What follows is a short film
script written years ago for a college writing class. I thought it would be a
good way to show an example of the screenplay format and all of its many
requirements. Note the font size and type face, and pay particular attention to
the margins for different elements like “Action” and “Dialog.”
"The Graduation Party"
FADE IN:
INT. JIMMY'S HOUSE, BASEMENT - DAY
FIVE KIDS all around the age of ten play in the furnished
basement of a typical suburban house. A banner hangs that
reads "Happy Graduation Jimmy!" Sitting on a couch across
from a TV, watching a movie and looking annoyed at what is
going on around them, are JIMMY and MATT, two high-school
aged kids.
After a moment, one of the little kids comes over to the
couch.
TOMMY
Jimmeeee! Come play with us!
JIMMY
We're trying to watch a movie. Why
don't you guys go play outside?
TOMMY
Mom says we can't go play outside.
JIMMY
Can't you play upstairs, then?
TOMMY
The grownups are upstairs.
JIMMY
There are grownups down here, too.
TOMMY
You're not grownups.
JIMMY
We'll play later.
A Nerf football, thrown from the other side of the room, hits
Jimmy in the head. Tommy wanders away.
MATT
Dude, your cousins are driving me
insane. When you said you were
having a graduation party, I didn't
think we'd be the only two people
that aren't insane little ten year
olds or under the age of 45.
JIMMY
Joe'll be here when he gets off of
work. That should be soon.
As if on cue, the door from upstairs leading downstairs can
be heard opening.
JOE
(to someone upstairs)
No thanks, Mrs. Parker. I'm not
hungry right now, maybe later.
JOE, another high school aged kid, rushes down the stairs and
over to his friends.
MATT
About frigging time.
JIMMY
What took you so long?
JOE
(out of breath)
Dude, you are never going to
believe what I just heard.
Joe stops to catch his breath and looks around him.
JOE (CONT'D)
Lot of little kids here.
(beat)
Where is everyone?
JIMMY
We're it. What did you hear?
JOE
I was at work, right? And I just
heard the craziest story about Nick
and Amanda.
JIMMY
Well, drop the suspense. What did
you hear?
Joe looks around.
JOE
It's a pretty... dirty story. Tell
your cousins to go upstairs.
JIMMY
Cousins, go upstairs.
TOMMY
NO.
JOE
(to Jimmy)
Really?
JIMMY
They've been like this all day.
JOE
There's no way I'm telling this
story in front of little kids.
JIMMY
Well can't you just... clean it up?
JOE
Not really... it's pretty vulgar,
dude.
(beat)
No, no wait. I've got it. Okay,
follow me here.
Jimmy and Matt sit up on the couch, attentively.
JOE (CONT'D)
Alright, so I'm at work, and we're
pretty dead, so I start talking to
Jeremy Whittimore. Now, Whittimore
is a lot of things, but one thing
he doesn't do is BS. So when I hear
something from him, I believe it.
JIMMY
Right.
MATT
Uh-huh.
JOE
So we start talking, and he starts
telling me this story about Nick
and Amanda. So Nick and Amanda are
at his house, right? And they're on
the couch... "watching TV."
MATT
Right.
JOE
And after awhile, they get done
"watching TV," and Nick gets up,
and realizes he can't find... "the
remote control."
Matt and Jimmy laugh. By this time, the little kids have
started to gather to listen to Joe's story.
JOE (CONT'D)
So Amanda's freaking out, right?
And Nick panics, because she's
really upset, and she's all "We
don't want to get... charged for
any movies we didn't order!"
MATT
Understandable.
JIMMY
I feel bad for the girl that one
day ends up ordering a movie with
Nick.
TOMMY
(to one of his little
friends)
I have no idea what they're talking
about.
JIMMY
(to Tommy)
Quiet.
JOE
And this is the part that got me -
he tells her not to worry, and that
the remote is probably just stuck
in the... "couch" somewhere, and
they'll find it at the end of the
month when the "cable bill" comes.
Matt and Jimmy laugh a lot.
MATT
Does Nick know how the cable bill
works?!
JOE
Clearly not.
MATT
Wait... she didn't believe that,
did she?
JOE
According to Jeremy, yes. Yes she
did.
Jimmy shakes his head.
MATT
Those two idiots are made for each
other.
JIMMY
I can't believe Nick told *anyone*
that story, let alone Jeremy.
JOE
I know, right! It's Jeremy!
Everyone will probably know by this
time tomorrow.
MATT
We go to school with some
interesting people.
JOE
I know, right! Isn't that one of
the most fucked up things you've
ever heard!
As he finishes his sentence, Joe, Jimmy, and Matt's eyes all
bug out of their head.
JOE (CONT'D)
(to the ten-year-olds)
You didn't hear that.
TOMMY
Yes we did!
Tommy starts running up the stairs.
TOMMY (CONT'D)
Mommy, mommy! Jimmy's friends are
swearing and telling dirty stories
and they won't play with us!
JIMMY
(to Joe)
You son of a bitch.
FADE OUT.
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