How to Format a Screenplay Uploaded to Word

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In that location's no need to drop hundreds of dollars for script writing software when y'all already ain the most powerful program out at that place: Microsoft Word! Producing a professional person screenplay with MS Word can be done in a number of ways. Whether you use macros (small programs which tape your keystrokes and automate repetitive tasks afterwards) or simply create some custom style and formatting options for yourself, your script will be set for Telly, film, or theatre in no time.

1. 1

   Open a new document. With MS Word running, select File from the carte du jour bar in the top left corner of the screen. Then, choose New. This volition give you a choice every bit to which style and layout y'all want the document to be created in.

2. 2

   Locate a screenplay template. In the search bar, type the give-and-take "screenplay." Currently, Microsoft offers 1 premade screenplay template for MS Give-and-take 2013/2016. Double click on it afterwards the search is completed. This volition launch the screenplay-formatted certificate.

   • In MS Word 2010, the steps are essentially the same. Open up a new document, and then select templates, and search Microsoft Part Online. Choose one of the two available, so download information technology.

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3. three

   Adapt the screenplay template as desired. There are no hard and fast rules governing the way in which screenplays are produced, though at that place are general guidelines, vocabulary, and mutual features. Cheque with the specific studio you're writing for to find out how to customize your specific document. Think about how to accommodate margins, font size, fonts, and line spacing.

4. 4

   Create your ain template. If yous've already written or have a screenplay saved on your hard drive, open it in MS Word. In Word 2013/2016, click File > Save Equally > Estimator. Type a name for your template in the file name box. And so, in the drop-down "save equally type" menu just beneath the file proper noun box, select Word Template. If the certificate contains macros, select Word Macro-Enable Template. Click salvage.^[1]

   • If you want to change the location where your template volition be saved, click File > Options > Save and blazon the folder path y'all desire to use in the default personal templates location box.

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1. i

   Consider using fashion and formatting patterns to format a screenplay. If yous're unhappy with the template layout provided by Word, yous can modify the manner and formatting of your document in society to create new formatting patterns. These patterns could be used again if y'all save them, or you can create a new template based on a document which uses these style and formatting rules. Yous could think of formatting as creating your own template.

2. two

   Select a line of text. The text might be a character name, a piece of dialogue, or some phase directions. Select the line of text by clicking the left button on your mouse with your cursor at the left edge of the line of text.^[2]

   • Alternately, you could highlight the text by clicking the left push of your mouse to the right or left of the line of text you desire to adjust.
   • Finally, you lot could highlight text by bringing up a blinking cursor inside the text you've written and holding downward the shift cardinal and an pointer key to highlight the text y'all want to format. To highlight text to the left of the identify your cursor is, agree the shift key and the left directional button. To highlight text to the right of the identify your cursor is, concur the shift cardinal and the right directional arrow.
   • If you lot accept multiple lines of text, you can select them at ane time and apply the formatting changes y'all desire to all highlighted lines.

3. 3

   Open the Styles and Formatting pane. With your text highlighted, click on the give-and-take "Format" on the menu bar. The drop down carte du jour will display several options. Click on the words "Styles and Formatting." This will open the Styles and Formatting pane.

   • Alternately, you can open the Styles and Formatting pane past clicking the Styles and Formatting button on the toolbar. Just click the Styles and Formatting push button located next to the script character drop-down carte du jour to open the pane. The button is found at the far left border of the toolbar. It contains 2 letter "A"s, each of a different color, with one positioned higher up and to the left of the other.

4. four

   Select text with like formatting. Correct click on the yet-highlighted text yous selected initially. A driblet-down card will open with a number of options. The bottom-most option reads "Select Text with Similar Formatting." Click on this option with the left push button of your mouse. All text with formatting similar to that which you highlighted originally volition become highlighted.

   • So, for instance, if you have all character names in a certain font and size centered exactly above a line of text, you can highlight a single instance of whatever character's proper noun, so utilize the "Select text with similar formatting" option to adjust all character names in your screenplay at once.

5. 5

   Select the format you lot want. Afterwards you've highlighted all the text you desire to assign a given style, cull a way from the pane on the right. The Styles and Formatting pane should still be open on the right of the screen. Choose the style format you desire to alter the highlighted text to by left-clicking on it.

6. 6

   Create a new style. If your highlighted text does not conform to an extant manner, you lot can assign the formatting and way within the highlighted text a name by clicking the button near the top of the pane which reads "New Style." You tin and so assign a name, align the text to left or correct, choose your font, and make other adjustments equally yous encounter fit.

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1. 1

   Think about why yous desire to ready a scene. Typically in a screenplay, the master scene heading (besides known equally a slug line) is the serial of words which broadly place the content which follows. For example, scene headings might read "INT. OFFICE - DAY" (interior office during the solar day). This helps orient the screenplay's reader to the scene.^[3]

   • Scene headings should, as in the same example, be in all caps, two lines downwardly from the last line of dialogue or description in the previous scene.

