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Formatting NYC contradiction

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scottdcon View Drop Down
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    Posted: 20 Dec 2018 at 4:37am
Hello folks,

With regards to screenplay formatting, I've had a discussion with someone who said the formatting of my page numbering is incorrect. I know it's a small detail, but it's worth solving. I read the rules and NYCmidnight's recommendations which contradict each other (I have underlined the contradicting sentences):

On this link, under page numbering, it states: 
Page Numbering
Pages should be numbered in the upper right corner of the page, approximately 0.5" from the top margin and 1.0" from the right margin.  The first page should NOT be numbered.  The title page should not count as a page in your screenplay.

Yet in the official rules states:
LENGTH - The maximum length for each individual screenplay is 5 pages (not including the title page). All pages must be numbered.

What should I do? Number page 1 or not? Any help would be appreciated.

Scott

Short Story CH1 King Edgar Fantasy
SScreenplay CH3 IVANKA Horror


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cheezopath View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote cheezopath Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Dec 2018 at 4:39am
title page not numbered, the 5 pages of the body of the script numbered. final draft does this correctly by default
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote scottdcon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Dec 2018 at 5:01am
Originally posted by cheezopath cheezopath wrote:

title page not numbered, the 5 pages of the body of the script numbered. final draft does this correctly by default

I have read your scripts (great by the way) but none of them has page #1 numbered. Final draft doesn't number page 1 by default, but starts with 2. So what I hope to clarify is that it's correct not to number the 'FADE IN' page, but to number the rest?
Short Story CH1 King Edgar Fantasy
SScreenplay CH3 IVANKA Horror


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheezopath Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Dec 2018 at 2:21am
thanks!

also WTF?? how did i never notice that. goes to show how much I'm relying on the autoformatting
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote scottdcon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Dec 2018 at 6:34am
In The Screen Writer's Bible' it specifically says page 1 of the screenplay should not be numbered, and every other source seems to agree. So I think it's safe to say that NYCMidnight has made a slight error here and nobody will be penalised for not numbering page 1. 
Short Story CH1 King Edgar Fantasy
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote FMau Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Dec 2018 at 12:35pm
Originally posted by cheezopath cheezopath wrote:

thanks!

also WTF?? how did i never notice that. goes to show how much I'm relying on the autoformatting

I suspect, come January the whateverth, I'll have learnt not to rely on autoformatting... take a look at the lower margin on my pages (Sporty, Ginger...). Confused I was so busy making sure I didn't go to a 6th page, I didn't notice. Bound to be dinged...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DJewell Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Jan 2019 at 3:46pm
Originally posted by scottdcon scottdcon wrote:

In The Screen Writer's Bible' it specifically says page 1 of the screenplay should not be numbered, and every other source seems to agree. So I think it's safe to say that NYCMidnight has made a slight error here and nobody will be penalised for not numbering page 1. 

I've been doing these comps for years, and I agree that this error will not penalize you. The main reason for using proper format is that people who read screenplays expect it and not using it can distract your reader from the story - not good. That said, a page number, there or not, isn't going to distract anyone. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote NilesPerry Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Jan 2019 at 5:37pm
If you're using Final Draft, Movie Magic Screenwriter or Celtx, you don't even need to worry about this. If not, then your Title Page indeed does not count toward page count or numbering, nor should it be numbered. Page 1 of your screenplay should also not be numbered. So, the only pages with numbers (in this competition) should be 2-5. As mentioned above, if Page 1 should be numbered, I seriously doubt anyone would even care. But then again, this current group of judges has many of us scratching our heads in bewilderment, so you might get nit-picked if your first script page has a number on it...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote scottdcon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Jan 2019 at 5:48pm
There are loads of difficult formatting instances and the only reason I bring this one up is because of the contradiction, and someone criticized me for having not numbered page 1.

Interesting you mention the judges are behaving strangely. What makes you say that? You noticed anything consistently weird in their feedback or something? A lot of people mention that and it's my first time in this competition. 


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SScreenplay CH3 IVANKA Horror


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