Scripts written for movies might get made in any number of ways. Some scripts are spec scripts, which is when a Screenwriter of their own accord. Many scripts are written on assignment whereby a Writer is specifically hired to create a screenplay. Some are joint ventures between two writers. Regardless of how and why the script is written, one thing unites all screenplays: formatting.
Take a look at any screenplay and it quickly becomes clear that scripts come with a formatting all their own. But why can’t they just be written like a novel or magazine article? Well, unlike those other mediums, a script is not the end goal. In fact, it’s only the beginning of what that intended final medium will be: a film. And for that reason, how to write a script for a movie comes with a few absolute elements.