Screenplays are enough to write on their own, but if you want to add in special elements, like writing for a 3-D film or dealing with flashbacks, the formatting can be very challenging. One of the hardest types of screenplays to write is the musical, but if you have excellent material, it will just take a little work on formatting to get the script completed.
Instructions
1. Draft out an outline, approximate number of songs and full song lyrics. You can also create lyrics as you go, but songs are the key elements in musicals, so a lot of work should be emphasized on them.
2. To type the script, it is recommended to use a screenwriting program like Final Draft or Movie Magic Screenwriter. This will make the typing a lot easier and allow you to worry more about the story than the formatting.
3. When you have reached the point of your first song, there are multiple ways to indicate singing. Next to the name of the character you can place the word singing in parenthesis like this : (singing).
4. The easiest way for readers to recognize singing is by putting all of the lyrics in capital letters like this: MAX THEY’VE BEEN LAUGHING SINCE I CAN REMEMBER, BUT THEY’RE NOT GOING TO LAUGH ANYMORE.
5. Try to put as much as you can in between the lyrics to help show what the singers are doing. It may break up the pace of the song, but readers will usually re over the lyrics to get a better understanding of how the song flows.
6. Example: Max looks to the ground and kicks a rock. MAX THEY’VE BEEN LAUGHING SINCE I CAN REMEMBER Max looks up at a group of bullies. MAX (CONT’D) BUT THEY’RE NOT GOING TO LAUGH ANYMORE! Max raises his fist.
7. Many songs feature characters singing at the same time. If they are singing at the same time and are the only two in the scene then you can format it like this: Max and Goofy look each other in the eyes. BOTH NO MORE MAXIE THE GEEK, OR GOOF OF THE WEEK LIKE BEFORE!
8. If they are both singing different lyrics, than you split them up, but put them on the same line. MAX GOOFYTHEY’VE BEEN LAUGHING SINCE I I’VE BEEN LAUGHING SINCE I CAN REMEMBER. CAN REMEMBER.
9. Use other scripts for examples and get creative when showing action between lyrics. Try to write out dance scenes as descriptive as possible and do not worry about splitting the lyrics up too much.
