Screenplay Format

Screenplay format is a specialized writing mode for screenwriters. When enabled, you get access to industry-standard screenplay formatting with automatic styling, keyboard shortcuts, and smart transitions.

Enabling Screenplay Format

To enable screenplay formatting in your document:

1. Open a document in your binder
2. Click on the format dropdown in the toolbar (shows "Normal" by default)
3. Select Screenplay from the dropdown

Once enabled, the toolbar will show screenplay-specific formatting options.

Screenplay Elements

Screenplay format includes 9 different element types, each with specific styling and purpose:

Scene Heading (Slugline)

Scene headings establish the location and time of day. They always start with INT. (interior), EXT. (exterior), or I/E. (both).

Example: INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY

• Keyboard shortcut: Cmd/Ctrl + 1
• Automatically uppercase
• Left-aligned

Action

Action describes what's happening on screen - the visual elements, character movements, and scene descriptions.

Example: Sarah walks into the crowded coffee shop, scanning the room for an empty table.

• Keyboard shortcut: Cmd/Ctrl + 2
• Left-aligned with top margin

Character

Character names appear before dialogue to indicate who is speaking.

Example: SARAH

• Keyboard shortcut: Cmd/Ctrl + 3
• Centered (33% left margin)
• Automatically uppercase

Parenthetical

Brief direction for how a line should be delivered, placed between character name and dialogue.

Example: (nervously)

• Keyboard shortcut: Cmd/Ctrl + 4
• Indented (25% margins)
• Wrapped in parentheses automatically

Dialogue

The spoken words of a character.

Example: Is this seat taken?

• Keyboard shortcut: Cmd/Ctrl + 5
• Centered with margins (16.7% left, 25.9% right)

Transition

Scene transitions like CUT TO:, FADE OUT, DISSOLVE TO:

Example: CUT TO:

• Keyboard shortcut: Cmd/Ctrl + 6
• Right-aligned
• Automatically uppercase

Shot

Camera directions and specific shot descriptions.

Example: CLOSE ON - Sarah's nervous hands

• Keyboard shortcut: Cmd/Ctrl + 7
• Left-aligned with larger top margin

Text

Regular prose text, useful for title pages or non-screenplay content.

• Keyboard shortcut: Cmd/Ctrl + 8
• Standard paragraph formatting

Note

Writer notes that won't appear in the final script.

Example: [Note: Consider adding a flashback here]

• Keyboard shortcut: Cmd/Ctrl + 9
• Slightly indented
• Semi-transparent styling

Outline

Story beats and outline elements for planning.

• Keyboard shortcut: Cmd/Ctrl + 0
• Grey background
• For structural planning

Keyboard Shortcuts

| Shortcut | Element | |----------|---------| | Cmd/Ctrl + 1 | Scene Heading | | Cmd/Ctrl + 2 | Action | | Cmd/Ctrl + 3 | Character | | Cmd/Ctrl + 4 | Parenthetical | | Cmd/Ctrl + 5 | Dialogue | | Cmd/Ctrl + 6 | Transition | | Cmd/Ctrl + 7 | Shot | | Cmd/Ctrl + 8 | Text | | Cmd/Ctrl + 9 | Note | | Cmd/Ctrl + 0 | Outline |

Smart Enter Transitions

When you press Enter, the editor automatically switches to the most logical next element:

| Current Element | Next Element | |-----------------|--------------| | Scene Heading | Action | | Character | Dialogue | | Dialogue | Action | | Transition | Scene Heading | | Shot | Action |

This mimics the natural flow of screenplay writing.

First-Time Setup

When you first switch to Screenplay format, you'll be prompted to complete a one-time setup. This connects screenplay elements to your asset groups:

1. Character Asset Group: Select which asset group should store characters extracted from your screenplay
2. Location Asset Group: Select which asset group should store locations from scene headings

You can choose existing asset groups or create new ones (e.g., "Characters" and "Locations").

Auto-Create Entities

With screenplay format, the app can automatically create character and location entities as you write:

• Characters: When you exit a Character element, the name is automatically added to your character asset group
• Locations: When you exit a Scene Heading, the location is parsed and added to your location asset group

Duplicate detection prevents creating the same entity twice.