What is a Screenplay? The Craft of Screenwriting
Before you write a screenplay, you must first understand what a screenplay truly is—and what it is not.
Before we begin learning how to write a screenplay, we first need to explore a simple question:
What exactly is a screenplay?
Just as importantly, we should understand what a screenplay is not.
Understanding the difference will save you a tremendous amount of frustration as you begin your screenwriting journey.
A Little Background Information
On average, one page of a screenplay equals roughly one minute of screen time.
Because of this rule of thumb, most film lengths translate fairly neatly into page counts:
The average movie drama runs about two hours, which means the screenplay is typically around 120 pages.
Many horror and comedy films run closer to ninety minutes, or about 90 pages.
Large-scale action or adventure films may run longer.
For our purposes, it’s safe to say that most screenplays fall somewhere between 90 and 120 pages.
With that in mind, let’s begin by examining what a screenplay is not.
A Screenplay Is Not a Novel
Unfortunately, that’s rarely the case.
Many successful films are adapted from novels, so it might seem logical that turning a novel into a screenplay would be simple.
In fact, adapting a novel into a compelling film can be extremely difficult.
Even a short novel is often twice the length of a typical screenplay. But the difference isn’t just page count—it’s the way the story is told.
When writing a novel, you have enormous freedom:
Long descriptive passages
Pages of flowing dialogue
Entire chapters devoted to a character’s inner thoughts
In a screenplay, you don’t have those luxuries.
Description must be concise.
Internal monologues rarely work well on screen.
Film is a visual medium. Instead of telling the audience what a character thinks or feels, you must show it through action, behavior, and visual storytelling.
Writers hear the famous phrase “Show, Don’t Tell” in almost every form of storytelling, but it is never more important than in screenwriting.
The screenwriter is creating scenes for the silver screen, not simply for the reader’s imagination.
A Screenplay Is Not a Stage Play
At first glance, screenplays and stage plays may seem similar.
Both involve:
Actors performing scenes
Dialogue between characters
A story presented to an audience
But the similarities stop there.
A stage play is written for a live performance, meaning the story must operate within the physical limits of the stage.
A screenplay, on the other hand, is written for a filmed performance.
Scenes can take place almost anywhere:
A crowded city street
The top of a mountain
A distant planet
The middle of a hurricane
The only real limits are the budget and the imagination of the filmmakers.
Because of these differences, playwrights often rely on characters telling the audience what they feel or think through dialogue.
Screenwriters must do the opposite.
The screenwriter creates scenes that show what the characters are thinking and feeling through action, behavior, and visual moments.
A Screenplay Is Not a Short Story
Many short stories have also been adapted into films. In some ways, this can be easier than adapting a novel because there is less material to condense.
However, short stories often present the opposite challenge.
Sometimes there simply isn’t enough material to sustain a feature-length film.
A short story might contain only a handful of scenes or a single central event. A screenplay, however, requires a series of connected scenes and escalating events that move the story forward.
A successful screenplay builds momentum, conflict, and suspense, carrying the audience from one scene to the next.
So What Is a Screenplay?
Now that we’ve explored what a screenplay is not, let’s talk about what it actually is.
A useful way to think about a screenplay is to imagine it as a blueprint for a film.
Just as architects create detailed plans before constructing a building, screenwriters design the story framework that filmmakers will later bring to life.
This blueprint is built from three essential elements:
Structure
The structure is the foundation of the story.
It determines how the narrative unfolds and how events progress from beginning to middle to end.
We will explore story structure in much greater detail in a later article.
Plot
The plot consists of the events, conflicts, and situations that move the story forward.
These events create tension, stakes, and momentum.
Characters
The most exciting plot in the world means very little if the audience doesn’t care about the people experiencing it.
Your screenplay must feature interesting, compelling characters whose choices drive the story.
Putting It All Together
When you combine:
A strong structure
An engaging plot
Compelling characters
You have the foundation of a screenplay.
Sounds easy, doesn’t it?
Unfortunately, it isn’t.
Writing a screenplay that is entertaining, emotionally engaging, and strong enough for producers and studios to invest in is a challenging task.
But don’t worry.
By learning and applying the tools and techniques we’ll explore in this series on the craft of screenwriting, the process becomes far more manageable—and far more rewarding.
So come along as we explore how to discover the best story for you to tell and the best way to bring that story to life on the screen.
Fade In Is Just The Beginning.
— John Morgan Risner
Founder, Screenwriter Ink
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John Risner
John Morgan Risner is a screenwriter, novelist, and story analyst, and the founder of Screen Writer Ink. With over a decade of experience teaching screenwriting and filmmaking at the university level, he has helped writers develop stronger stories through a focus on character, structure, and cinematic storytelling. His work spans multiple genres, including thriller, horror, and mystery, with an emphasis on character-driven narratives. He is also a film historian with a deep knowledge of classic and modern cinema, including the James Bond films and novels. Through Screen Writer Ink, he provides writers with practical, experience-based insight into the craft of storytelling—helping them move beyond theory and write with clarity, purpose, and control.
