Screenwriting

Screenwriting is the craft of writing scripts for visual media, including feature films, television, and digital series. A screenplay provides the blueprint for production, combining narrative description, dialogue, and action cues to convey story, characters, settings, and mood. The screenwriter develops the concept, characters, and structure, and collaborates with directors, producers, and actors to realize the work on screen.

Screenplays follow a standardized format designed for clarity and speed on set. Scene headings indicate where a scene takes place (INT. or EXT.), followed by action lines describing what is seen and heard. Character names precede dialogue, with occasional parentheticals for delivery. Special elements such as voice-over (V.O.) or off-screen dialogue (O.S.) may appear, and transitions or montage notes are used sparingly. The text is typically written in a fixed font (Courier or equivalent) with roughly one page equaling one minute of screen time.

Most screenplays employ a three-act structure: setup, confrontation, and resolution, with key plot points and character arcs guiding the turning points. Writers outline the story, create beat sheets, and draft drafts, revising to tighten pace, show rather than tell, and ensure dramatic momentum. Dialogue should reveal character, subtext, and motive while staying credible to the world of the script.

In film and television, the writer creates drafts for collaboration with directors, producers, and editors. In TV, writers’ rooms and showrunners shape ongoing series and episodes. Credits and compensation are regulated by unions in many countries (for example, the Writers Guild), and adaptation involves translating existing material into screenplay form while respecting rights and licenses.

Common software tools include Final Draft, Celtx, and Fade In. Writers study examples, format manuals, and craft guides to improve structure and dialogue. Screenwriting emphasizes visual storytelling, showing actions and emotions through scenes rather than exposition.