ScreenPDF

ScreenPDF is a library for easy screenplay generation under Python, using PyFPDF as base (see PyFPDF [1]). ScreenPDF uses Moreno's how to write a screenplay [2] as reference for proper screenplay format.

Contents

• How to use
  • Installing ScreenPDF
  • Running ScreenPDF
• ScreenPDF Syntax
  • Informations
  • Begin
  • Content
• References

How to use

Installing ScreenPDF

$ git clone https://github.com/arthurazs/ScreenPDF.git
$ cd ScreenPDF
$ pip install -e .

Running ScreenPDF

$ screenpdf -h
$ screenpdf example.spdf
$ evince Screenplay\ Example.pdf

The example.spdf is a 3 page (1 title page + 2 content pages) example screenplay and will generate the following Screenplay Example.pdf:

ScreenPDF Syntax

Here you'll learn how to write your script following the syntax bellow:

\chars [Riley][Carl][Megan]
\authors [Arthur Zopellaro][Someone Else]
\infos [+55 24 999960000][arthurazsoares@gmail.com]
\title [Screenplay Example]

\begin

\int airlock/spaceship - night
\action Airlock door UNLOCKS. FOOTSTEPS follows.

\dia {0} I know, right?
\dia {2} (through the comm) Are you guys done preparing?
\action {0}, an Aeronautical Engineer in her early 30s, puts her space suit on.
\dia {2} [CONT'D] (through the comm) We are late already.

\ext outer space - night
\action {0}'s face is lit up by the helmet's interior lights.

Informations

The first few lines are reserved to information such as:

• chars (Characters' names)
  • \chars [Riley][Carl][Megan]
    • The letter case will be respected for every occurrence
    • Except the first time each name appears (in which will be printed all uppercase)
• authors (Authors' names)
  • \authors [Arthur Zopellaro][Jane Doe]
    • Each author should be inside different brackets
• infos (Additional Information)
  • \infos [+55 24 987654321][arthurazsoares@gmail.com]
    • Phone number
    • Email
    • Address
• title (Screenplay Title)
  • \title [Screenplay Example]
    • Printed all uppercase on the first page of the document
    • Also used as the filename (respecting each letter case) to output the PDF

Begin

Between the informations and the screenplay content, you need to declare a begin, e.g.:

• \begin

Content

This is where you write your screenplay. There are various elements such as:

• Scene Heading
  • int or interior
  • ext or exterior
  • Followed by the scene heading description, e.g.
    • \int car - day
    • \exterior car - night
• Action
  • act or action
  • Followed by the action description, e.g.
    • \action They walk slowly towards the car.
  • You can also use characters in your actions with {number}, e.g.
    • \act {1}, an odd looking man, walks slowly towards the car.
    • Each respective {number} will be printed as the name declared on the information character section
    • The very first name's ID is 0, the second name's ID is 1, e.g.
      • \chars [Riley][Carl][Megan]
      • Riley is {0}
      • Carl is {1}
    • Each character's first appearence on the text will be printed all uppercase, e.g.
      • CARL, an odd looking man, walks slowly towards the car.
• Dialogue
  • dia or dialogue
  • Followed by a character's ID
    • e.g. {0}
  • Followed by extension (OPTIONAL)
    • e.g. [CONT'D]
  • Followed by parenthetical (OPTIONAL)
    • e.g. (whispering)
  • Followed by the speech line, e.g.
    • \dia {2} [CONT'D] (whispering) Got it?
    • \dialogue {1} Got it.

References

[1] Reingart, M. (2013). pyfpdf: FPDF for Python [online] Available at: https://github.com/reingart/pyfpdf [Accessed 25 Sep. 2016].

[2] Moreno, M.; Tuxford, K. (2010). How to Write a Screenplay: Script Writing Example & Screenwriting Tips [online] Available at: https://www.writersstore.com/how-to-write-a-screenplay-a-guide-to-scriptwriting/ [Accessed 25 Sep. 2016].