I'm working on my first script.

Their is a ton of guidelines when writing scripts, so much so that the best option for you IMHO is to take a class on screenwriting if you can find one being offered close by you. Art or community colleges might have classes.

I took a class in the fall at my local comunity college, and man this is nothing like writng short stories in terms of form. So check out all the information you can that pertains to screenplays before you start writing because there are certain things that just won't translate well the the screenplay format from the normal written story.

Some very basic stuff to know:
- DO NOT write a sreenplay in any other font other than courier. Courier is the only font that will be accepted in hollywood and subsequently in screenwriting contests. (stupid in my opinion but what can I say? hollywood is full of tight asses)

- Keep camera directions in the screenplay to the absolute minimum. Or better yet don't even have camera directions in there at all. (Unless you plan on directing what you wrote)

- CAPITALIZE:
*The name of a new character when they first appear in the script. This applies to even the lowliest character with no lines like if there is a mechanic who is changing the main character's tire you write MECHANIC down at the first mention of him.
*Sounds or noises that are written down in the script.
*The character's name right above the diologe they are to say every time.

I've only scratched the surface of things to know. I really suggest you get some sort of book on proper form or find a website that has the guidelines to refer to when you are writing.

Here's the thing about formatting:

If you read thirty books on screenwriting, you'll have thirty different formats to follow. Also, different studios will "require" different formats as well. So here's my advice: Get a good idea of how a script generally looks. Then follow that. I agree to use a Courier-based font. Don't bold things, italicize, etc.. Further, be wary of any style that gives you EXACT requirements like "a left margin of .27 inches". If anyone has the time to measure the gutters of your screenplay, you've already failed to capture their attention. Just make sure it looks reasonably similar to other scripts you've seen, and you should be fine.

Read every book you can about screenwriting. Then discard everything you've learned, except for the two by Bill Goldman ( Adventures in the Screen Trade and Which Lie Did I Tell? ) and The Writer's Journey by Christopher Vogler.

Go out and read Joe Campbell's Hero With A Thousand Faces

Write from the heart and the gut, not from the head.

Don't let your plot own your characters.

Don't be afraid to go long. You can always delete later.

Above all, keep writing. If you get stuck, push forward, even if the stuff you're turning out you think sucks. If you pause, even for a day, then days become weeks and weeks becomes months and you'll find yourself telling people starting on their first script to keep writing when you haven't dealt with your own writing in months.

Don't be afraid to let your dark side come out. If the stuff you come up with is disturbing, go for it. Exorsize them. Throw them out into the light.

But keep writing...

Here is a script for "Sex, Lies, and Videotape". It is listed on my favorite links on my webpage, but I do not know if it is in correct format or not. Is it? I love this movie, and thought it would be cool to have a link to a script.

It is done in Courier font. <a href="http://members.aol.com/rwsmittjr/scripts/sex_lies_and_videotape.txt" target="_blank">sex, lies, and videotape script?</a>

Oh well, it looks neat anyway.

The best book I've read on scriptwriting was my first:

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1582971587/qid=1041567533/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-3417949-2516036?v=glance&s=books" target="_blank">The Complete Book of Scriptwriting</a> by J. Michael Straczynski. He doesn't patronize you with "sure-fire" b.s. about the perfect formula. But he gives you screenplay formats (TV, film, radio, animation) and invaluable info on the process of writing and marketing.

Be careful with scripts from the internet. Not all of them are formatted correctly. Some have been mangled into HTML or text formats that aren't quite right. You can get the general idea of how they read, at least.

Some advice that may seem obvious, but what the heck...

Only write what the audience will see or hear. Putting in paragraphs about the character's backstory or inner thoughts is pointless. If the info is that important, find a way of working it into dialogue or actions.

Show, don't tell. Let a character's behavior tell us what he's all about, instead of using heaps of expository dialogue.

Don't number your scenes. That gets done by studio folks when the movie is in production.

Don't shell out for expensive software. You don't need it. Notecards, a couple notebooks, and a word processor should be enough. I use Word 2000 on my PC. I found the tabs to be a bit of a pain, so I bought the <a href="http://www.screenstyle.com/screenxlar.html" target="_blank">Screenstyle</a> template for 30 bucks. Well worth it. You just install the template as an add-on to Word and it practically does the indenting for you. The instructions even give examples of screenplay structure to go from.

I don't remember where I got it, but I did download a Word screenplay template somewhere. You might poke around and see if you can find one you like. If you want, I could e-mail you the one I have.

Personally the book that guides me is Syd Field's Screenplay. Pretty good book which sticks to the basics. Not a lot of crap to it, in my opinion (and I have talked to a lot of people who use it as well).

I also have the screenplays for some movies i dig (such as The Green Mile and Good Will Hunting), so i use those as well as guides.

Having listened to some agents at the Austin Film Fest, I have to say, do not put camera instructions in there if you want to sell your screenplay to a studio. The director and cinematographer will decide how to shoot the flick.

Goldman's books are great for seeing what a screenwriter goes thrue.

I just use Word for my writing the screenplay, but i have heard Final Draft is really good.

You also might want to check out Feature Filmmaking at Used-Car Prices by Rick Schmidt. He has a section on writing screenplays and there are tips for where you can get software and help.

Knowing Ideas have been stolen off CHUD before I'd advise against it. Maybe you should PM it to people who want to read it so if you idea is stolen you'll have a very narrow list of who might have done it.

I'd like to take a look at it and if you want me to I'll PM you my first ten pages that I have written also.

Oops

Some excellant advice here. I would definately go with the 'more scripts u read the better' route.
You can get bogged down with all the books under the sun but if u have the script from a great movie in front of u, u cant really go far wrong.
Just write ur story, then when uve finished u can start with the format etc.

I have written several scripts and like sleepless would advise against posting the 1st ten pages in here but if u like i would gladly take a look at it for u.

Absolutely, just PM me and i'll give u my email address. Always glad to help a fellow writer/film maker.

PMed you my response. PM me back if you'd like to see my first ten pages.

&lt;&lt;Edit : Got your PM and sent you my first ten pages&gt;&gt;