OPEN
Your file –
0-4 Script
FILE SIZE
I was able to write the
whole script in the one file,
- 486 pages
The MS Word document was
about,
- 990 KB
And the PDF was about,
- 2.9 MB
It would seem to be the
case,
that the maximum size for
an MS Word document,
for text (graphics are
extra), is,
- 32 MB
So, the KHAKI TOWN script
fell well within this limit.
THE MAIN THREAD
This consists of –
- Character -
Dialogue
-
Emotions and,
- Actions
- It should be centred on the page
eg. The first page of the screenplay, KHAKI TOWN
–
1 .1 [INT. OFFICE OF THE US PRESIDENT, LBJ, THE OVAL OFFICE - AFTERNOON] - 1964
Prologue.
SECRETARY
(taps
on the other side of the
north
east door)
THE PRESIDENT
(looks
up expectantly from his
desk)
SECRETARY
(opens the door, just ajar, popping
his head out)
Senator
Kennedy is here, Mr President.
THE PRESIDENT
(in his
Texan drawl)
Yes, yes, of
course.
SECRETARY
(opens
the door wide)
ROBERT KENNEDY
(steps
into the room)
SECRETARY
(retires
wordlessly, the door
closing
behind him with a gentle
click of
the latch)
THE PRESIDENT
Robert…
(circling his desk, hand extended,
with a welcoming smile)
Good
to see you, so glad you could come.
ROBERT KENNEDY
Mr
President.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Bottom of the page
So, the basic format for the Main
Thread is –
Top of the page______________________________________________________________________
5 Main Text lines of the HEADER Title –
White Draft – Date No.
Sc No. Scene
Section No. [SCENE TAG]
DESCRIPTION OF SCENE
Main Text space
Background information
Main Text space
CHARACTER
NAME
Dialogue
(character’s
emotions)
(character’s
actions)
Main Text space
CHARACTER
NAME
Dialogue
(character’s
emotions)
(character’s
actions)
Main Text space
etc.
Main Text space
Sc. No. Scene Section No. [SCENE TAG]
etc.
FOOTER
__________________________________________________________________________________
Bottom of the page
Scene Number (Sc No.)
To do this -
Place the cursor
on the rectangle
under the 2 triangles
on the top ruler
at the top left
of the page,
until it becomes
a single headed arrow,
with a box
saying, “Left Indent”.
Continue to hold
the cursor
on the rectangle,
and at the same time,
hold down
the left mouse key,
then, with the cursor,
move the rectangle
to the far-left edge
of the page.
Then release both,
cursor and left mouse key.
- Place the cursor at the far left of the edge
of the page,
on the Scene Number line
- Make sure it is
in this shape,
I
not as a single
headed arrow
- Left click on
it, to make it a flashing line
- Space Bar 12
times, (12 spaces)
- Type in the Scene
Number
- Press the Tab Key once,
this will place
the cursor back where the Left Margin was
Consecutive Scene Numbers
I used 12 spaces
for all Scene Numbers, single, double or triple digit.
I Aligned them to the Left in their column, similarly to the
Page Numbers,
down the file, this being neater.
eg. 1
10
100
Scene Section No.
Often there were scenes
within scenes,
and it could have become
very confusing,
so I found it useful,
to number them as
sub-sections.
I will deal with how to
do this in the SCENE TAG LIST.
As, the chronology can be
seen more easily there.
[SCENE TAG]
I will deal with these in
the SCENE TAG LIST, also.
Continuing -
- Press
ENTER,
this
goes to the next line,
but, the cursor will still be at the far-left edge of the page
- Reverse the above procedure,
to place the Left Indent, back at the Left Margin,
which is at the Right Edge of the Grey Area,
on the Left side,
of the Ruler at the Top of the page
DESCRIPTION OF SCENE
If needed,
a general sweeping description of the main relevant background aspects of the scene
can be inserted here, to give clarity.
- Aligned Left to the Left Margin
- All Upper Case letters
- No Full Stop
Such as,
THE BAR IS A SEA OF KHAKI CLAD CUSTOMERS
- Press ENTER, to make a Main Text space
Background Information
Various pieces of information need to be inserted,
here,
and at appropriate intervals, as –
- Sentences,
with an Upper Case letter at the beginning,
and, a Full-Stop at the end
- Aligned Left to the Left Margin
Such as -
Prologue
Epilogue
And, things that give context -
eg. Townsville.
The Brown’s Bar, 4.30 pm.
Just opened up (beer rationing).
CHARACTER etc.
This should take this form –
CHARACTER
NAME
Dialogue
(character’s
emotions)
(character’s
physical actions)
- CHARACTER NAME
- Centred
- in Upper Case letters
- Dialogue
-
on a separate line
- Align Left to Left Margin
- PRESS TAB Key 4 times (1 cm tabs)
- as a Sentence,
- with Upper Case letter to begin with,
and
Full-Stop to end with
- stay within 4 cm either side of the 8 cm Top Ruler Mark
to keep the Text Block Centred
- Character’s
emotions
- on a separate line
- Align Left to Left Margin
- PRESS TAB Key 5 times (1 cm tabs)
- as a Sentence
- in Brackets ( ),
with Lower
Case letter to begin with,
use
of Commas, but no Full-Stop to end with
- stay within 3 cm either side of the 8 cm Top Ruler Mark
to keep the Text Block Centred
- Character’s physical
actions
-
on a separate line
- Align Left to Left Margin
- PRESS TAB Key 5 times (1 cm tabs)
- as a Sentence
- in Brackets ( ),
- with Lower
Case letter to begin with,
use
of Commas, but no Full-Stop to end with
- stay within 3 cm either side of the 8 cm Top Ruler Mark
to keep the Text Block Centred
The order in which
dialogue, emotions and physical actions are placed,
depends on when they
occur in the process of acting them out..
With physical actions,
I tried to make the action itself the
first word.
eg. taps
looks
opens
When the action involves 2 or more actors simultaneously -
- Main Text Space
- combine them in one set of Brackets
- Main Text Space
eg.
(the two men shake hands)
see - Following posts for more, detailed
Script methods
(c) Katherine Stuart 2021
Dochas Books Film
