Bumping around the Writers Store website, I found this: “The New Spec Style”. Written by David Trottier, autheor of “The Screenwriter’s Bible: A Complete Guide to Writing, Formatting, and Selling Your Script,” the article provides a summary of a current spec script style guide including these tips:
Do not write CONTINUED at the top and bottom of each page.Do not write ‘continuing’ as a parenthetical when a character continues his/her dialogue after a paragraph of narrative description.
Do not number your scenes.
Avoid camera directions: ANGLE ON, CLOSE ON, POV, PAN, DOLLY WITH, TRUCK, ANOTHER ANGLE, ZOOM, PULL BACK TO REVEAL, ZIP PAN, CRANE SHOT, ECU, WE SEE, and so on.
Avoid editing directions: CUT TO, DISSOLVE TO, IRIS, WIPE.
The rest of the piece talks about parentheticals, author’s ‘intrusion,’ page count and so on. In general, Trottier’s observations echo those posted in the past on this site, and summed up nicely here:
Finally, don’t get paranoid about formatting rules; the story is the thing. Readers don’t care if you indent 10 spaces or 12 spaces for dialogue, just so long as it looks ‘about right,’ has a clean appearance, and (most importantly) reads well.
As you begin a new year, it’s a good idea to revisit these basics of screenplay ‘grammar.’
But surely, Trottier wouldn't mind, then, if we just let Final Draft do its own thing – with it's (MORE)s and (CONTINUED)s and everything?
Daniel, you can change those settings in both Final Draft and Movie Magic Screenwriter.
Thanks for the tip, Scott. Will definately be buying Trottier's new spec style book in the near future.
I'll definitely check that out. I slept with "the bible" under my pillow for a month.
I find that he replaced CAMERA ANGLE with SECONDARY HEADINGS and I try to use image or sound maps between scenes.
I do so long for better scene transitions in movies.
Changing those pesky settings on Final Draft is pretty easy, but from what I remember, in Trottier's "Screenwriter's Bible" he literally walks you through it.
I think Trottier's "Bible" is indispensable since he really tries to keep up with the times and the current trends in screenwriting, as opposed to an older guide that's been around for decades & uses outmoded formats.
I got Dave's new book Dr. Format Answers Your Questions (Third Edition, 2010 update) hot off the press (according to him) and it is a very worthy companion to The Screenwriter's Bible. I can also attest to the usefulness of The Freelance Writer's Bible.
He teaches some extension courses at UNLV a couple of times a year. Dave is as personable as his writing; he can tell you you’re flat out wrong and yet you feel like he helped you discover a little known secret of formatting.
Sure, and I'll of course change FD's default settings and really hone any script's form before subbing it anyway.
It just seems like if Trottier's overriding sentiment is "Don't get too paranoid with formatting, the story is the thing," so I'm just wondering, why is he suggesting we spend the time mucking about with Final Draft's defaults to begin with?
@Daniel: In response to your last question, one of the most fundamental goals of a screenwriter is to suck the reader into your story world. To the degree that 'scripty' lingo (like MORE, CONT'D) reminds the reader they are, in fact, reading a script, that can work against your goal. Speaking for myself, I find (CONT'D) as a character extension for consecutive sides of dialogue by a character or (MORE) breaks in dialogue to be an annoyance. Simply better if you don't include them – makes for a cleaner read and, as I say, less likely a reader will step 'outside' the story world you've lured them into.