Lessons
Script Layout Formats
Please review the terms and definitions used in the learning modules dedicated to importing/exporting/editing a script:
Action / description of action – the description of events in the scene, located below the scene title in the script. A description of action must be preceded by a row break.
Character – the character’s name (to be fully capitalised at all times). A character’s name must be preceded by a row break.
Dialogue – a character’s line, speech delivered by the character. To be typed without any indent/empty row immediately following the character’s name. There must be no row breaks within a dialogue.
Remark – an explanation in the text of the script concerning the setting, actors’ behaviour, etc. (description of the tone of voice, other details). To be provided in brackets preceding the character’s statement that it relates to. A remark must be neither preceded nor followed by row breaks.
Script formats
FilmToolz supports several script formats: the international format and the Russian format. The differences between these two are minor, but they exist. Therefore, we will tell you about each format and highlight their key differences that you have to be aware of when exporting files to FilmToolz.
International format
In the learning modules dedicated to importing/exporting/editing the script, we often refer to the “Hollywood standard” of script formatting developed over the years by the global movie industry and recommended in the USA and other countries.
The standard specifications are as follows:
Font type: Courier New;
Font size: 12;
Alignment: left;
Page margins:
- Top – 2.54 cm (1”),
- Bottom – 2.54 cm (1”),
- Left – 3.81 cm (1.5”),
- Right – 2.54 cm (1”; deviations within the range of 0.5–1.25” are possible);
Indent before the “Character” module:
- From the left edge of the page – 9.3 cm (3.7”), or 5.5 cm from the boundary of the left margin (2.2”);
Indent before the “Dialogue” module:
- From the left edge of the page – 6.35 cm (2.5”), 2.54 cm from the boundary of the left margin (1”);
- End of dialogue – about 10.5 cm from the left margin;
Indent before the “Remark” module:
- From the left edge of the page – 7.8 cm (3.1”), 4 cm from the boundary of the left margin (1.6”).
Russian format
The Russian format is often construed by Russian script-writers as the standard used to develop scripts in the KIT Scenarist software.
The specifications of the Russian standard and its key differences from the international standard are as follows:
Font type: Courier New;
Font size: 12;
Alignment: left;
Bold type, italic, and underline are NEVER used.
Page margins:
Top – 2.5 cm,
Bottom – 1.25 cm,
Left – 3.75 cm,
Right – 2.5 cm.
No other differences.
“Paragraph” parameter “Character” module:
Left – 6.75 cm, no other differences.
“Paragraph” parameter “Dialogue” module:
Left – 3.75 cm, right – 3.75 cm, no other differences.
“Paragraph” parameter “Remark” module:
Left – 5.5 cm, right – 4.5 cm, no other differences.