How to Write the Passage of Time in Your Screenplay

Time going by in film is an amazing opportunity for writers of all levels to put their creativity to the test. Some films opt for simple titles, while others write the passing of time into the very structure of the screenplay. But what is the best way to write the passage of time in your script?Continue reading How to Write the Passage of Time in Your Screenplay

How to Write Action Breaks in Dialogue — Examples & Tips

Many screenwriters are praised for their witty and captivating dialogue. A skill that is far too underappreciated, however, is the ability to effectively incorporate action within a dialogue scene. Let’s take a look at how to write action breaks in dialogue and why using action within dialogue can immediately make a scene better. Continue reading How to Write Action Breaks in Dialogue — Examples & Tips

How to Write Sluglines — Scene Heading Format & Creative Uses

Screenplays are a unique and often challenging medium for storytelling because they are essentially stories on the page made for the screen. It can be difficult for screenwriters to communicate the visuals of a film through screenwriting, but one of the best tools they have to do this is the slug line. They are used in various ways to communicate effectively and efficiently to the reader. Let’s examine how to write sluglines into a screenplay.Continue reading How to Write Sluglines — Scene Heading Format & Creative Uses

How to Write a Screenplay — Step-by-Step Process

Writing a screenplay can be hard. The blank white page dotted with a blinking cursor can be daunting. There’s no one way to turn that blank page into a hundred and twenty riveting ones, but there are a few time-tested steps you can take to make the process a little bit easier. Let’s look at how to write a screenplay. Continue reading How to Write a Screenplay — Step-by-Step Process

What Does O.S. Mean in a Script & How to Use It

In scriptwriting for film and television, some numerous terms and abbreviations guide the narrative flow. One such term is O.S. But what does it mean, and how does it influence the way a story unfolds? In this article, we’ll take a look at the applications of O.S. dialogue, its significance in storytelling, and how it is used to shape suspense, scenes, and ultimately, add to the reading experience of a scene.Continue reading What Does O.S. Mean in a Script & How to Use It

How to Write a Character Cue in a Screenplay

  The goal of a great screenplay is to tell a great story in a cinematic way through the page. A key aspect of this is writing character cues.  Without the visual ability of seeing which character is talking in dialogue scenes, character cues allow readers to clearly follow the flow of dialogue. In this article, we’ll take a look at how to write a character cue in a screenplay.  Continue reading How to Write a Character Cue in a Screenplay

What is a Chyron — Definition, Examples and How to Write Them

What is a chyron? It’s a word we hear every now and then and seem to always wonder: what the heck does that mean? Well not anymore, because today we’re going to answer the question “what is a chyron?” by defining the term and by looking at chyron examples in television. By the end, you’ll be ready to shock your family and friends when they inevitably ask: what is a chyron?Continue reading What is a Chyron — Definition, Examples and How to Write Them

How to Write Quick Cuts in a Screenplay — Examples and Tips

One of the more difficult cinematic aspects to communicate through a screenplay is pacing. Oftentimes, pacing relies on the cutting of shots and scenes. While the lengths of scenes can help give a reader the overall pacing of a film, how do you communicate the pacing of quick cuts within a scene? In this article we’ll teach you how to write quick cuts in a screenplay. Continue reading How to Write Quick Cuts in a Screenplay — Examples and Tips

How to Format a Screenplay in Google Docs — A Writer’s Guide

How do you format a screenplay in Google Docs? Is it even possible? We will answer both of these questions as well as look at alternatives to Google Docs, add-ons that can improve the writing experience in Google Docs, and common screenplay formatting pitfalls. We will also explore the most useful built-in features the software offers and let you know where else these features can be found. Professional formatting is pivotal in whether or not a screenplay is taken seriously in the industry. Let’s find out if achieving professional-level formatting is possible in Google Docs. Continue reading How to Format…