Step-by-Step Blueprint for Formatting a Feature-Length Script in Final Draft

You’ve just finished the last page of your story, the characters are breathing, and the climax hits like a punch. Now the real work begins: getting that script into the exact shape producers expect. A cleanly formatted script isn’t just a pretty look—it’s the ticket that lets your story be read without a hitch. Here’s a no‑fluff guide that walks you through every click and setting in Final Draft, so you can focus on the story, not the spacing.

Why Proper Formatting Matters

In the industry, a script is a business document. Editors, agents, and producers skim dozens of pages a day. If your margins are off or your dialogue blocks look odd, they’ll flag it before they even read a line. Good formatting shows you respect the craft and the reader’s time. It also protects you from accidental mis‑pages that could change a scene’s pacing.

Getting Started: Set Up a New Project

1. Choose the Right Template

When you open Final Draft, you’ll see a list of templates. Pick “Feature Film”. This template already has the standard 1‑hour‑40‑minute page count in mind and sets the correct margins (1.5 inches left, 1 inch right, top and bottom). If you ever work on a TV pilot, there’s a separate template for that.

2. Verify Page Settings

File → Page Setup – Make sure the paper size is Letter (8.5 x 11).
Margins – Left: 1.5", Right: 1", Top: 1", Bottom: 1".
Header/Footer – Turn them off. Scripts never have page numbers in the header; they belong in the footer.

The Core Elements: Title Page, Scene Headings, Action, Dialogue

Title Page

Your title page is the first impression. It should include:

Title – Centered, all caps, about three lines down from the top.
Written by – Your name, centered under the title.
Contact info – Email and phone, lower left corner.
Draft date – Lower right corner.

Final Draft automatically places these items if you use “Title Page” from the Elements menu. Just fill in the blanks.

Scene Headings (Sluglines)

Scene headings tell the reader where and when the action happens. The format is:

INT. LOCATION – DAY

EXT. LOCATION – NIGHT

Final Draft will auto‑capitalize and align these to the left margin. To insert one, hit Ctrl+Enter (or Cmd+Enter on Mac) and type the heading. The software will keep the correct spacing between the dash and the time of day.

Action

Action lines describe what the audience sees. Keep them tight—no more than three lines per beat. In Final Draft, action is the default element, so just start typing after a scene heading. The software will wrap the text at the correct width (about 3.5 inches from the left margin).

Dialogue

Dialogue is where the magic lives. After a character’s name (centered, all caps), hit Enter and type the speech. Final Draft automatically indents the dialogue block and adds a parenthetical line if you need one (e.g., (whispering)). A quick tip: press Tab after the character name to jump straight to the dialogue field.

Fine‑Tuning the Look

1. Character Name Formatting

Make sure every character name is entered exactly the same way each time. Final Draft stores names in the Character List. If you type a new name, hit Ctrl+Shift+K (or Cmd+Shift+K) to add it. This prevents the software from treating “JOHN” and “John” as separate entries, which can mess up the cast list later.

2. Parentheticals

Use parentheticals sparingly. They belong directly under the character name, indented the same as dialogue. In Final Draft, just type the parenthetical in parentheses; the program will keep the correct spacing.

3. Transitions

Transitions (CUT TO:, DISSOLVE TO:) are right‑aligned. In Final Draft, select Transition from the Elements menu, or press Ctrl+Shift+T. The software will push the text to the right margin automatically.

Exporting and Sharing

When you’re ready to send the script out, go to File → Export and choose PDF. PDF preserves all your formatting, no matter what computer the reader uses. If you need a plain text version for a contest that only accepts .txt, use File → Save As → Text—Final Draft will strip out the formatting but keep the essential structure.

Quick Checklist Before You Hit Send

[ ] Title page complete and centered.
[ ] All scene headings follow INT./EXT. format.
[ ] Margins are 1.5" left, 1" elsewhere.
[ ] No double‑spaced action lines.
[ ] Character names consistent throughout.
[ ] Parentheticals used only when necessary.
[ ] Transitions right‑aligned.
[ ] PDF exported with “Print” quality.

My Own Oops Moment

I remember my first big pitch. I’d spent weeks polishing the story, but I’d forgotten to turn off the header in the final draft file. The producer’s assistant called me “about the weird header on page three.” I laughed it off, but the lesson stuck: the smallest formatting slip can distract a reader from the story you worked so hard to tell. Since then, I always run through the checklist above before any submission. It saves me from those embarrassing moments and lets the script speak for itself.

Final Thoughts

Formatting isn’t the glamorous part of screenwriting, but it’s the foundation that lets your story be heard. Final Draft does most of the heavy lifting; you just need to know which buttons to press and when. Follow this blueprint, run the quick checklist, and you’ll hand in a script that looks as professional as the story inside it.