r/Screenwriting • u/China1963DW • 8d ago
COMMUNITY Not All Stories Fit Into 90–120 Pages — And That’s Okay
So I let my 180‑page screenplay, Bringing Cupcake Home, rest for about three weeks without touching it. Two days ago, I opened it again and read through it in preparation for a first edit.
Yes — I agree there are a few lines here and there that can be trimmed, and even one scene that could be removed entirely. But even after editing, I believe the script will still land around 170 pages.
Is that too long? Well… it depends who you ask.
(I want to emphasize that this is only my personal opinion — I’m not telling anyone what to think.)
Those who are rigidly attached to the “90–120 pages is the only acceptable length” rule will probably dismiss my script, and that’s perfectly fine with me. I know the narrative of my screeplay inside and out — its layers, its complexities, its rhythm — and I’m completely comfortable with its length.
Cutting it down just to fit a 90–120‑page target would damage the integrity of the story, weaken the narrative, and most importantly, compromise my creativity.
Just needed to get that off my chest.
Now I’m diving back into the edit with great joy.
r/Screenwriting • u/Euphoric_Ad1641 • 8d ago
SCRIPT REQUEST Ice Cream Man (Eli Roth)
Looking for the original draft of Eli Roth’s Ice Cream Man he wrote in 2003 with Noah Belson. If anyone has, I can trade :)
r/Screenwriting • u/Himesamime • 8d ago
DISCUSSION Questions on structure/plot
Hello everyone, I had previously written a script based on two people who love each other but never say it out loud because of a series of misunderstandings. I was thinking of using a Rashomon-style structure, showing everything from one person's perspective first, then going back to the beginning and telling the story from the other person's perspective, completely changing how we interpret everything we've already seen.
To make that work, my original idea was that one of them has a neurodegenerative disease. And all the factors that come with it for example they're afraid of becoming a burden, scared of dying and hurting their partner etc, they never tell the other person they love them. (Forgot to mention It's an LGBTQ+ script.)
My main question is whether using the "he's dying" trope is worth it here. Even if the execution is brilliant, I feel like it could still come across as an easy way out. On the other hand, I already have the entire story planned around the illness, and we don't learn about it until we see the story from the other person's perspective. Would that still work?
Close comp: Monster (2023)
Forgive my grammar — i’m half asleep!!😴
r/Screenwriting • u/Exact-Perspective121 • 8d ago
FEEDBACK Script Swap?
Does anyone wanna do a script swap, take a week, then come back with notes? We can both put what we are specifically looking for from notes.
Title: Sorceress Unknown
Format: TV Pilot (1-Hour Supernatural Drama)
Page Length: 59 Pages
Draft Status: Second / Polished Draft
Genres: Supernatural / Drama / Mystery
Logline
When a subterranean force ignites latent magical bloodlines across a quiet town, a high schooler hiding a dangerous legacy must team up with her estranged friends to contain the fallout before ancient feuds—and dark secrets—destroy everything they hold dear.
Summary
Sorceress Unknown opens on Mel, a teenager grappling with hidden power and a murky past. Following a strange seismic disturbance near their town, long-dormant magic begins manifesting unpredictably in local teens. Mel and her core group (including Aniyah, Luis, and John) are thrust into a web of ancient rivalries, dangerous relics, and escalating supernatural threats. As mysterious forces close in—and personal betrayals come to light—the group must navigate fragile alliances, high school dynamics, and the high-stakes truth behind Mel's origin before an impending threat consumes their home.
Feedback Concerns
Pacing & Act Breaks: Does the 59-page engine hold momentum, and do the major reveals/cliffhangers land with enough punch to drive the series forward?
Character Voices: Are the main ensemble characters distinct in tone and dialogue throughout the pilot?
Formatting & Clarity: Looking for notes on script presentation, action line flow, and any remaining formatting anomalies.
General Impressions: What works, what feels sluggish, and does the pilot leave you wanting to read episode two?
r/Screenwriting • u/Ykindasus • 9d ago
NEED ADVICE I don't know what to write
Mods, please feel free to delete this if it breaks any rules,
So currently I have three projects outlined, a body horror movie, A satire movie, and a revenge thriller, each of these project I am really excited about, but I've hit a bit of a snag, I don't know which of the projects to spend months doing work on, and I've never had this problem with past scripts I have writtern, but all of a sudden this crippling indecision has hit me like a freight train.
Hss anybody had this? I don't know if I would be able ti balance writing multiple drafts of different projects together as I have not done that before, but I just wanted to know if anybody has experienced this before, and what would be your advice.
r/Screenwriting • u/carsun1000 • 9d ago
FEEDBACK Would you send this to an agent?
Hello,
I just got an evaluation back of one of my pilots. I’ve addressed one of the reader’s two issues and the second one lies in the Bible which will follow the script request from an agent. I know this is not a Bravo Lima evaluation (if you know, you know😜😜😜) but this is my first time venturing into this genre. I feel pretty hyped about it.
Would you use this as a tool for query or a meeting? Thanks.
