When you print out a sript do you print it front and back or do you print it only front?

Only FRONT... well, in the book STANDAR SCRIPT FORMATS "great book by the way, go pick it up"  they say that a lot of newer writers in hollywood are doing in front & back.

I think it doesn't look right though.  It makes it seem to novel-like and not like what it is... a screenplay.  I have a screenplay of mine printed out front and back and it just doesn't appeal to me to read it in that format.

J.D.

Thanks. I printed out the first draft of my script front and back and it didn't look right. Oh man will it be thick when I print out my rewrite on only front.

Yeah, sadly it will be a lot thicker.  That's why a lot of new folks are doing it front and back in hopes of getting their screenplays read by an Agent or Producer better.  I don't know how effective that is though.  Reading front to back is more taxing on the reader I would believe.

I don't know...?  I'd just print it page to page only using the front.

I want to put together a series of 30 minute episodes in TV format, but I don't really know how to format a TV script. I just need to know where to put everything and things like that....can anyone help!??!?!

-Landon

TV formatting is very similar to screenplay formatting except that you need to make some act separations for the sake of commercial breaks. Most 30 minute shows have a Teaser, Two Acts, and sometimes an Epilogue.

The Teaser is usually 1-5 pages and is intended to hook the audience to come back after the main titles which play immediately following the teaser.

The Two Acts are usually 8-12 pages each depending on how long your teaser is and whether you will have an epilogue.

The Epilogue is usually only 1-2 pages and serves as a denouement for the episode or to give a final laugh over the end titles (such as Friends always did). Not all shows will have an epilogue, nor does every show need one.

The teasers and the two acts will all end on a major turning point in the story that will entice your audience to sit through the commercials to watch what happens next. While commercials aren't an issue on these forums, it never hurts to write the Acts as they need to be to accomodate them. All this should give you a 22-23 page script.

At the beginning of each section you write in CAPS and underline the heading for that section, such as:

TEASER

Write out the teaser stuff.

And at the end write:

END OF TEASER

The ending is optional, but it serves as a signal that this part is over. Same goes for the rest.

ACT ONE

Act One Stuff.

Big turning point where audience gasps.

END OF ACT ONE

Any questions, feel free.

Thanks, George! I knew about where to put the teaser and act one things because of reading series, but I didn't know how many acts to make, how long they should be, etc.

Thanks again!

One more question though. In Final Draft, there is an option to put a "Cold Opening," what is that?

A Cold Open is industry jargon for a teaser. It refers to jumping directly into the story without benefit of titles or credits. The titles may or may not run following this opening. Most TV shows do this nowadays, but it wasn't always so common in the early days of TV.

Check out http://www.tvwriter.com

Or take a look at Alex Epstein's blog http://complicationsensue.blogspot.com/