What needs to be capatalized in a screenplay?

Question

What needs to be capatalized in a screenplay?

Answer 1

Anything that is normally capitalized in English (i.e. words at the beginning of a sentence, proper names, etc).

Character names are capitalized (the whole name) when they are speaking.

Character names are also capitalized only the first time they are introduced in the regular, or general, or action parts of the text.

Transition words, such as FADE IN, FADE TO, etc.

Scene headings, i.e.:

EXT. THE JENNINGS MANSION, CAPE COD, MA - DAY

This is all true for a screenplay.

For a SHOOTING SCRIPT, which you would have after the screenplay is sold and you are in pre-production, you would also capitalize (only the first time it's introduced) all props that are introduced into a scene.

For example:

JOHN, 51, enters the library, carrying a large CANDLESTICK. John is a butler, with a devious, evil look. His clothing is dishevled and dirty. The candlestick is made out of silver and looks very heavy.

Get Final Draft or some other screenwriting software and all this formatting stuff is done for you!