Multicamera sitcoms (think: anything with a laugh track, like Seinfeld) and single-camera shows (sitcoms with no laugh track, like Malcolm in the Middle, as well as dramas) have slightly different teleplay formats. Multicamera scripts have stage direction IN ALL CAPS, with double spaced dialogue. Single-camera scripts look more like film scripts. There are other subtle […]
How many scenes should a screenplay have?
There is no set number of scenes a movie should have. It’s tempting to say that a 120-page script at approximately 2 to 3 pages per scene should have 40 to 60 scenes. While not wrong, this is a gross generalization. The better answer is that a screenplay should have as many scenes as are […]
Does format change for screenplays/teleplays/etc?
Yes. Multicamera sitcom scripts have a different format than single-camera TV scrips, which have a slightly different format than film scripts. The best way to understand the differences is to study scripts of the different formats. The [johnaugust.com library](http://johnaugust.com/library) has feature script samples, while this [TV writing resource](https://sites.google.com/site/tvwriting/) has examples of both multicamera and single-camera […]
What is a “spec script?”
A “spec script” is a movie written on “speculation” — without a deal or sale already in place, and without being commissioned. A writer is not paid to write a spec. They do it on their own time with the hopes of selling it to a buyer, or to use as a writing sample. In […]
What does “high concept” mean?
A “high concept” idea is one that can be easily and succinctly explained. It was originally coined ironically, in opposition to “high art,” which is why to some the term is counter-intuitive. A good (albeit extreme) example is Snakes on a Plane — the title itself explains the idea. ### More from johnaugust.com * [Pride […]
How many pages should each act of a screenplay be?
Unlike plays and television scripts, which explicitly indicate their act breaks, most feature screenplays don’t print act breaks anywhere in the script. But in everyday discussion, screenwriters generally talk about movies having three acts. SCREENWRITER Crap. I’m at page 38 but I’m nowhere near the end of the first act. or SCREENWRITER Boom! Page 90, […]