Wanted to try something a little different today.

While there are standards for formatting in scripts, there are a few topics that seem to cause more debate than expected.

Such as:

-sluglines. Bold or not?

-Spaces after a period. One or two?

EDIT: -Since this initially posted, a few writers chimed in with using FADE IN and FADE OUT. I might have used FADE IN when I first started, but soon stopped. As for FADE OUT, I favor FADE TO BLACK or maybe SMASH BLACK. Something to put that note of finality on it.

I’m sure there are others, but these two came immediately to mind.

For the record, I think bold sluglines look better on the page, and have always preferred one space after a period (although somebody in a recent conversation said “it has to be two”).

I thought about “two brads or three?”, but don’t think that’s much of an issue anymore. Can’t even remember the last time I read a printed script that wasn’t mine.

I’m sure more experienced writers – especially those who’ve been produced – will say none of it matters. Probably, but I think it’s still an interesting discussion.

What’s your position on these topics, and are there others that seem to have two distinct schools of thought?