2. ii

   Prepare to record the macro. A macro is a sequence of saved commands which can be executed immediately by assigning them to a unmarried keystroke. To set your macro, set your margins. Format page margins by clicking on the Layout tab, then Margins, then Custom Margins. The top, bottom and correct margins should be set at 1". The left margin should be prepare to i.five". Set font to Courier New, 12 point. These choices are standard in screenplays. If you'd similar to work with a different layout, set your margins accordingly.

   • In Word 2007, prepare to tape the macro by setting your margins. Format page margins by clicking on the Folio Layout tab, then set the margins and font to the designations listed in a higher place. Then open the Developer tab. Display the Developer tab by opening the function button (the elevation left button), Discussion Options (at the bottom), under Pop cheque Testify Developer tab in the Ribbon.^[four]

3. three

   Click View > Macros > Record Macro. Blazon a name for the macro. Since this macro is for setting up scenes, assigning the proper noun "Scene heading" to this macro is a logical choice. Ensure yous've selected "All documents" at the bottom of the drop-downward carte reading "Store macro in."

   • In Discussion 2007, click Record Macro. This button is located on the left side of the developer tab.^[5] Shop the macro in Certificate one (instead of Normal, so that you tin save it equally a singled-out screenplay template). Proper noun the macro 'Scene' or 'Heading'. Click the keyboard icon to assign the macro to a keyboard shortcut. You tin can then press the keyboard push you wish to assign to the macro. For example, perhaps you desire to bind F2 to your macro. In the "Press New Shortcut Cardinal" box, printing F2 to bind it. Click Assign, then Close.

4. 4

   Click the keyboard icon. And then assign the macro to F2 (or whatsoever button you want to assign it to) using the "Press New Shortcut Key" clickable box. Click "Assign" or press Enter, and then click "Close."

5. 5

   Await for a tape recorder icon next to your mouse. Printing Enter on your keyboard twice to skip two lines. Get back into Page Layout tab (Layout tab in Discussion 2007)and modify both indentations back to 0. Open up the Home tab. Click on the bottom right corner of the Font section to open up the dialog box. And then in the Effects section, bank check All Caps and click OK.

6. 6

   Finish the macro. Click the View tab again. Click Macros > Finish Recording. F2 (your shortcut primal) volition at present skip two lines downwardly the folio and capitalize text, preparing you to enter a scene heading.

   • In Discussion 2007, go back to the Developer tab. Click Stop Recording. F2 (your shortcut key) will now skip two lines down and capitalize the text.

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1. 1

   Think about why you desire to create a macro for clarification. Description in a screenplay offers more info than does the elementary scene heading. It might offer details about the type of lighting, weather conditions, or other descriptions of the concrete location of the scene and its characters.^[half-dozen] Description is located two lines below the scene heading in a standard judgement format, with the offset alphabetic character capitalized and a period at the cease. For instance, below a scene heading like "INT. Function - Twenty-four hour period" we might read descriptive info such as "The window is open up and the lights are flickering on and off."

2. 2

   Open the Layout tab (Page Layout tab in Discussion 2007) and fix your margins. In the lesser correct corner of the Paragraph section, click the niggling icon that opens the dialog box. Set i'' indents before text and 1.5'' after text nether the Indentation section.

   • In Give-and-take 2007, display the Developer tab. Click the Office push at the superlative left, then become to Word Options (at the bottom), so nether Popular, check "Show Developer tab in the Ribbon."^[7]

3. 3

   Click View > Macros > Record Macro. Type a name for the macro. Since this macro is for description, assigning the name "Description" to this macro is a logical choice. Ensure you've selected "All documents" at the bottom of the driblet-down menu reading "Store macro in."

4. four

   Click the keyboard icon and assign the macro to F3 (or whatever button you want to assign it to) using the "Press New Shortcut Key" clickable box. Click "Assign" or press Enter, and so click "Shut."

   • In Give-and-take 2007, click Tape Macro on the left side of the ribbon. Store the macro in the aforementioned place y'all stored the other macro you created, and name it "Description." Click the keyboard icon and assign the macro to F3.

5. 5

   Look for a tape recorder icon next to your mouse. Hit Enter twice on your keyboard to skip a couple lines, and so go to the Layout tab (Page Layout tab in Word 2007) and move both indentations to 0. Next, click on the Home tab. In the lesser right corner of the Font section, select the little icon which opens the dialog box to open up it. Await under the Effects section, and then deselect All Caps. Click OK.

   • In discussion 2007, after deselecting All Caps, return to the Developer tab and press Stop Recording before continuing with the rest of the above directions.

6. 6

   Click the View tab again. Click Macros > Finish Recording. F3 will now skip ii lines downwards the page and exist lowercase. If yous do not bind the macro to the F3 key, F3 volition not be useful as a hotkey to setup descriptive passages in your screenplay.

