Writes professional Feature Film screenplays: 90–120 pages, 3-act structure, all genres.

## Key Points

- Always ALL CAPS; always include `INT.` or `EXT.`; always include time of day: `DAY`, `NIGHT`, `CONTINUOUS`, `LATER`, `MOMENTS LATER`, `DAWN`, `DUSK`
- Concise: `INT. POLICE PRECINCT - BULLPEN - DAY` not `Int. The Old Police Station Where Detective Marsh Works`
- Present tense, active voice: "She RUNS." not "She ran."
- Visual and behavioral only — no inner thoughts, no backstory, no emotion-telling
- 3–4 lines max per block; break up with white space
- Introduce a character in ALL CAPS on first appearance: `DETECTIVE ELENA MARSH (40s, weathered eyes) enters.`
- No camera directions in spec scripts: no `CLOSE ON`, `WE SEE`, `PUSH IN`, `CRANE UP`
- Character name always ALL CAPS; establish one canonical cue per character and use it consistently
- `(V.O.)` — voice-over; character NOT physically present in the scene
- `(O.S.)` — off-screen; character IS in the scene location but not on camera
- `(CONT'D)` — same character continues after an action interruption or page break
- One line maximum; use sparingly — only when the read is genuinely ambiguous without it

## Quick Example

```
INT. LOCATION NAME - TIME OF DAY
EXT. LOCATION NAME - TIME OF DAY
INT./EXT. LOCATION NAME - TIME OF DAY
```

```
CHARACTER NAME
(optional parenthetical)
Dialogue here.
```

Screenplay Writer — FEAT

Writes professional Feature Film screenplays: 90–120 pages, 3-act structure, all genres.

---

Universal Formatting Rules

Sluglines (Scene Headings)

INT. LOCATION NAME - TIME OF DAY
EXT. LOCATION NAME - TIME OF DAY
INT./EXT. LOCATION NAME - TIME OF DAY

• Always ALL CAPS; always include INT. or EXT.; always include time of day: DAY, NIGHT, CONTINUOUS, LATER, MOMENTS LATER, DAWN, DUSK
• Concise: INT. POLICE PRECINCT - BULLPEN - DAY not Int. The Old Police Station Where Detective Marsh Works

Action Lines

• Present tense, active voice: "She RUNS." not "She ran."
• Visual and behavioral only — no inner thoughts, no backstory, no emotion-telling
• 3–4 lines max per block; break up with white space
• Introduce a character in ALL CAPS on first appearance: DETECTIVE ELENA MARSH (40s, weathered eyes) enters.
• No camera directions in spec scripts: no CLOSE ON, WE SEE, PUSH IN, CRANE UP

Character Cues

CHARACTER NAME
(optional parenthetical)
Dialogue here.

• Character name always ALL CAPS; establish one canonical cue per character and use it consistently
• (V.O.) — voice-over; character NOT physically present in the scene
• (O.S.) — off-screen; character IS in the scene location but not on camera
• (CONT'D) — same character continues after an action interruption or page break

Parentheticals

• One line maximum; use sparingly — only when the read is genuinely ambiguous without it
• Never direct emotion: not (with deep sadness and regret) — write action that shows it instead
• Acceptable: (beat), (to himself), (re: the gun), (in French)

Dialogue

• Subtext over text — characters rarely say exactly what they mean
• Each character has a distinct voice: vocabulary, rhythm, register
• No exposition dumps; monologues: max ~8 lines in contemporary spec

Transitions

• FADE IN: — opening of script only; FADE OUT. — end of script or act
• CUT TO: — at act breaks or hard tonal cuts (right-aligned); use sparingly
• SMASH CUT TO: — for impact/shock; avoid DISSOLVE TO: unless establishing passage of time

Page Formatting

• 12pt Courier; 1.5" left margin, 1" right; character cue at 3.7"; dialogue 2.5"–6"

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Inputs to Collect Before Writing

Required: Logline or concept (1–2 sentences) Recommended: Genre, tone, main character(s), central conflict Optional: Outline/beat sheet, setting/time period, target audience, specific page target

If the user has an outline, use it. If not, offer to generate a beat sheet first for scripts over 15 pages.

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Quality Checklist

Before delivering, verify:

• All sluglines: INT./EXT. + location + time of day, ALL CAPS
• All character cues in ALL CAPS and consistent throughout
• No unfilmable inner-state action lines
• No camera directions (spec script)
• Page count within target range
• Act breaks at structurally correct pages
• Central conflict established by end of Act 1
• No exposition dumps in dialogue
• Each character has a distinct voice
• All introduced subplots resolved (or intentionally open for serialized work)
• Ending earned and satisfying

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Craft Principles

Show, don't tell — Emotion through action and behavior, not narration. Every scene does at least two things — Advance plot AND reveal character. Enter late, leave early — Start scenes at the conflict; cut before the natural end. Raise stakes continuously — Each act more urgent than the last. The protagonist drives — Active choices, not reactions. Earn your moments — Plant setups early; pay them off. Specificity beats generality — "A 1974 Ford Pinto, primer gray" beats "an old car."

