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dialogue Do I format my dialogues correctly?

spanielkoffa

spanielkoffa

I noticed that paragraphs in my scripts and professional screenplays are quite different. Look at the photos. I put the dialogues in the middle (second photo) and then, on the beginning (third photo) of the page and honestly, I feel like it doesn't still look like the first one, as it should. Does it really matter? I put these purple lines on the photos to show what I exactly mean.
 

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What screenwriting software are you using?

You CAN'T do it properly in Word or any other word processing program.

Final Draft is considered the "industry standard" but it's expensive and there are plenty of other cheaper or free alternatives.

Fade In has a free option and so does Writer Duet.
Celtx is good and isn't super expensive on a monthly basis.
 
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mlesemann said:
What screenwriting software are you using?

You CAN'T do it properly in Word or any other word processing program.

Final Draft is considered the "industry standard" but it's expensive and there are plenty of other cheaper or free alternatives.

Fade In has a free option and so does Writer Duet.
Celtx is good and isn't super expensive on a monthly basis.
Click to expand...
I write my scripts in Word (I'm a beginner). I read somewhere that it is okay to write them there. Is it a big deal if I write these dialogues like on the photo number one, two or three? Tbh, I don't want to change the program just because of it..
 
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spanielkoffa said:
I write my scripts in Word (I'm a beginner). I read somewhere that it is okay to write them there. Is it a big deal if I write these dialogues like on the photo number one, two or three? Tbh, I don't want to change the program just because of it..
Click to expand...
The very best thing a beginner can do is learn and use proper format.
So you're on the right track.

It's okay to write in Word - it's just more difficult to get it right.

Left Margin is 1.5 inches (appx.15 spaces)
From Left Margin justified left tabs:
Character name is appx. 25 spaces
Parenthetical is appx. 21 spaces
Dialogue is appx. 15 spaces
Dialogue should not run longer than 3.5 inches.
Use an unjustified 1.0 right margin.
1.0 inch top and bottom
 
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directorik said:
The very best thing a beginner can do is learn and use proper format.
So you're on the right track.

It's okay to write in Word - it's just more difficult to get it right.

Left Margin is 1.5 inches (appx.15 spaces)
From Left Margin justified left tabs:
Character name is appx. 25 spaces
Parenthetical is appx. 21 spaces
Dialogue is appx. 15 spaces
Dialogue should not run longer than 3.5 inches.
Use an unjustified 1.0 right margin.
1.0 inch top and bottom
Click to expand...
Thank you so much for this ❤
 
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These programs are good, but there are two things that bother me a lot - I can create max 1 project (Studio Binder) and max 3 projects (WriterSolo) and I can't work on two projects at the same time. Do you know any free programs which don't have such limits? (if any exist...)
 
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spanielkoffa said:
These programs are good, but there are two things that bother me a lot - I can create max 1 project (Studio Binder) and max 3 projects (WriterSolo) and I can't work on two projects at the same time. Do you know any free programs which don't have such limits? (if any exist...)
Click to expand...
I use studio binder for free, and my "one" max project has over a dozen individual screeplays in it.
Nothing stopping you from writing multiple projects, you just have to organize them in one project as difffernetly named files
 
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That's great, 'cause I have a lot of movies and series to materialize and it's just impossible to get it in one script. Sorry for my stupidity, but can you show where you found it? 😅 Everytime I come into screenplay, the same script opens up and I can't create any new ones.
 
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spanielkoffa said:
That's great, 'cause I have a lot of movies and series to materialize and it's just impossible to get it in one script. Sorry for my stupidity, but can you show where you found it? 😅 Everytime I come into screenplay, the same scripts opens up and I can't create any new ones.
Click to expand...
If youre already in a script then at the top of the screen there is a Screenplay button you can press.
There's an orange New Screenplay button in the upper right

and there is also a Write->Screenplay tab on the left. just poke around.
 
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sfoster said:
I use studio binder for free, and my "one" max project has over a dozen individual screeplays in it.
Nothing stopping you from writing multiple projects, you just have to organize them in one project as difffernetly named files
Click to expand...
I duplicated one script that I have some another ones yet. Is that what you meant saying you had a dozen scripts in one project?
 

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spanielkoffa said:
I duplicated one script that I have some another ones yet. Is that what you meant saying you had a dozen scripts in one project?
Click to expand...

Hah not quite, but close enough. You can rename those duplicated scripts and the delete the insides and viola you have a new separate script.
I simply use the orange "New Script" button in the upper righthand corner but the end result is the same
 
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I'm so happy, cause I can save as many scripts as I want, so these "3 projects" are probably some kind of gropus you can keep screenplays in, which I don't need as I keep my scripts in folders on the computer, so great 💃🏽
 
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