Screenplay Formatting

Premiere handles all the formatting rules for you. You just write, and the editor lays everything out in proper screenplay format. This page explains each element type, how the formatting system works, and the options you can customize.

Element types

Every line in your script is one of these element types. The editor formats each one according to industry standards.

Scene heading

A scene heading (also called a slug line) tells the reader where and when a scene takes place. It always starts with INT. (interior), EXT. (exterior), or INT./EXT. for scenes that move between inside and outside.

A standard scene heading looks like this:

INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY

The location comes first, then the time of day, separated by a dash. Scene headings are always displayed in uppercase. The editor will uppercase them for you automatically.

Action

Action lines describe what happens on screen. They are the visual storytelling of your script: what the audience sees and hears (other than dialogue). Write in present tense, keep it vivid and concise.

Sarah pushes through the revolving door, coffee in hand, nearly
colliding with a delivery driver.

Character

The character name appears above their dialogue to show who is speaking. It is always displayed in uppercase. You can add extensions in parentheses after the name for off-screen (O.S.), voice-over (V.O.), or continued (CONT'D) dialogue.

SARAH (V.O.)

The editor will uppercase character names for you automatically.

Dialogue

Dialogue is what the character says. It appears indented under the character name. Just type naturally and the formatting takes care of itself.

I told you, the meeting was at nine. Not nine-ish. Nine.

Parenthetical

A parenthetical is a brief acting direction placed between the character name and their dialogue (or between lines of dialogue). Use them sparingly. They appear in parentheses and are indented slightly more than dialogue.

(whispering, leaning in)

A parenthetical earns its place as business or address, such as "(re: the photo)", "(to Sarah)" or "(into phone)". A parenthetical that only marks a pause, "(beat)", is a habit the professional page does without: put the pause in the action line, or leave it to the white space, where a reader can feel it.

Tip

Parentheticals are best used when the tone of delivery is not obvious from the dialogue itself. If a character says "Get out of my house," you probably don't need a parenthetical that says "(angrily)."

Transition

Transitions indicate how one scene moves to the next. Common transitions include CUT TO:, DISSOLVE TO:, SMASH CUT TO:, and FADE OUT. They are right-aligned and displayed in uppercase.

CUT TO:

In modern screenwriting, transitions are used sparingly. Most scene changes are implied by the next scene heading.

Shot

A shot describes a specific camera angle or framing. Examples include CLOSE ON, ANGLE ON, or POV. Like scene headings and transitions, shots are displayed in uppercase.

CLOSE ON - THE ENVELOPE

Act break

Act breaks mark structural divisions in your script. They are especially common in television writing, where they separate commercial breaks. They appear centered and in uppercase.

END OF ACT ONE

Centered

Centered text is used for any line that should appear centered on the page but does not fit neatly into another category.

Lyrics

Lyrics are used for song lyrics within your script. They are formatted similarly to dialogue.

Section and synopsis

Sections and synopses are organizational tools for the writer. They do not appear in the final printed output but help you structure your work while writing.

Tab cycling

You do not need to reach for a menu every time you want to change a line's element type. Just press <kbd>Tab</kbd> to cycle forward through the most common types:

Scene Heading → Action → Character → Dialogue → Parenthetical → Transition → Act Break → (back to Scene Heading)

Press <kbd>Shift</kbd>+<kbd>Tab</kbd> to cycle backward.

You can also click the element type indicator in the status bar at the bottom of the editor, or use the element type selector under the toolbar, to jump directly to any of these types.

Smart Enter behavior

When you press <kbd>Enter</kbd> to start a new line, the editor picks the next logical element type for you:

You are on...	The next line becomes...
Scene heading	Action
Action	Action
Character	Dialogue
Dialogue	Action
Parenthetical	Dialogue
Transition	Scene heading
Shot	Action
Act break	Scene heading

This flow matches the natural rhythm of screenwriting. After you type a character name, you almost always want to write their dialogue next. After dialogue, you usually return to action. The editor just follows along.

Automatic uppercasing

Some elements are always uppercase in a properly formatted screenplay. The editor handles this for you automatically:

Scene headings (INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY)
Character names (SARAH)
Transitions (CUT TO:)
Shots (CLOSE ON)
Act breaks (END OF ACT ONE)

You can type in whatever case you like. The editor will display and export these elements in uppercase.

Dual dialogue

Dual dialogue places two characters' lines side by side on the page, showing that they speak at the same time (or in quick overlapping exchange).

To create dual dialogue, use the command palette (<kbd>Cmd</kbd>+<kbd>K</kbd>) and search for "dual dialogue." You can assign a character block to the left or right column, and the editor will lay them out side by side in the preview and in exported PDFs.

To remove dual dialogue from a block, use the command palette and choose "Remove dual dialogue."

Format profiles

Premiere supports three industry-standard format profiles. You can switch between them from Settings (the gear icon in the editor's top bar) or the command palette.

Film (Single Camera)

The default format. Standard margins, single-spaced dialogue, standard character cue placement. This is the right choice for feature films and most spec scripts.

TV (Single Camera)

The same layout as film. Used for hour-long dramas and single-camera comedies like Breaking Bad or Fleabag. Act breaks (TEASER, ACT ONE, END OF ACT ONE, and so on) are centered lines, written with the Act Break element.

TV (Multi Camera)

A distinct format used for multi-camera sitcoms like Friends or The Big Bang Theory. It has several differences from the single-camera format:

Dialogue is double-spaced
Action is written in ALL CAPS
Scene headings are underlined (in Preview)
Character cues and parentheticals have different column positions

When you switch to TV (Multi Camera), the paginator adjusts the page count, Preview, and exports automatically. You do not need to reformat your script by hand.

Bold, italic, and underline

You can apply bold, italic, and <u>underline</u> formatting within dialogue and action lines. Use the standard keyboard shortcuts (or search "bold", "italic", or "underline" in the command palette):

<kbd>Cmd</kbd>+<kbd>B</kbd> for bold
<kbd>Cmd</kbd>+<kbd>I</kbd> for italic
<kbd>Cmd</kbd>+<kbd>U</kbd> for underline

These inline styles carry through to your exported PDF and printed output.

Tip

Inline formatting in screenplays is typically reserved for emphasis. Bold and underline in action can highlight sound effects (a GUNSHOT rings out) or important visual details. Italic in dialogue can indicate a shift in tone or a foreign language. Use them with intention.

The paginator

The page count you see in the status bar is not an estimate. It is a live paginator that calculates page breaks using the same column widths, line spacing, and margin rules as the final printed page.

This means:

The page count on screen matches the exported PDF exactly.
Page breaks appear in the Preview tab right where they will fall on paper.
The estimated screen time (shown in the status bar) is based on real page count, not word count.

If you have set a target page count for your project, the status bar will show your progress toward it and change color as you approach or exceed the target.