We’re back with a few more formatting pointers for anybody out there who might be working on a spec script. These posts are not meant to be comprehensive or definitive, but just to help as you watch and break down a show on your own. As always, if you have further or more specific questions about any of the shows covered in these posts, feel free to e-mail us at library@wgfoundation.org. Remember, as always, the scripts in the WGF Library are often generously donated by the writers/production companies/studios. We are not the copyright holders of the materials and cannot e-mail you scripts, but during this time while the library is still closed, we can always advise about how to format your spec or pilot. Happy October!
ARCHER (FX)
Average page count: 35-37
Average scene count: 36 (but this can vary)
Broken into acts? Yes, 3 acts and a teaser
Other things to consider:
Archer is very consistent with its page count and act breaks. There’s not a lot of fluctuation in the length of the act breaks.
Most of the time, the teaser is 4-5 pages. The teaser ends with “MAIN TITLE SEQUENCE” capitalized (not underlined) on the left hand side of the page.
Each act is roughly 11-13 pages. Act breaks are formatted ACT ONE at the top of the page, then END OF ACT ONE when the act is over. Text is centered and underlined.
Act three ends with “SLAM TO CREDITS” CAPITALIZED (not underlined) on the left-hand side of the page.
Scene headings use two dashes - - instead of one.
Archer scripts are full of lively action sequences with great onomatopoeias. Like BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! And SCRREEEEEEECH! It’s part of the tone of the script. It’s also part of the show’s humor in its dialogue. (See “Hor-lee shit.” In the image below.)
A familiarity with secret agent tropes will obviously help in spec-ing this show.
BLACK LIGHTNING (The CW)
Average page count: 45
Average scene count: 43 (varies)
Broken into acts? Yes, 6
Other things to consider:
Keep in mind, we have an early draft of the pilot as well as two other episodes, so we don’t have quite as wide a sampling to break down.
Act one typically comes in around 6-9 pages. The rest of the acts can fluctuate somewhere between 4 and 10 pages.
Act breaks are formatted: ACT ONE centered and underlined at top of page, then END OF ACT ONE centered and underlined.
Act six ends: END OF EPISODE, centered and underlined.
A few pages into act one (or at the very end before the break), there is a main title cue. This is formatted: TITLE CARD: BLACK LIGHTNING capitalized and on the lefthand side of the page.
As with most action-oriented CW shows, Black Lightning uses act outs. This means that before the end of an act, there’s often a small cliff-hanger to help the audience come back after the commercial break. Acts often end “off of” a certain character’s reaction to something, helping us to anticipate how they’re going to react after the commercial.
The scripts are neat and clean with very few long descriptive paragraphs. Significant bits of action are CAPITALIZED.
This is an action/vigilante show, yes, but scripts are often warm and sweet in tone.
MYTHIC QUEST: RAVEN’S BANQUET (APPLE TV+)
Average page count: 33
Average scene count: Varies widely. In breaking the show down we saw 17-70 scenes per script
Broken into acts? No
Other things to consider:
This show is formatted mostly in the standard single cam comedy way.
While the scripts are not broken into acts, a few pages in there is a title cue. This is often formatted: MAIN TITLES: MYTHIC QUEST centered, bolded and underlined. (This can be a as few as 1 page in or as many as 5 pages in.)
Episodes end with END OF SHOW, centered, bolded and underlined.
Occasionally, there is a tag after the end of the episode. These are about a page long. TAG, centered, bolded and underlined at the top of the page, then END OF TAG centered, bolded and underlined at the end.
Scripts often contain Pootie-Shoe’s Live-Stream. This is indicated in the scene heading, i.e. - “INT. POOTIE-SHOE’S LIVE-STREAM” During these live-streams, Pootie-Shoe’s dialogue is in italics with a parenthetical (On Screen).
NEVER HAVE I EVER (NETFLIX)
Average page count: 31-ish
Average scene count: 40-ish
Broken into acts? Yes, 1 Cold Open and 3 acts
Other things to consider:
Act breaks are formatted: ACT ONE, top of age, centered, bolded, underlined, then END OF ACT ONE centered, bolded and underlined. The cold open is formatted the same: COLD OPEN; END OF COLD OPEN.
Scripts end (at the end of Act Three): END OF EPISODE, centered, bolded and underlined.
Scene headings are underlined. Common locations include: SHERMAN OAKS HIGH and VISHWAKUMAR HOUSE.
Don’t forget John McEnroe as the narrator. This is formatted: JOHN MCENROE (V.O.)
When flashbacks occur, they are noted in the scene headings, ie. INT. VISHWAKUMAR HOUSE - FRONT YARD - DAY - FLASHBACK
On the rare occasion that a different language is spoken, it’s written out in italics with the English translation in a parenthetical and quotation marks.
Dialogue is full of wit and unafraid of blocky speeches.
Descriptive paragraphs run a little longer — when visuals call for it.
Keep it fun, touching and sweet.
ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO (THE CW)
Average page count: 43-45
Average scene count: 45
Broken into acts? Yes, 6
Other things to consider:
Scripts are broken into six acts. Act one is typically the longest, averaging 9-13 pages. Acts two through five can be very short, sometimes only as few as 2-3 pages. Act six is around 6-8 pages.
Act breaks are formatted: ACT ONE, centered and underlined at top of page, then END OF ACT ONE centered and underlined. Act six ends with END OF EPISODE.
A few pages into act one, there’s usually a main title cue on the lefthand side: TITLE CARD: ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO in bold
Flashbacks are in BOLD in the scene headings, e.g. “INT. - LIZ’S BEDROOM - NIGHT - 2008 FLASHBACK” - note that just the “2008 FLASHBACK” bit is in bold.
Likewise, FLASH / CHYRON, etc. are in bold in the description. Essentially, significant cuts/shots/post-related directions are in bold, significant feelings are underlined.
Spanish is written in Spanish (with a subtitle parenthetical).
Don’t be afraid of visually juicy description and bigger blocks of descriptive text.
FIN. Happy writing!