Author and Poet Michael Allen

Screenplay Cove

Updates:

I just finished writing the full length feature drama entitled, A River in the Ocean. It’s based on the novel I recently wrote as well. The drama with a touch of comedy about a single father who is separated from his daughter after an accident puts him in a coma for nine years. She is raised by Maggie and Gilmer who have the best of intentions, but are not normal in any way, shape or form. Finding each other again is going to be difficult for the father and his daughter, especially since he doesn’t know he’s looking and she doesn’t know she’s lost.

 

Recently finished writing the full length feature thriller entitled, I Know Where You Are. A murderous internet stalker with the right smartphone apps can find any girl he wants at any time. But, it’s not their fault they are in his radar and there is only one deadly connection between them.

By far, the scariest story I have ever written. It is registered with the WGA.

 

The C3I is being considered by a production company based out of Hollywood. I sent them the logline and they were in contact with me immediately.

When a lady is found dead in an alley, it’s going to take the intuitive skill of investigators and the advanced technology of forensics to figure out what happened.  Too bad our team doesn’t have either.

Now, who wouldn’t want to at least see what that was about? It is registered with the WGA and I can’t wait to see what the production company has to say once they’ve finished reading it!

 

Wooji is a thriller about a neglected boy who finds a friend in the most awkward of circumstances. But, is his new friend simply a bad influence or just the spark of the evil that lies within?

The producer and I have been working closely on completing this project. The FX is close to completion and then he’ll start shooting.  I’ll get a cameo appearance in fact! Then, I’ll have imdb credits as both a writer and an actor. Looking forward to it!

 

For those of you who are visiting for the free Screenplay Template, you can download it here:

Template for Screenplay

 

Instructions:

How to use the Screenplay Template is quite simple. The first thing you have to do is assign CTRL+ commands. For instance, go the slug line and refer to the styles. Find the Slug style, right click and click modify. That’s where you assign commands. Give the slug line the CTRL+S command. Then, go through the rest of the styles in the same manner.

Save the template. Then when you are ready to write a screenplay, open the template, SAVE AS immediately and then begin to write your new screenplay. That way, you will always have the template to start.

Once you have the commands, put the title of your screenplay in the quotation marks on the cover page. Then place your name, address, phone and email where you are prompted.

On the first page, the title is at the top, centered and underlined. Leave “FADE IN:” as the first line after the title. Then, begin with your first slug.

Slugs are written in simple terms. Indicate inside or outside. Then, where and what time of day. INT means inside. EXT means outside. Time of day can be “Morning,” “Day,” “Afternoon,” “Evening,” “Night,” “Midnight,” “Dawn,” “Dusk.” It depends on how specific you want to get.

Day and Night – Use these when there’s either daylight or not, but the specific time doesn’t matter.

Morning, Afternoon, Evening – Use these to pinpoint a more specific time of day.

Dusk, Dawn, Midnight – These are even more specific times.

In all of my screenplay writing, those times are about as specific as I ever had to get. If you want 5:33 p.m. It might be best to indicate “Day” in the slug, then superimpose the time so that the audience can read what time it is. You can also put a clock on the wall or something else as equally creative.

Examples of a slug:

INT. CLEARWATER AIRPORT – DAY

EXT. CLEARWATER BEACH – NIGHT

Slugs are in all caps. But, using the template you’ll find that the format is done for you by using CTRL+S.  All other forms of formatting are setup the same way if you did what I first instructed you to do. Once you start using the template, you’ll find yourself getting more comfortable with the commands and moving through your screenplay much faster.

 

Additional Tips:

Every time you introduce someone for the first time, put their name in all caps. Ex: BARKLEY entered the room.

Capitalize props and sound commands. Ex: The BOOK flew against the wall and hit with a THUD.

Parentheses should be no longer than two lines. If it can’t be a quick personal direction, then put the direction in a line of body text above or below the dialog.

Voice Over (V.O.) and Off-Screen (O.S.) are two different things, but they are indicated the same way, in parentheses beside the character’s name. A Voice Over is written for narration. Off-Screen is dialog for a character who is not resident within the scene at that time.

BARKLEY (V.O.)

BARKLEY (O.S.)

 

When you get more advanced, you’ll want to try more advanced writing. But, the template is all you need to write your first screenplay by Hollywood Industry Standards.