Screenplay Template for MS Office Word

Screenwriting applications tend to be cloud-based or expensive or both. If you have access to MS Word, however, you have everything you need to write and format a screenplay directly. These templates will save you some time and energy.

Features:

No Macros!

Two Files, one with instructions that shows hotkeys, one completely empty.

The basic formatting needs of a screenplay are resolved automatically with MS Words styles. There are styles with hotkeys for Character, Dialog, Transition, Parenthetical, and Slug. These are all spaced correctly and have appropriate margins.

Hitting ENTER after certain styles goes to anticipated formatting to try to save time and keystrokes; if you hit ENTER after typing in the Character style, your next line will automatically be in the Dialog style, and from Dialog, back to Character, for writing conversations easily.

Hitting enter after a SLUG goes to an Action / Description. Hitting enter after a transition goes to a SLUG.

Hotkeys can turn the current style to whichever you need:

SLUG - Alt + S

Action / Description - Alt + A

CHARACTER - Alt + C 

Parenthetical - Alt + P

Dialog - Alt + D

Transition - Alt + T

In outline view, The Title is level 1, Slugs and Transitions are level 2, and Characters are level 3. Everything else is body-level.

Place these files in Documents\Custom Office Templates.

If you have problems, want to suggest changes, or have questions, reach out to us on Twitter -- @RamenEmpire, and check out our comic strips at ramen-empire.com