How to Format a Screenplay Title Page

The title page is the first — sometimes only — thing an industry reader sees done correctly. It follows a strict, simple layout: centered title and byline, contact information in a bottom corner, nothing else.

Standard Title Page Layout

                    (centered, ~1/3 down the page)

                       THE LAST WITNESS


                          Written by


                         Dana Reyes



                    (bottom left corner)

          Dana Reyes
          danareyes@email.com
          Los Angeles, CA



                    (bottom right corner)

                          First Draft
                          January 2026

Element by Element

Title

• Centered horizontally, starting about one-third down the page
• ALL CAPS or Title Case — both are accepted; all caps is more common
• Underlined or quoted is optional and old-fashioned — plain is safest

Byline

• The words Written by on one line
• Your name on the line below, in normal case
• On one line: Written by Dana Reyes also works

Contact Information

• Bottom left corner of the page
• Name, email, and/or phone — city optional
• If you have representation, their contact info replaces yours (that's the point of representation)

Draft or Date

• Bottom right corner: First Draft, Shooting Draft, or the month and year
• Update it every print — production teams live and die by draft versions

What Is Never on a Title Page

• ❌ Page number (the title page is not counted)
• ❌ Loglines, taglines, quotes, or images
• ❌ Copyright or WGA registration numbers (optional; if you must, tiny text in the bottom corner — see FAQ)
• ❌ A cast list, poster, or "based on a true story" banner (that goes in the script if anywhere)

Adaptations and Shared Credit

For adaptations, add an credit line under the byline:

                     Based on the novel by
                        Alan Mercer

For two writers, stack names:

                          Written by

                         Dana Reyes
                         & Sam Okafor

Use & for a writing team; use and for writers who worked sequentially.

Title Page in Fountain

Fountain syntax creates the title page from a simple key-value block at the top of your file — see Fountain Syntax:

Title: THE LAST WITNESS
Credit: Written by
Author: Dana Reyes
Draft date: January 2026
Contact: danareyes@email.com

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I put my WGA registration number on the title page?

You can, in small print in the bottom corner, but it's not required and most professionals omit it. Registration matters legally; advertising it reads as insecure.

Does the title page count as page 1?

No. The title page is unnumbered, and page 1 is the first page of the script itself (usually also unnumbered, with numbering starting at 2).

Where does the title page go in a PDF?

It's a separate page before page 1 — never merged onto the first page of the script.

Can I use a pseudonym?

Yes — use the pen name on the byline and your legal name plus contact in the contact block if contracts require it.

Related Pages

• Screenplay Margins — the layout system behind the title page
• Screenplay Font — Courier rules apply here too
• Spec Script vs Shooting Script — labeling drafts correctly
• Fountain Syntax — title pages from plain text