While still working on drafts you should then on the next line write a version number (version 4) in lower case, followed on the next line by the date. Each line should have a single line space after. In brackets after the title you should write (RADIO PLAY). The title of your play is written in capital letters, centred and underlined in approximately the middle of the page. The “Elements”, which are things like character names, dialogue format, sound effects and all the main parts of the script.Īll parts of the script should use courier 12 point font.The Script Heading and Cast List, which, unsurprisingly, are very useful during the casting process.The Cover Page, which lets them see quickly what the play is and who you are.There are three parts that you must get right What are the most important things to get right?
Third, if you send a radio play to the BBC using their screenplay format they’ll accept it (unless, of course, they’ve specified a different format in the submission documents – then the golden rule applies, use the submission guidelines.). Second, I think it’s rubbish and difficult to read – I hate having character names on the left then the text on the right, it confuses my tiny little brain.
This is actually a weird fault with Final Draft that they should change (or, erm, a total failure by me to see how to do it that I should change).
First, it is impossible to make compatible with Final Draft, which is the industry standard software for scriptwriting. I don’t use the BBC radio play format for three reasons. Please do use and share this spreadsheet – but if you would, take a moment to tell people where it came from! Why aren’t you using the BBC radio play standard? UPDATE: Version 3.1 fixes the problem with orphaned text that was caused by the improved headers. Set character names to the “character” style, sections of dialogue to the “dialogue” style, etc…). The stylesheet is called “Little Wonder Radio Play Style Sheet”, and if you just past your play into that document and change the style of each section as appropriate then it will automatically do the rest for you (ie. Just below is a downloadable word document that shows you what it looks like. The system we use at Little Wonder is based on the BBC screenplay format. Correct formatting is very important to the director, cast and crew, because it makes their lives easier – formatting is not the place to be clever or original, because it will just upset the people who are going to decide whether they can be bothered to work with you again. After that, you want to be as conservative as possible. The golden rule is to follow the submission guidelines. There is no one correct way to format a radio play script. So how does one normally format a radio play? In each case you can set the elements to the standard described here (and, in fact, they will have the BBC screenplay format pre-installed – you just have to edit “action” to the “FX” standard described here). CeltX and Movie Magic Screenwriter are also popular. The industry standard for scripts is Final Draft, an excellent but slightly expensive piece of software.
I’m going to take you step by step through what has to be in any script, a formatting standard that will get you by in the absence of a submission standard, and I’ve included a downloaded word document that you are free to use as a stylesheet for your own plays (although if you do use it, I’d appreciate a plug or even a link on your website back here!) Ready to get started? Let’s go! To make sure that your MMSW file is not corrupted or virus-infected, get the file again and scan it with antivirus software.This is a guide to how to format a radio play script so that nobody will know you don’t really know what you are doing.MMSW is Movie Magic Screenwriter document update. Because only the current version supports the latest MMSW file format. MMSW is Movie Magic Screenwriter document.
Android: Tap the Settings icon on your smartphone, then tap on the Apps section. There long-press on the file, then release your finger.
If you do not see an app to open the file, then tap Share "Share" and choose an app. Linux: Right click on the file, and select "Open with" and choose another program. Then choose another program and check the "Always Open With" box.
Mac: Right click (or Ctrl-click) the MMSW file, then click "Open with" > "Other.". Now select another program and check the box "Always use this app to open *.MMSW files". Windows: Right click on any MMSW file and then click "Open with" > "Choose another app".