Formatting a tv script.

scififan

I was wondering how to format a TV script as I've been looking at a lot of them and they seem to come in different formats. Here's an example:

Previously on the 4400
Flashbacks to season one

Six Months Later

Richard is running through some woodland. The sound of a baby can be heard in the background.
Richard: Isabelle! Isabelle!

A loud scream is heard, followed by a gunshot. Richard see's blood on his hands and begins to scream.

He suddenly wakes up and sits up in bed, waking Lily
Lily: What is it baby? It's a bad dream.
Richard: It's the same one.


And here's the other one:


3 REVERSE ANGLE - INT. BRIDGE - THE SARATOGA (OPTICAL)

A Battle Bridge... a male Vulcan Captain, a burly male Bolian
tactical officer (Lieutenant rank), female humans at Con and
Ops (Ensign rank)... our primary attention is on Lieutenant
Commander BENJAMIN SISKO, the first officer, a rugged,
charismatic man in his late thirties... they react to the
viewscreen pronouncement... Sisko is monitoring signals on a
panel...

SISKO
Sir, Admiral Hanson has deployed the
Gage, the Kyushu and the Melbourne...


DEEP SPACE: "Emissary" REV. FINAL 08/12/92 - TEASER 2.

3 CONTINUED:

CAPTAIN
Move us to position alpha, Ensign...

CON OFFICER
Aye, sir...

CAPTAIN
Load all torpedo bays... ready
phasers...

Which one is right or are both accepted?
 

xhouseboy

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In the UK TV industry, different in-house formats are used for different dramas Writers hired for these shows are then shown previous scripts and instructed to stick to that format.

Your second example looks like the shooting script.

But ifyou're submitting a spec script of an original premise, it won't really matter if you don't stick to a particular format that the prod-co has perhaps used on previous projects.

There's a few examples of TV scripts on Final Draft.
 

scififan

Do you think that since I'm just a beginning writer, that it would be best just to stick to the first format that I posted?
 

dreamsmadetext

I've read a lot of TV scripts and the first one looks very odd to me. Traditionally, you don't put the dialogue on the same line as the character name.

The format is very important because the page count needs to reflect an accurate running time.

Both Final Draft and Movie Magic Screenwriter come with templates for a number of shows. If the show you want to write isn't listed, you can use the default template for the format you're writing (drama or sitcom).

If you can't afford a screenwriting program, you can still download the Final Draft demo and look at the templates.
 

xhouseboy

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Personally, I wouldn't use either one, not in a spec script. Although different criteria may apply in the US. The first example seems to be an in-house requirement. The second has too many technical details relevant to that particular show- and you want to steer clear of that style at such an early stage.

I would use one of the examples shown in FD.
 
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