There are a few ways to handle a large group talking simultaneously, depending on the situation.

If the group is a constant background noise that is part of the setting, they can be written into the scene description:

If the group’s timing is important, they can be handled like any other key sound:

MAYOR WILSON (CONT’D)

So vote for me, and we will have another four years of Hill Valley prosperity!

The crowd ERUPTS in support.

If the group’s message is particularly important, you can call attention to it by writing some of it out with slashes:

VARIOUS CROWD MEMBERS

He lies!/Don’t believe him!/We demand proof!/etc.

Источник: What is the proper way to handle a large group speaking at once? | Screenwriting.io.

Parentheticals (also called “wrylies” or “actor’s direction”) are used to clear up confusion about a line that could be read multiple ways:

COACH FOX

(sarcastically)

Nice throw, Kyle.

They can also be used to indicate who a speaker is addressing:

COACH FOX

(to Tebow)

Get in there already!

You will sometimes see them used to indicate action. This is acceptable if the action is short. (For longer actions, you’re better off ending the dialogue block and putting the action in scene description.)

This…

TEBOW

(putting on helmet)

Halleluja!

…can be replaced with:

As he puts on his helmet—

TEBOW

Halleluja!

Parentheticals are also sometimes used to indicate a pause in dialogue:

MCGAHEE

Tim…

(beat)

…we’re counting on you.

Or with more specific action…

MCGAHEE

Tim…

(grabbing Tim’s facemask)

…we’re counting on you.

The same idea could be achieved by using a line of scene description:

MCGAHEE

Tim…

He grabs Tim’s facemask and looks straight into his eyes.

MCGAHEE (CONT’D)

…we’re counting on you.

Parentheticals should be used sparingly.

In this 2010 blog post, John August takes a look at some professional screenplays, and counts their parentheticals use.

Источник: What is the proper way to use parentheticals? | Screenwriting.io.

The hero’s journey is the epic structure defined by Joseph Campbell in The Hero with a Thousand Faces.

Campbell argues that the great enduring myths from around the world all share an underlying structure he calls the “monomyth.” In the introduction to his book, Campbell breaks it down:

A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.

Modern writers like Phil Cousineau, David Adams and Christopher Vogler have expanded upon, broken down, and/or modernized Campbell’s structure in their books. Vogler’s The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers explains the journey in a screenwriter-friendly way.

He breaks it down into twelve major steps:

Heroes are introduced in the ORDINARY WORLD, where

they receive the CALL TO ADVENTURE.

They are RELUCTANT at first or REFUSE THE CALL, but

are encouraged by a MENTOR to

CROSS THE FIRST THRESHOLD and enter the Special World, where

they encounter TESTS, ALLIES, AND ENEMIES.

They APPROACH THE INMOST CAVE, crossing a second threshold

where they endure the ORDEAL.

They take possession of their REWARD and

are pursued on THE ROAD BACK to the Ordinary World.

They cross the third threshold, experience a RESURRECTION, and a transformed by the experience.

They RETURN WITH THE ELIXER, a boon or treasure to benefit the Ordinary World.

Источник: What is the hero’s journey? | Screenwriting.io.

One of the best ways to figure out formatting, story, and other screenwriting questions is to read others’ screenplays.

There is no set list of screenplays all aspiring screenwriters should read, but here is some general advice:

Read screenplays by well known and reputable writers, so you know you are leaning from good examples. Many can be found with a simple Google search — particularly around award season, as studios post screenplays in hopes of receiving nominations. If you are in LA, the WGA library is a great resource.

Some screenwriters host libraries of their scripts. Many of John August’s screenplays are available in the johnaugust.com library.

Read a variety of screenplays. Read different genres, different writers, work from different eras, originals and adaptations, and screenplays that employ untraditional methods of storytelling.

Once you have read enough that you feel you have a basic understanding, read some not-so-good screenplays, too. Compare and contrast them with the more universally respected ones you read before. Amazon Studios has a lot of less-than-terrific examples.

Make sure you are reading actual screenplays and not transcripts, which are common online and often placed alongside scripts. An easy way to tell if what you are reading is a script is to see if it is in proper script format. Transcripts will often have a similar formatting element or two (like 12-point Courier Font), but will usually look more like a running list than a properly indented screenplay.

Источник: What screenplays should aspiring screenwriters read? | Screenwriting.io.

Unlike novels, which can be written in a variety of tenses, screenplays are always written in present tense.

Some writers employ an objective 2nd person tense for point of view, where “we” stands in for the audience.

Through the crowd of befuddled heads, we see a MAN IN HORNED-RIMMED GLASSES, staring with intent.

The present progressive can also be a valuable tool, as it is a way to express ongoing — and therefore interruptible — action.

Ryan is cutting the lawn, rocking out to his iPod, oblivious to the world around him, when the kids’ baseball PLUNKS him in the head.

Источник: What tense are screenplays written in? | Screenwriting.io.

When two characters are talking at the same time, it is referred to as “dual dialogue,” and the two speakers’ text blocks go side-by-side.

Most screenwriting programs have an option for this. In Final Draft 8, for instance, if you type the dialogues normally with one below the other, highlight both, and select Format –> Dual Dialogue, it will put the blocks side-by-side.

Источник: How do you format two characters talking at once? | Screenwriting.io.

There is no set length of time it should take to write a screenplay, but professional screenwriters are often given deadlines they have to meet, so being able to write quickly and efficiently is certainly an asset.

Feature deals usually allow for a 12-week writing period for the first draft, but the deadline is often flexible. TV writers are often asked to turn around an episode in less than a week.

In a 2008 blog post, John August says this:

I’m hesitant to give a firm number for how many weeks it should take to write a script. Every project is different. [...] [T]he better question to ask: How quickly should a professional screenwriter be able to turn around a script, given some urgency? In my experience, the most successful screenwriters are the ones who are able to accurately estimate how much time they’ll need. [...] For feature films, I’d be reluctant to hire a writer who couldn’t deliver a script in eight weeks.

Источник: How long should it take to write a screenplay? | Screenwriting.io.

A treatment is essentially a prose version of your screenplay, although its exact definition can vary from person to person. Usually, treatments differ from outlines in that they look more like short stories where outlines look more like breakdowns or bulleted lists, but this is a bit of a generalization.

Most feature treatments are around 10-20 pages, but they can be longer or shorter depending on what the story demands, and what the treatment is for.

The johnaugust.com library has examples of various pre-script story breakdowns and outlines, including a treatment for the Alaska pilot.

Источник: What is a treatment? | Screenwriting.io.

If a scene transitions from INT. to EXT. or visa-versa, you should have a new scene heading:

EXT. BACKYARD – NIGHT

Masks pulled down, they insert the pick into the lock. They turn the torque wrench and enter…

INT. LAUNDRY ROOM – CONTINUOUS

If a scene breaks between INT. and EXT., you should include both in the scene heading:

INT./EXT. DANI’S BEDROOM – NIGHT

Steven pelts another rock at her window. She relents, and opens it.

DANI

My dad will hear you!

Источник: How do you label a scene that takes place both inside and outside? | Screenwriting.io.

Upfronts are presentations (and together, an event) where the major television networks preview their upcoming fall and midseason series for advertisers, the press, and the other networks. Recently, focus has shifted away from small meetings geared towards advertising sales and more towards large presentations, often featuring shows’ talent.

The upfronts are held in New York the third week of May.

For TV development, they are the ceremonial end of pilot season, where the year’s work is displayed.

Источник: In television, what are “upfronts?” | Screenwriting.io.