Ask Dr. Format: Spaces After The Period and Going South

DAVE TROTTIER has sold or optioned ten screenplays (three produced) and helped hundreds of writers break into the writing business.  He is an award-winning teacher and script consultant, author of The Screenwriter’s Bible, and friendly host of keepwriting.com.  Read more tips on the Ask Dr. Format page.

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GOING SOUTH

QUESTION

The majority of my story takes place in a small, Southern, U.S. town.  It appears as SOUTHERN TOWN in all my master scene headings. It could be anywhere in the South:  Virginia, Alabama, South Carolina, doesn't matter. Should I give this town a fictitious name? It's starting to look bad with page after page of SOUTHERN TOWN.

Also, when my character goes from EXT. SOUTHERN TOWN – GRAVEYARD – DAY, for example, to, INT.  SOUTHERN TOWN – LIBRARY – DAY, do I have to keep repeating SOUTHERN TOWN? I suspect you address this in your book but if you do it is not clear to me.

ANSWER

SOUTHERN TOWN is fine, but consider a fictitious name that sounds Southern.  Andy Griffith use Mayberry when faced with the same situation.

In response to your second question, you don't need to keep repeating SOUTHERN TOWN.  Unless that's the main location, use this:

EXT. GRAVEYARD – DAY

Or

EXT. MAYBERRY GRAVEYARD – DAY

I filled in with "Mayberry" just to illustrate.  And then:

INT. LIBRARY – DAY

If everything takes place in this town, then you only need to mention it once in a scene heading, and then only when it is the main location, such as:

EXT. MAYBERRY – DAY

A quaint Southern town.

 

SPACES AFTER THE PERIOD

QUESTION

I see that in a screenplay you are supposed to double space after a period. Is that also the case in a spec script?

ANSWER

It no longer matters whether you space once or twice after a period. It's up to you.