9Need to stand out as a screenwriter? The best mark of a good writer is mastery of standard screenplay format. Script readers and producers pass on poorly presented screenplays. If you format properly, readers will "see" your story and turn your pages. Proper format says that you understand what filmmakers do and how they think. A well formatted screenplay gives actors, directors and producers what they need to turn your story into a movie. In fact, format isn't a screenwriter's tool but a production-imposed style to make sure the production properly transfers the writer's intent to the screen. And, in the computer age, to mesh seamlessly with production software. The best-selling screenwriting programs like Final Draft don't format your scripts for you. They provide the elements of visual storytelling, but they don't explain the rules for using them. This short, informative book defines common terms and explains what terms and elements to use--and never to use--in your screenplay. It flags the pitfalls to avoid, such as directing the actor and weighing down the page. And it addresses problems all screenwriters face in writing great pages of visual storytelling.