Golden rule of screenwriting #1- Write like a pro
This is serious business. So make it look serious.
Take it from a former creative executive in Los Angeles, you want your script to look JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE'S! That is the format must be industry standard. Do not use MS Word or Google Docs tabbing all over the place to write your screenplay because it will stick out and instantly label you as an amateur. Green. A rookie. You want to look the same as the pro’s, so your content is judged on its brilliance, not its format.
Believe me, it is a tough enough game out there just to get your stuff read, so don’t make your reader skeptical from the start by broadcasting loud and clear that you are new to the field. Go out now and download some professional screenwriting software to make you at least appear competent in the craft, then wow them with your words. That is how you will stand out.
In the good ol´ days back in L.A. when I was a reader for production companies, and later a creative executive, I would go home on the week-end with literally a stack of 10 spec (“speculation”) screenplays. Whoa, hold your horses, hi-ho Silver! Fun film fact Google/Wiki 1 minute trivia break! in case you probably have no clue, Silver was at one point the most famous horse on the planet, by far, even if Silver was played by several animal actors, just like Toto, Babe the pig or even Jaws. Well actually Jaws was a fish, and a robot, but there was more than one used in the movie! Silver was owned by good guy Lone Ranger who liked to shout “Hi-ho Silver” when he wanted the world-famous horse to chase after bad guys. So thus, to ramble on, I am remiss, because “Hi-ho Silver!” means “Let’s go!” not hold your horses. But go watch him shout those famous words on Youtube, it’s pretty hilarious.
But actually point number 2, the actual reason for the wiki break, was to define “Spec script” a common term in LA anyway for us newbies peddling our wares to the industry.
A “spec script” is a screenplay written on “speculation” in hopes that someone out there in “the business” will want to buy it (and make it!). Kind of like speculating for gold back in the 1800’s, with about the same success rate.
So anyyyyyway, I would go home with my pile of “Spec” screenplays. 105-120 pages each, 8x11 paper fresh from the copy machine, with 3 brass brads holding each one together. Being a writer myself, I was sympathetic to writers that ignored that first golden rule of screenwriting, so I usually read (and probably suffered) through their scripts anyway, but even subliminally, I was already skeptical of the quality due to the amateur formatting. One particularly challenging screenplay is still burned in my memory: it was about Formula One racing and the screenwriter had attached a Matchbox miniature Formula One car to the cover page, which made it impossible to fit in my briefcase with the other normal scripts. That was annoying, so trust me, you do not want your screenplay to stick out in any way, shape, or form. Aside from its brilliance
What is the best screenwriting software out there?
At some point I will venture into those waters again and do a taste test - it has been a while - but in very simple terms you have 2 choices, free or paid. They all use the same industry standard format, they just have different bells and whistles. If you can swing a couple of hundred bucks, sure, it’s worth it to indulge in the industry leader’s product, Final Draft.
I have been using Final Draft since it was born (I believe it is now up to version 13), so it is kind of on par with iphones, which I also have had since they were hatched. Both are kind of expensive, but probably worth it.
There are loads more do-dads and knick-knacks than the earlier versions (like it can actually read your script back to you out loud now, even if it does sound like a cyberdroid or R2D2 in English), but the simple industry standard stuff hasn’t changed. You can find it here..and no, I don’t get a kick-back if you splurge on it.
https://store.finaldraft.com/final-draft-13
If you are a starving student or starving screenwriter waiting tables somewhere, go for a free version. I used to suggest Celtix but I think you can only access it on-line now and you really need to be able to work off-line and easily export pdfs. Most companies offer free trials, so for your first screenplay no problem, but future ones will probably be plastered with big annoying watermarks, or even limited to like 30 pages. “Highland” is a freebie favorite of a lot of writer/bartender/waiters that I know. It looks like there is still a free version, but also a pro version. If you are new to the craft I would say go play with their free version and if the pro-version has something you need and isn’t too outrageously expensive, go for that. Here is a link:
https://highland2.app/screenwriters.php
Does formatting matter?
Oh yeah. Don't mess that up. Learn the basics from the software tutorial, including shortcuts, and then I would suggest that you pick one of your favorite movies and read the screenplay. It will help you get used to the flow from a pro.
There are lots of free resources online providing actual screenplays for free. “Simply Scripts” has been one cool site I have often pointed other screenwriters to. There is a tab for Oscar winners which are always a good read. Here's a link:
https://www.simplyscripts.com/oscar_winners.html
Write, write, write...
Now get to it. Pound out a few pages to make your stuff look like a pro..and when you got that down, start focusing on the content so you can get your work made. Like a pro. Go nuts.