   • In Word 2007, return to the Programmer tab and press Stop Recording instead of clicking Macros > Stop Recording.

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1. 1

   Create a macro for grapheme names. Characters and their dialogue or deportment typically follow the introduction and descriptive info which sets a scene. They should exist centered in all caps on the page with dialogue following on the line below.

   • To create a macro which will fix you to input graphic symbol names after writing scene description, repeat the aforementioned steps used to create a macro for description in MS Discussion 2013/2016, but:
     • a) after changing the indentation dorsum to 0 during recording, press the infinite bar 22 times, then select the All Caps and
     • b) proper noun the macro 'Grapheme' and assign it to F4. Be sure that the kickoff thing washed during recording is to skip downwards two lines.
   • Subsequently pressing Stop Recording, F4 will skip ii lines down the folio (thus bringing the cursor to the right character name position) and capitalize.
   • To create a dialogue macro for Word 2007, follow the directions for the clarification macro in Word 2007 but input the parameters outlined in the sub-steps to a higher place.

2. two

   Open the Layout tab (Page Layout tab in Discussion 2007) to fix your margins. In the bottom right corner of the Paragraph section, there's a niggling icon. Click it and a dialog box volition open up. Fix ane'' indents earlier text and one.v'' after text nether the Indentation section.

   • In Give-and-take 2007, brandish the Developer tab. At the superlative left of the Discussion window, there's a multicolored push known equally the Part push button. Click it and get to Word Options (at the bottom). Under Popular, bank check "Show Developer tab in the Ribbon."^[8]

3. 3

   Click View > Macros > Tape Macro. Type a name for the macro. Since this macro is for dialogue, assigning the proper name "Dialogue" to this macro is a logical choice. Ensure y'all've selected "All documents" at the bottom of the drop-down menu reading "Store macro in."

   • Click the keyboard icon and assign the macro to F5. Click "Assign" or press Enter, and then click "Close."
   • In Give-and-take 2007, click Record Macro. The button to record the macro is on the left side of the ribbon. Store the Macro in the same identify you stored the other macro you created, and name information technology "Description." Click the keyboard icon and assign the macro a button of your choice. For example, maybe you want to use F5. Click within the "Press New Shortcut Key" and so press the F5 button to assign this macro to F5.

4. 4

   Look for a tape recorder icon next to your mouse. Striking Enter one time on your keyboard to skip a line, then go into the Page Layout tab and motion both indentations to 0. Next, click on the Home tab. In the bottom right corner of the Font section, select the little icon which opens the dialog box to open up it. Look under the Effects section, and so select All Caps. Click OK.

   • Click the View tab again. Click Macros > Cease Recording. F5 volition now skip one line, utilise lowercase text, and gear up you to enter dialogue.
   • In Word 2007, instead of clicking Macros > Terminate Recording, printing Stop Recording in the Developer tab.

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• Question

  If each folio is supposed to equal one infinitesimal of screen time, what exercise I practice with a page that just has one paragraph of the action end that equals 1 minute?

  

  Just imagine that the activity is happening or mime through it.

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• Screenwriting devices which are used less frequently can be punched in manually (such as FADE IN:).

• Page numbers can exist inserted by selecting the Insert tab, then Page numbers, then Height of Page, and Plain Number 3. In the Design tab that pops upwardly, make sure the Header from peak is .5". Deselect Different First Page, and and then delete #1 considering the kickoff folio should not include a page number.

• Ensure y'all have enough lines per page. In Word, select Format, then Paragraph, Liner Spacing, and finally, select Exactly and 12 point. You'll now accept 12 points per line, the Hollywood standard for screenplays. This will enable you to fit the right number of lines on each page.

• Bank check your spelling and grammar. MS Give-and-take comes with a born spellchecker office.^[9] Information technology also provides limited grammatical correction.

• Remember, there are no accented rules regarding the formatting of a screenplay. Follow the conventions requested by the studio or theatre company y'all're writing for.

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• Earlier recording the macro, all the settings that y'all want it to accomplish should exist reversed or off.

• Disable the auto-correct office during the writing procedure in Word.

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Article Summary Ten

To write screenplays using Microsoft Word, use a template to create a polished script. Starting time by selecting "File" from the carte du jour bar and choosing "New." In the search bar, type "screenplay" to admission the premade template. If you're writing for a specific studio, cheque the guidelines for the margins, font size, font, and line spacing, which you can customize for your specific certificate. Alternatively, if you've already written a script or have a screenplay saved on your hard drive, open it in MS Word, click "File," and then "Salvage As" and type the proper name of your template in the file name box. Finally, in the drop-down menu, select "Give-and-take Template." To learn how to use fashion and formatting patterns to format a screenplay, keep reading!

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Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Write-Screenplays-Using-Microsoft-Word

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