Screenplay Fountain Format
Use this skill when writing screenplay-facing text that benefits from clean structure and exportability.
Source Basis
- Fountain official syntax: scene headings, action, character, dialogue, parentheticals, transitions, sections, notes.
Rules
- Scene headings follow screenplay convention:
INT.,EXT.,INT./EXT., etc. - Character cues are uppercase.
- Dialogue follows character cues immediately.
- Parentheticals are sparse and functional.
- Transitions are only used when they add rhythm or meaning.
- Action blocks should describe what is filmable, not internal prose.
Writing Heuristics
- Use concise action paragraphs.
- Separate beats with whitespace rather than bloated exposition.
- Prefer explicit scene headings when location or time shifts matter.
- For storyboard JSON prep, treat each scene heading or forced heading as a sequence anchor.
Do Not
- write novelistic internal monologue
- overuse parentheticals
- replace clear scene geography with abstract mood text