How to Write a Screenplay

A screenplay is the plan that puts a film on paper, scene by scene. The short route: compress the idea into a one-sentence logline, work out what your character wants and what stands in the way, put the story on a structure (three acts is the most common one), write the scenes in standard format, then cut everything the film can live without. Step by step below.

Five steps

Idea → logline: tell your film in one or two sentences (who, what, what's in the way).
Character: decide what your protagonist concretely wants and what blocks it.
Structure: decide what you'll tell and when — the most common arrangement is three acts (setup, confrontation, resolution), not the only one.
Scene: write the events in standard format, showing rather than explaining.
Rewrite: cut every scene down to conflict and necessity.

How long should it be?

Rough measure: 1 page ≈ 1 minute of screen time. A short film usually runs 5–15 pages, a feature around 90–120. Don't worry about the page count; worry about whether each scene has to be there.

Wrong / Right

Wrong

"Ahmet was very sad and kept thinking about the past, wishing he hadn't left that day." — Inner thought and memory can't be photographed.

Right

"Ahmet crushes a creased photograph in his fist, drops it in the bin, then bends down and takes it back." — Behaviour you can see and hear.

Checklist

Can you tell your film in a single sentence?
Does your protagonist want something concrete and watchable?
Does every scene contain a conflict or a change?
Is the format standard (slug line + action + dialogue)?
Have you cut the scenes and lines you don't need?

Download as Word and PDF

Open the Word version and write straight over it; the PDF looks the same on every device and prints as it is.

You can write without downloadingStart writing in screenplay format →Senaryum — opens in the browser, nothing to install. It formats the slug line, the action and the dialogue as you type.You can try it without an account; you'll need one to save and download what you write.

Blank screenplay template — standard formatOpen it in Word and start writing: Scene Heading · Action · Character · Dialogue styles built in, Courier New 12.Word (.docx)PDF

Sample screenplay — “The Scale”A complete 5-page short film script in standard format: slug lines, action and dialogue.Word (.docx)PDF

Frequently asked questions

How do I learn to write a screenplay?

In order, and by writing. First you learn to reduce the idea to a premise and a logline, then structure, character, scene and format; at every step it's writing your own pages that teaches you, not reading about it. The Senaryo Okulu curriculum is built in exactly that order.

What are the basic screenwriting techniques?

The core ones: show, don't tell (give emotion through behaviour, not adjectives); enter late, leave early (open the scene in the middle of the event); subtext (leave a gap between what's said and what's meant); plant and payoff (set a detail early, collect it later); and keep conflict alive in every scene.

Do I need software to write a screenplay?

You don't, but it helps: applying the format rules by hand (indents, capitals, spacing) is slow and error-prone. Senaryum runs in the browser and sets the format for you — nothing to install.

How long should my first screenplay be?

For a first piece, short-film length is right: 5–10 pages. The measure is roughly 1 page ≈ 1 minute. A finished short is both more instructive and more showable than an abandoned feature.

Do I need formal training to write screenplays?

There's no required degree or certificate; screenwriting isn't a licensed profession. But the craft has a learnable side (structure, scene, format), and learning it in order is faster than trial and error.

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