How to Format a Feature Script for Hollywood: A Complete, Free Checklist

You’ve got a story that keeps you up at night, but if the pages look like a jumbled notebook, agents and producers will toss it faster than a bad take. Good formatting isn’t about vanity; it’s the first handshake between your script and the industry.

Why Formatting Still Matters

In a world where streaming platforms can upload a whole season in a day, you might think the look of a script is old‑school. It isn’t. A properly formatted script tells a reader, “I respect the craft and I know the business.” It also lets software like Final Draft or Celtx read your file without hiccups, and it saves the reader from having to guess where a scene starts or a character’s line ends. In short, clean pages = more chances to be read.

The Core Elements of a Hollywood Script

Page Size and Margins

• Paper size: US Letter (8.5 x 11 inches).
• Margins: 1.5 inches left, 1 inch right, top, and bottom. This gives room for binding and notes.

Font and Spacing

• Font: 12‑point Courier or Courier New. The industry uses a monospaced font so that one page roughly equals one minute of screen time.
• Line spacing: Single‑spaced for dialogue, double‑spaced for action and description.

Header and Footer

• Header: Title in all caps, centered, with your name and contact info on the left and right margins.
• Footer: Page numbers centered at the bottom, starting on the second page. The first page is never numbered.

Scene Heading (Slugline)

• Format: INT. or EXT. + LOCATION + – + TIME OF DAY (DAY, NIGHT, DUSK, etc.).
• Example: INT. COFFEE SHOP – DAY.
• All caps, left‑aligned. No extra punctuation.

Action

• Begins on the left margin, no indentation.
• Written in present tense, describing only what can be seen or heard.
• Keep it tight; a page of action should not be a novel.

Character Name

• All caps, centered above the dialogue line.
• If the character is off‑screen but speaking, add (V.O.) for voice‑over or (O.S.) for off‑screen after the name.

Dialogue

• Indented 1.5 inches from the left and right margins.
• No quotation marks.
• Parentheticals (wryly called “wrylies”) are allowed sparingly, placed directly under the character name and above the line of dialogue.

Transitions

• Right‑aligned, all caps. Common ones: CUT TO:, DISSOLVE TO:, FADE IN:, FADE OUT:.

Step‑by‑Step Checklist

Below is a free, printable checklist you can keep on your desk. Tick each box as you go; when the list is all green, you’re ready to send.

1. Paper & Margins

   • [ ] Set page size to US Letter.
   • [ ] Left margin 1.5", others 1".

2. Font

   • [ ] Font set to 12‑pt Courier (or Courier New).

3. Header

   • [ ] Title in caps, centered on first page.
   • [ ] Your name left‑aligned, contact right‑aligned.

4. Footer

   • [ ] Page numbers centered, start on page 2.

5. Scene Headings

   • [ ] All caps, INT./EXT., location, dash, time of day.
   • [ ] No extra punctuation.

6. Action Lines

   • [ ] Left‑aligned, present tense.
   • [ ] No more than two lines of description per beat.

7. Character Names

   • [ ] All caps, centered above dialogue.

8. Dialogue

   • [ ] Indented 1.5" from both sides.
   • [ ] No quotation marks.
   • [ ] Parentheticals used only when essential.

9. Transitions

   • [ ] Right‑aligned, all caps, only when needed.

10. Page Count

    • [ ] Feature length (90‑120 pages).
    • [ ] First page not numbered.

11. File Format

    • [ ] Save as .pdf for submission, .fdx or .celtx for drafts.

12. Final Scan

    • [ ] Run a spell‑check.
    • [ ] Read aloud to catch odd spacing or stray tabs.

Print this list, stick it on your monitor, and treat it like a safety checklist before a stunt. It saves you from embarrassing formatting errors that could cost you a meeting.

Common Pitfalls and Quick Fixes

• Tabs vs. Spaces: Many writers use tabs for indentation, but the industry expects exact measurements. Turn on “show hidden characters” in your software and replace tabs with spaces.
• Mixed Fonts: Accidentally pasting from Word can bring in Times New Roman or Arial. Run a “select all” and reapply Courier to wipe out hidden styles.
• Over‑describing: If you find yourself writing paragraphs of scenery, cut it down. Remember, the camera only shows what’s on screen.
• Forgotten Page Numbers: The first page is a classic trap. Set your document to start numbering on page 2, and double‑check after any major edit.
• Improper Sluglines: “EXT. PARK – NIGHT” is fine, but “EXT. PARK – NIGHT – RAIN” is not. Keep the slugline to the three required parts; add weather in the action line.

Putting It All Together

When you finish a draft, open it in a fresh window and run through the checklist. If you’re using Final Draft, most of these settings are built‑in; just make sure you haven’t turned off the default template. If you’re on a plain text editor, set the margins manually and use a monospaced font—yes, it looks a bit retro, but that’s the point.

A well‑formatted script does two things: it shows you know the rules, and it lets the story breathe without visual clutter. Think of it as dressing your character in a clean suit before they walk onto the red carpet. The audience (or the producer) will focus on the performance, not the wardrobe malfunction.

So grab your latest draft, pull up this checklist, and give your script the polish it deserves. Hollywood may be a tough crowd, but they’ll at least give you a fair look when the pages are tidy.