Playwriting Manuscript Format

Playwriting lecture on Standard Manuscript Format

[@feliciaigbani3367]

Thank you so much! You have no idea just how many talkative idiots I had to endure to get to you. You are a gem.

[@rmorse21]

It's helpful to note that when writing in a courier font, a "tab" is five spaces, or half an inch; therefore, five tabs equal two and one half inches.

[@ItWILLbeWONDERFUL_THERE]

Thank you for this instructive video. I'm more into novel writing, but I have one story that I WANT to be made into a stage play (fingers crossed) so I'm going to write it as a play. But first, knowing what the bleep I'm doing would be helpful . Again, much appreciated!

[@treadingtheboards2875]

First, a thank you for posting this, but as an Australian, it has led me to some confusion. This playwrite format seems to be American, and I have a number of scripts in this format, but I have been told that Australia has a completely different playwrite format, where the Character name is page left, with the dialogue commencing a tab or two from the name. (font is not mentioned.) This is the way I have been writing and have been getting conflicting comments from numerous groups over the years. I also have many scripts written in this format, which is very like old radio script format, which I also write. Also we use A4 paper, not Letter.

[@nuworldremix]

So pretty much the same exact format for screenplay writing. Easy enough!

[@lemonwoodcourt]

Great information! Thanks!

[@vivekvijaykumar43]

Thank you so much. That was really helpful.

[@JClark-ux1hz]

Thank you - very helpful!

[@reesethestone412]

This was very helpful thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@easybullet3]

in Screen-Play scripts (for film), it has to be an exact margin size, and directions are an exact indent, etc. and footer/header is an exact size, etc. Do Stage-Play manuscripts also need such a perfect format? If so, what are the margin and indentation measurements ?

[@kevinmcqueary7395]

does this format also work when writing a stage musical?

[@gaarax27bloom79]

Where would you put the act and scene numbers?

[@WimGrundy]

Yes.

[@father-phibian-frogkage]

Anybody else here because of a student project because you know I am

[@wilkensdautruche3675]

Doubled spaced or single?

[@rickmorse2463]

Wilkens Dautruche Single spaced throughout.

[@AndrodWorldMedia]

Why do some instructions for formatting say STAGE DIRECTIONS are italicized?

[@WBishop140]

After this brief intro it would have been helpful to have a "how to format" a play, meaning, to format one's computer. No one in his right mind is going to do all of this manually. Sadly, there is not much "out there" on this process. Everyone, it seems, is writing screenplays.

[@GenreFluid]

Wesley Bishop you could save it as a template on Microsoft word

[@AddendumDrive]

The "At rise' section is wonky and incorrect. Three lines begin at different tabs.

[@afrofantasylit]

It would have been useful to show the title page and cast of characters (dramatis personae). That is the standard. Here, you have combined the title page with the actual play. ☹