Screenplay.com Forums

Hi,
This is my first post here, and if this subject has been covered elsewhere, I apologize (I did search the forums for information about my question, but couldn't find one).

I'm using in MMS 2000 (Build 4.73.03), and want to create a specific format (the teleplay format used by the BBC in the U.K.).

I'm confused about how to create a specific format (are User Lists part of this?), and how then to save that as a template/script format that I can then load and use for specific scripts. The BBC format is quite different from others in that, for example, action is written in capital letters, and many other script elements are very different from N. American formats.

I would be very grateful for any help with this.

Many thanks,
Geert.

Could someone please help me with this?

Thanks,

The easiest way to create a new script format is to alter an existing format that is closest to the format you want.

Assuming you can't find one you like, try the following steps:

1. Create a new document in Movie Magic Screenwriter 6. This will use whatever you have set as the default template (usually screenplay format).

2. Go into Format > Elements Styles...

3. Go though each of the areas (Scene Headings, Action, Character Names, etc.) and adjust the parameters to your liking. Press OK when you are done making changes.

4. If you want customized user lists, go to Format > User Lists... and add whatever specialized user lists you want.

5. Go to Format > Document Layout... to set up page related margins and other variables for the document.

6. Go to Format > Headers and Footers... to set up the document's header's and footers.

7. When you have the format the way you want it, select File > Save As Template... to save the format as a Screenwriter template file. Template files may be used to set or change the format of any Screenwriter document.

8. OPTIONAL: If the new format is the one you want to use as the default, select Format > Make Default For All New Documents. Otherwise, you may select the template manually when creating new documents by using the File > New From Template... command, or apply the formatting to existing documents using the Format > Load Styles From... > Template command.

Hi Chris,
Many thanks for your reply.

However, I'm not using MMS 6 - I'm using MMS 2000 (build 4.73.03).

I have been trying to figure out how to save the parameters I have changed as a template, so that I can then go back and load the template that I have created.

It seems that I can do one of the following:

1. Change the parameters, then use the 'Save As' command, in which case there are a number of options (beginning with the default 'Screenwriter Scripts'),

2. Or I can go 'Format' - 'Save Script Format' - 'User Defined' - Go to the 'TV Templates' folder and then save the file.
When I do the latter, the format I have saved appears in the 'Templates' folder when I go 'Format' - 'Load Script Format' and go to the templates folder.

The second option described above seems to be the closest to what I want to do. Is this the best way to go about creating a template?

Thanks, once again,
Geert.

I believe in Screenwriter 2000 you need to create the file, then exit Screenwriter and MANUALLY change the extension in Windows (or the Finder on Mac) to the template extension. Then the file will behave like a "normal" template.

Thanks very much Chris.

I will try this.