I am searching for the default tv sitcom script format and looked at a couple of scripts that I found here on the forum , but they all seem to be different. Is there a format that is used right now that I can use safely while working on my script?
I am using the script macro from the bbc site for words at the moment and like it, but I don't see a sitcom format in it. Can I use one of the others instead?
André
Moving to the Writers' Discussion forum.
INT. SCENE HEADING/LOCATION - TIME
ACTION/SCENE DESCRIPTION.
CHARACTER
Dialogue.
CHARACTER
(Parenthesis)
Dialogue.
ACTION.
Note the double spacing. I think that's right anyway.
what about the outlining? Everything left?
No here's a sample script of the smoking room - http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/downloads/scripts/pantball.pdf
It might help.
meaning: All action is in capitals, and the rest is like in screenplay format, right? I will see if I canfind this in my bbc macro, must be somewhere...
Before the BBC changed the format of their writers room site they had a really handy small document that showed you how to lay out your script, what it should basicaly look like and all the terminology you needed and how to lay it in the script.
It may be still there, but I'm not sure. I have got a copy printed out so if you would like it I could get it scanned and emailed.
Def.
That would be great if you could do it. Thanks for the help, Def.
See what I said in this topic.
https://www.comedy.co.uk/forums/thread/5583
British producers are not over-fussy, like the Americams, about submission formats for scripts, so submitting in a Film Style script format will generally be OK.
Should you be lucky & it gets produced the Production Team will re-format/re-type it into their working format anyway.
I do a summary of script formats on part of my website: http://www.datahighways.net/dhl/toolkit.htm
The BBC page that was mentioned above was probably this one:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/scriptsmart/scriptsmart_formats.shtml
Which is quite difficult to find on the website now.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/scriptsmart/bbctapedsitcom.pdf