Intro to screenplay elements
The kinds of lines a screenplay is made of.
Every line in a screenplay is an element. eDraft sets the margins and capitals for each element, so you only choose which element a line is.
| Element | Use it for |
|---|---|
| Scene Heading | Where and when a scene takes place: INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT |
| Action | What the audience sees and hears |
| Character | The name of the person who speaks |
| Parenthetical | A short direction for how a line is spoken |
| Dialogue | What the character says |
| Transition | A move between scenes, such as CUT TO: |
| Shot | A particular camera shot, such as CLOSE ON |
| General | Text that isn’t one of the other elements |
| Centered | A line centered on the page, such as THE END |
| Lyrics | The words of a song |
The Element button in the toolbar shows the element of the line you’re typing in.
Tip: Start a line with INT. or EXT. and eDraft makes it a scene heading as you type.