question about FADE IN: / FADE OUT:

are they supposed to have these behind them? : ::: :

like CUT OUT: does? these :::::: :

or are they supposed to be like this?

FADE IN

FADE OUT

or

FADE IN:

FADE OUT:

Fade in has : but Fade out has .

So,

Fade in:

Fade out.

gotcha, thanks!

Rapture, you're incorrect man..

FADE IN:

                                                                                                        FADE OUT:

That's how they are..

The above are termed as transitions and any transition whether on the right or left of the page are always completed by a colon..

All screenplays should begin with a FADE IN: and end with a FADE OUT:

It's always nice to add:

THE END

at the end of a screenplay also..

I thought FADE IN: was right aligned now (changed within a couple years).  Is this incorrect?

If it leads into a slugline, it has the colon. The period is not always there, though.

For instance, FADE IN would be used:

FADE IN:

EXT. CEMETARY

FADE OUT leads into nothing, so it would be FADE OUT. It shoudl be flush right double spaced after the final line of action and actually contains no period or anything following it, though it can if you feel so inclined.

There is a seldom used convention that rarely has an application but it has come up before. It involves an action line leading directly into a slugline where a secondary heading would not be appropriate.

INT. FACTORY

Joe runs through the factory dodging large pieces of equipment. He slams into the outside door. Bright floods into:

EXT. SOMEWHERE OTHER THAN OUTSIDE THE FACTORY - DAY

Married transition. ta-da!

Why does Final Draft push Fade In to the right instead of the left where it is supposed to be?

The only way around that is to put FADE IN: as action instead of a transition like it's supposed to be.

Transitions are usually right justified with the exception of FADE IN. That's a reason why you need to know some formatting even if you do have a program that helps. Final Draft also imports secondary headings as sluglines and I have to classify them as actions too, since they aren't supposed to the double spaced. Same goes for intercuts, montages, series of shots, and quite a few otherthings that FD has no classification for. It handles the major stuff, but for the detail work, you still need to know what you're doing.

I personally don't even think it matters how you type FADE OUT, because in one of my spec scripts that I sent out, I ended with

                                   CUT TO:

END CREDITS

and I didn't receive any negative feeback on it.  They said they liked the story and that's all that matters.

So if you write a decent enough story, I don't think it matters what your FADE OUT looks like.  I don't know if companies are really anal about formatting like that, but if they are and they don't accept your script, it's probably not a bad thing because if they did buy it they would probably be real dickheaded about your involvement and/or rewrite ideas during the whole process.  

Just my two cents.    

I learned everything I know from reading screenplays, I use Final Draft because it formats screenplays in the right column. Otherwise it's useless.

I am fond of the extras in FD. I really don't need it for the formatting.

could we BE bigger geeks?

Yes, if you actually spend 200 bucks on a program like Final Draft which George himself said isn't that great for a writer. If he can teach people how to use Word for free maybe he should charge people 20 bucks so his service is over 150 bucks cheaper ha-ha

Geeks are people too. Also have you read this definition of the word "geek" A carnival performer whose show consists of bizarre acts, such as biting the head off a live chicken.

I said "Fade out." because, like George said, it leads to nothing, so you can't put a :


Landon

PS: Does that mean I need to put Fade in: on the left side?

Quoted from FilmMaker06 PS: Does that mean I need to put Fade in: on the left side?

Both FADE IN and FADE OUT are optional in a spec script. If you have a scene, it can be assumed you probably faded into it the first time.