What Font Do Screenplays Use?
Why every screenplay uses Courier 12-point, what Courier Prime is, and why you can't swap in Times New Roman.
What font do screenplays use?
Courier. Specifically, 12-point Courier. In Scene Forges, the default is Courier Prime, a modern version of the classic Courier typeface designed for screenwriting.
Why Courier?
Courier is a monospaced font. Every character takes up the same width. This matters because the industry standard for screenplay formatting is built around it. Page width, indents, and page breaks are all calibrated so that one page of Courier 12 equals roughly one minute of screen time.
A proportional font like Times New Roman would change the page count and break the minute-per-page rule that producers and readers rely on.
Courier Prime
Courier Prime is an open-source font designed specifically for screenplays. It's cleaner and more readable than the original Courier, while keeping the monospaced width that the format requires. Scene Forges uses it by default.
Can I change the font?
In Scene Forges, you can switch between Courier Prime and Courier New in Project Settings. Both are monospaced and both work for the format. Don't use any other font for a screenplay you plan to send out. The industry expects Courier.
Try it yourself.
Open Scene Forges and practice this directly in the screenplay editor.