What are the formats for writing plays?

First of all, it is obvious that the script is different from any literary form. It is often seen that some friends turn scripts into novels or biographies, which is wrong, at least unprofessional. The script has its own special format, and writing the script is a technical job to some extent.

Writing plays is not a very noble artistic creation. This is just an ordinary job. A playwright is no different from a cleaner. It's a very ordinary job. Everyone can write a script and be a director. Of course, since it is a type of work, it has its own norms. These specifications may not make you an expert soon, but at least they can make you look like an expert. Or, don't let your poor format be the reason for reviewers to shoot your manuscript. Because a reviewer has to read three or four manuscripts every day, if your script format doesn't look very professional, he has every reason to turn over a few pages and put your script in the corner to cool. Let's look at the common mistakes in script writing:

Me: I wrote the script into a novel.

As mentioned above, it is not impossible for a friend to write a script into a novel, but it is a literary script and can't be used to guide shooting and production at all. For example, you can spend a few pages in a novel to write about a person's life experience, background and family composition, or use a few pages to describe the protagonist's psychological struggle process, but these things can't be shown on the movie screen. Your script is a screen, and what you want to show is what the audience can see and feel directly on the movie screen. Things like psychological activities can't be well expressed. Add narration? Of course, unless you can stand the voice-over of the protagonist, read a few pages of novels in a still life camera. The movie * picture is an expression of emotion, and your script is a movie picture. If you want to write it from the perspective of the lens, it may cause the second problem.

II: unnecessary camera labels

If you write the script like this: on the No.5 lifting platform, shake it from 8.5m to 2m .................................................................................................................................... with a Panna 70 camera and 60mm lens, and you don't need to teach him how to shoot. It's none of your business. You don't have to worry about the camera when writing a script. But if it's not a script, don't think about the camera? No, what you need to consider is the relationship of the camera, not the position. The script has its own special camera terminology. Using these terms more often can make your scripts professional, or at least look professional.

1. Angle on Angle Alignment: For example, BILL walks out of the convenience store and the camera is aimed at BILL.

2. The main expression of approval is: Bill is in a crowded square, but the main expression is Bill.

Another angle: The lens from another angle shows that Bill is having a good time in the big square.

4. Wider angle: First show Bill drinking coke in the corner of the square, and then reduce the square showing Bill.

5. New Angle New Angle: Show Bill drinking Coke from another angle to enrich the lens.

6.POV point of view: Look at things from Bill's point of view. Is the first-person perspective.

7. Backhand corner: Bill and Sally dance together, first taking pictures of Sally seen by Bill, and then taking pictures of Bill seen by Sally. Usually, their POV is opposite.

8. Angle above the shoulder: The camera looks over Bill's shoulder and sees Sally. Bill's shoulder can naturally be divided into pictures, which is a very common type.

9. Moving the lens Moving the lens: including following, translation, following, etc. Anyway, the camera is moving. As for how to move, it is not a question to consider now.

10. Two shots: Bill and Sally are chatting while drinking coke. Don't move the camera of this lens at will to prevent "off-axis". There is a shaft connecting Bill and Sally, and the camera can only move on one side of the shaft. If we cross this axis, the positions of Bill and Sally will be switched left and right on the screen, which will cause visual logic confusion to the audience.

1 1. (Close shot) Close shot: Emphasize Sally's beautiful eyes, but generally use them sparingly.

12. Insert: A close-up of something, such as it's getting late. Sally asked Bill what time it was. Bill raised his hand, and then he could take a close-up of Bill's watch. Of course, you can also use this lens to change the scene. For example, when Bill took off his watch, the camera saw a dance in the evening.

The above is the description format of the shot in the script, just look at an example. This is the specific writing format:

The scene description should be bold, the time and place should be bold, and it should be left.

The sound effects appearing in the scene should be marked in bold.

The name of the first character should be centered in bold.

The dialogue between characters should be centered, with blank spaces on both sides, and the dialogue between different characters should start on a new line.

Point out the relationship between cameras.

Indicate the scene change, "cut to" is hard cut, "change to" is the effect of adding transition, all on the right.

If special effects are used, they should also be marked in bold.

A complete screenplay is about 120 pages. A two-hour movie is about 1 10 to 120 pages, with seven scenes. A 90-minute movie is about 90 pages, and there are also 7 scenes.

Script format:

Title of the screenplay (capitalized and underlined)

author

Your name (the author's name)

The name of your agent or lawyer.

address

telephone

* * * * * (Please indicate the registered copyright here)

"Title of the script" (you can write it here or not)

Fade in (thus entering the script)

Exterior-in front of a newsstand at the university gate in the afternoon (this is the person in charge of the scene)

Jon, who is in his twenties, is about 173CM tall, with slightly long hair and a little decadent. He came from the newsstand with a mobile phone to dial the number. Then Jon put the phone to his ear.

(Double-line spacing indicates angle conversion)

(voiceover) Your phone is down. Please call1* * for details.

Jon (forcibly and helplessly taking the phone off his ear) Shit,

He shook his head, turned and walked straight to the shop next to him.

Internal/External Newsstand-Afternoon (indicate internal and external newsstands)

Jon picked up the phone and dialed a number quickly and skillfully. In the background, we can see all kinds of magazines and newspapers on the newsstand.

Fatty, please. How is your business? (pause)

Jon has a stiff smile on his face.

Jon (Continue) (Continue) You won't watch your brother die, will you? (pause)

Jon suddenly became serious.

Jon (continue) (continue) (a little impatient) So if you can't get 500, why don't you get 300? (pause)

Jon (Jon's expression is more stiff) What? Only 50?

(Because the writing format of the movie script is mainly introduced here, the content of the above script is omitted. )

switch to

Interior University Student Dormitory-During the day (the beginning of a new scene)

Jon held his face (helplessly), then rubbed his face and eyes with a sigh, then reached for half a cigarette butt on the table, lit it skillfully with a lighter, took a deep breath, and the exhaled smoke filled the air, but Jon's eyes were so dim that he stood there motionless!

Fade out (you can write fade out or end after the script is completed)