Stylesheets - the (almost) painless solution

The key to automated screenplay formatting is the stylesheet. There is a facility built into most word processing software that allows you to save a particular bit of formatting and then apply the same formatting to another piece of text.

This saved " record" is called a style. A style can include all kinds of instructions: what type to use, what size, whether it is CAPITALS or lower case, how far it is indented, line spacing etc; all the information needed to format your script. You can also set up one style to automatically follow another - for example, a dialogue style after a character name style.

A default Microsoft Word document already includes a couple of default styles that are embedded. It is easy to add to them. Simply format some text the way you want it to look, select it and then go to the Format Menu and choose Style as an option. Then give your style a name and save it.
To use your style, select a piece of text and then apply it from the Style Menu. The text should take on the characteristics that you saved. Styles are very versatile. If you make a mistake, it is easy to tweak the style after the event. You can even base one style on another.

Three ways to use stylesheets

Method One - the D.I.Y approach
Open a new document in your favourite word processing program and, referring to the directionson the previous page, create a document with the right margins and page settings.

Next type in a short script specimen, employing examplesof each format (Scene Heading, Action/Description, Character Name , Dialogue, Parentheses, Transition). You need only do this once so make sure it is correct.

Save each of these as a style with an identifiable name and then delete the examples and save the whole document as a template. Now each time you want to write a new script, you simply open your template, type something and apply the right style to it.(With some programs, ie. Microsoft Word, you can speed up the process even further by creating custom keyboad shortcuts - read the manual to find out how)

Method Two - borrow somebody else's
If you don't want to go to the trouble of creating your own stylesheet, simply steal somebody else's. You'll find this easier if you use a well known program like Word.

Go to the links page on this site and visit one of the free film script web sites out there. Download a script in Word format, delete the content and save it is a template. Be sure to check beforehand that the formatting is correct.

Method Three - invest in professional software
There are several proprietary software programs out there that are marketed to help scriptwriters. Most of them are glorified stylesheet programs with "bells and whistles" added on. Some of the cheaper ones are add ons for WP programs so be careful to check what you're paying for.

The industry standard is an American program called Final Draft which includes templates and stylesheets that cover every requirement. It features many automatic timesaving functions and has many clever facilities built into it but all this comes at a price. If you can afford it, this is a worthwhile investment (especially if you're a hardworking and prolific professional) but it's by no means essential to achieving good result.

UPDATE:

Three other screenwriting applications were recently given a comparative review with Final Draft in MacUser. The winner and top-scoring application(Mac only) was actually Mariner Software's' "Montage". To read the review yourself, download this pdf document: MacUser Review