plot holes, lean in emotionally, and do a backstory for your episode.