• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Screenwriting.io

Screenwriting.io

Answering basic questions about screenwriting.

  • Answers
  • About
  • Ask
  • Index
Search
Generic filters
Exact matches only

Do non-talking characters’ names get put in ALL CAPS when introduced?

Tagged: characters, film, formatting, screenplay, screenwriting, script, scriptwriting, structure

Yes. Any essential element should be put in all caps when it is first introduced, especially a character, regardless of if it is human or if it speaks. So essential animals’ names go in all caps, too. Department heads look for capitalized elements to guide them and tell them where and for what their department […]

What is the best way to handle flashbacks or dream sequences in a screenplay?

Tagged: formatting, presentation, scene headings, screenplay, screenwriting, script, scriptwriting, structure, terms

If you want the viewer (and therefore the reader) to know that a scene is or is part of a flashback or dream sequence, add the tag in brackets after the header. INT. TOM’S BEDROOM – DAY [FLASHBACK] If you don’t want the viewer to be immediately aware, omit the tag. This advice also applies […]

What tense are screenplays written in?

Tagged: dramatic theory, film, formatting, presentation, screenplay, screenwriting, script, scriptwriting, writing

Unlike novels, which can be written in a variety of tenses, screenplays are always written in present tense. Some writers employ an objective 2nd person tense for point of view, where “we” stands in for the audience. Through the crowd of befuddled heads, we see a MAN IN HORNED-RIMMED GLASSES, staring with intent. The present […]

How long should it take to write a screenplay?

Tagged: business, film, producers, screenplay, screenwriting, script, scriptwriting, TV, writing

There is no set length of time it should take to write a screenplay, but professional screenwriters are often given deadlines they have to meet, so being able to write quickly and efficiently is certainly an asset. Feature deals usually allow for a 12-week writing period for the first draft, but the deadline is often […]

What screenplays should aspiring screenwriters read?

Tagged: awards, film, formatting, screenplay, screenwriting, script, scriptwriting, software, structure, WGA, writing

One of the best ways to figure out formatting, story, and other screenwriting questions is to read others’ screenplays. There is no set list of screenplays all aspiring screenwriters should read, but here is some general advice: Read screenplays by well known and reputable writers, so you know you are leaning from good examples. Many […]

What is a McGuffin?

Tagged: dramatic theory, film, screenplay, screenwriting, script, scriptwriting, terms, TV

A McGuffin (sometimes MacGuffin or maguffin) is a device that drives the plot, but has no real relevance. A good example is the briefcase in Pulp Fiction: viewers can speculate on its contents, but the truth is it doesn’t matter what’s inside; it’s just something to drive the plot. The term is often attributed to […]

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Go to page 1
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 4
  • Go to page 5
  • Go to page 6
  • Go to page 7
  • Go to page 8
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 18
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Switching from Final Draft to Highland 2

Switching from Final Draft
to Highland 2 – Get the PDF

© 2021 Screenwriting.io — All Rights Reserved.

  • Answers
  • About
  • Ask
  • Index