Lazy Bee Scripts
First Page

Title

• The first line of your script should be the title.
  I know it's obvious, but it's surprising how many people forget! It helps our communications with reviewers, editor and the author.
• Use a consistent title. We rely on the author for this!

By-line

• The second line of the script should be the word "By" followed by the name(s) of the author(s).
  Again, it seems obvious. Again you'd be surprised.
• Use a consistent name. Use the name you want to appear on the script.
  (This can be a real name or a pen name.)

Characters

• The by-line should be followed by a list of characters
• This should have the heading "Characters".
  (Never "Cast". The cast describes the group of actors who play the characters. They are cast in roles. If Jim is cast as Hamlet, the cast includes Jim but the characters include Hamlet.)
• One character per line
• Don't use fancy formatting (particularly don't use tables or multiple columns)
• Character descriptions at this point should be kept short - a single line at most.
  That line needs to name the character. Everything else is optional. Options include
  • Age (if relevant)
  • Gender (only if not obvious from the name)
  • Role in the play (e.g. "detective" or "butler")
  • Relationship to other characters (e.g. "Janet's husband")
  And that's enough. Demeanour, history and plot should come from the dialogue.
  (If longer character descriptions are desirable, then they should appear in the Production Notes section at the end of the script.)
• This would be a good time to check that, considering the era in which the play is set, the Character names match their ages
  

Optional Extras

• Description of the setting (time and place) should form part of the scene-setting directions of the opening scene, rather than the first page.

Lazy Bee Scripts will add

• A copyright notice

Example

The following example shows
- Title
- By-line
- Characters heading
- List of character names with simple descriptors
 
 
Making an Example
By Sam Pelling
 
Characters
Sentry 1 - a guardsman
Sentry 2 - another guardsman
Sanders - an officer
Mabel - his wife