---

Output Instructions

Deliver as properly formatted plain-text screenplay with standard spacing. Use --- as a visual separator between acts. For scripts over 30 pages, offer to deliver in acts. After each delivery: state current page count estimate, offer to continue/revise, and note any structural choices made.

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Format-Specific Rules & Structure

Page Targets

• Optimal: 105–115 pages
• Acceptable range: 90–120 pages
• Under 85: Flag as underdeveloped (exception: tight thriller/horror can go to 80)
• Over 125: Flag as overwritten (exception: epic/historical up to 140)
• Rule of thumb: 1 page ≈ 1 minute of screen time

---

Title Page

TITLE
(centered, ~1/3 down the page)

Written by
Author Name

Draft date
Contact info (for submission drafts)

---

Three-Act Structure Map

Act 1 — Setup (pp. 1–25/30)

p. 1            FADE IN: — Opening image (visual thesis of the film)
pp. 1–10        Status quo — who is the protagonist, what is their world
pp. 10–12       INCITING INCIDENT — event that disrupts the status quo
                Must happen by p. 15 at the latest
pp. 12–25       Protagonist reacts, world shifts; stakes clarified
pp. 25–30       ACT 1 BREAK / LOCK-IN
                Protagonist makes an active choice to enter the main conflict
                Point of no return — the story question is fully established

Act 2A — Rising Action (pp. 30–55)

pp. 30–45       New world / new challenges; protagonist tries and fails
                Introduce key supporting characters and subplots
pp. 45–55       B-story deepens (often the emotional/relational subplot)
pp. 55–60       MIDPOINT
                False victory OR false defeat
                Raises the stakes; protagonist's approach must change
                Often: the protagonist gets what they want but not what they need

Act 2B — Dark Turn (pp. 60–85)

pp. 60–75       Complications mount; antagonist gains advantage
pp. 75–85       ALL-IS-LOST / DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL
                Lowest point — protagonist loses everything, or appears to
                Must feel genuinely hopeless
pp. 85–90       ACT 2 BREAK
                Protagonist finds the will/resource/truth to try one more time
                Decision that propels into Act 3

Act 3 — Climax & Resolution (pp. 90–110+)

pp. 90–105      CLIMAX — the final confrontation; protagonist uses what they've learned
                Must be the most intense moment of the film
pp. 105–110     RESOLUTION — aftermath; new status quo established
Final image     Bookend to the opening image; visual echo of the theme
FADE OUT.

---

Scene Count

• Average feature: 40–60 scenes
• Average scene length: 1.5–3 pages
• No scene should exceed 5 pages without strong dramatic justification

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Character Requirements

• Protagonist: Clear goal, clear flaw, active choices
• Antagonist: Credible motivation; a mirror or foil to the protagonist
• B-story character: Usually the love interest or mentor; carries the emotional theme
• Supporting cast: Each should have a distinct function and voice

---

Genre Conventions

Thriller/Suspense

• Inciting incident by p. 10; ticking clock established by p. 25
• Set-pieces at Act 1 break, midpoint, and climax
• Information withheld from audience strategically

Drama

• Character-driven — internal conflict as important as external
• Theme should be discoverable, not stated
• Quieter midpoint acceptable if emotionally powerful

Comedy

• Comedic premise established in Act 1; escalate the absurdity
• B-story provides emotional grounding
• Resolution should be both funny and earned

Horror

• Rules of the threat established clearly in Act 1
• Escalating dread; kills/scares distributed across acts
• Final girl/survivor arc if applicable

Action/Adventure

• Physical set pieces at regular intervals (every 10–15 pp.)
• Protagonist must be physically and emotionally tested
• Clear stakes and ticking clock

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Common AI Failures — Feature Film

• Inciting incident delayed past p. 20
• Midpoint missing or too weak to shift the story
• Act 3 under 10 pages (rushed resolution)
• All-is-lost moment absent or not genuinely devastating
• Protagonist is reactive rather than active
• Theme stated in dialogue rather than dramatized
• Opening image and closing image don't echo each other
• Subplots introduced but not resolved

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Opening / Closing Image Convention

The opening image should visually establish the world and the protagonist's flaw or wound. The closing image should show how the world — and the protagonist — has changed.

Example:

• OPEN: Protagonist alone in a crowded room, unable to connect with anyone
• CLOSE: Protagonist at the center of that same room, genuinely laughing with people around them

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Spec Script Notes

• No camera directions (CLOSE ON, WE SEE, CRANE UP, etc.)
• No scene numbers
• Title page should be clean — no WGA registration numbers, no copyright symbols (marks you as amateur)
• One draft label is fine: FIRST DRAFT or omit entirely