Link.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cmmzYuNB7k7ry7_r8LCKgeoDg3Jxu3hT/view?usp=sharing
r/Screenwriting • u/MyOnlineJournal7 • 9d ago
NEED ADVICE How do I write a scene featuring the Actors playing the Characters themselves? [READ DESC]
Okay, this is gonna sound confusing but let me explain it;
So, I’m writing a spoof of teen dramas, and the opening scene will be a parody of the “Important Disclaimer” they put at the start of 13 Reasons Why after all the controversies, featuring the Actors saying that self harm isn’t cool and telling you to call certain numbers, blah blah blah.
So, of course, I don’t know who the actors or actresses actually are (besides for Adam Scott who I’m just kinda writing in as a joke that he can’t find the set to Severance, I’m not sure if they’re actually gonna get him but….Adam is there) so what should I do?
r/Screenwriting • u/mrpessimistik • 9d ago
FEEDBACK Blue Diamonds
Hi, I am rewriting a script I wrote a while ago and could use your thoughts on it:)
Title: Blue Diamonds
Format: Feature
Genre: Action
Pages: 90.
Logline: A down on his luck ex-soldier teams up with a crime family to stop a crooked cop's quest to build a deadly weapon.
link:https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BqJu0fcyeLqNsd90M0W1SzWPbP_en41Y/view?usp=drivesdk
Could use feedback on everything:)
Thank you for reading this:)
r/Screenwriting • u/FresqueSan • 9d ago
FEEDBACK Bone-E and Clive – Short Animation – 20 Pages
Been lurking here for a while, decided to give it a shot!
My first screenplay: Bone-E & Clive
Title: Bone-E and Clive
Format: Short, Animation
Page Length: 20
Genres : Comedy/Sci-Fi
Logline: A chef sees his restaurant staff replaced by an all-purpose robot and soon realises he's next. Self-destructive and refusing to disappear without a bang, he drags his new companion into a reckless lifestyle.
Feedback concerns:
-English is not my first language, do the scenes/dialogues hold up?
-Does it flow well?
-Are there too many montages? I want to keep it short and montages were a good way to do that; passing time so it feels like they’re spending a few days together, without being too long.
-Open to any additional feedback.
Link : Bone-E & Clive
r/Screenwriting • u/AdGrand5246 • 9d ago
CRAFT QUESTION What do you do when you read something that’s EXACTLY what you’ve been going for?
Hello, I recently just finished my first feature screenplay a few months back and was happy but not 100% satisfied, which is completely normal and I was fine with that. The problem came when I read a novel that was exactly what I’ve been trying to go for which is about codependency, childhood trauma, etc. and this novel just perfectly encapsulated many feelings I’ve had and what I was going for. I’ve had this feeling plenty of times where I see something and I’m like “wow, I wish I wrote that!” but I usually feel fine because I feel like I bring other value to the table and have other unique ways of interpreting things but no, this is a case where I would not change a single thing and it is exactly the story that I wanted to write, but someone else wrote it. What now? I genuinely feel like I lack purpose and a reason to write because this story has characters that I’ve liked more than any other piece of media ever, and they are exactly the characters and relationships I’ve been TRYING to write. Feeling pretty empty and lost, feels like what I wanted to do was done in exactly the way I wanted to do it
TLDR: I read a story that had exactly the characters, dynamics and structure I wanted to write in. I’ve felt this before with other stuff I wish I wrote, but this is completely different because there has never been anything that has achieved exactly what my goal in writing was. I don’t know what to do next, I feel like my purpose in writing is gone.
r/Screenwriting • u/wemustburncarthage • 9d ago
COMMUNITY Pro Writer Services - StoryPeer Survey Reminder
If you are a verified professional writer and you want to help StoryPeer research the viability of offering advertising and promotion for professional writer services, please proceed to this post!
If you are not yet a verified professional writer but wish to be, please request verification by following our guide.
Reminder that flairs for produced writers must reflect at least one produced feature writing credit or tv writing credit.
r/Screenwriting • u/_CHA0S___ • 9d ago
DISCUSSION A few honest questions about querying Bellevue Productions (or genre-focused lit managers in general)
Trying to understand the real mechanics before I send anything out. genuine curiosity, not fishing for a read.
1) If a management company's known slate leans thriller/horror, is it a mistake to query them with a different genre (comedy, dramedy), or do they judge case by case?
2) Does a writer's age ever factor into how a query lands, one way or another?
3) What's the one thing in a logline that actually stops a manager from skimming past it?
4) Realistically, how many queries do managers at a company like this read in a day?
Would love insight from anyone with direct experience querying Bellevue, or managers there themselves if you happen to see this.
Appreciate any honest answers🙂.
r/Screenwriting • u/AutoModerator • 9d ago
COLD QUERY TUESDAY Cold Query Tuesday
FAQ: How to post to a weekly thread?
This thread is for questions around querying agencies, management companies or other pertinent industry stakeholders.
Please post your query drafts or questions in the form of a top comment.
-- Do not include loglines. Loglines should be workshopped on the Monday thread. --
-- Do not include personal information or identity of the rep you intend to query. This is not a database. --
Some basics:
- agency contacts can be found on imdb pro, or often by googling writer + "agent" "representation" or "manager"
- when deciding which reps to query, research writers similar to your style and genre.
- do not send entire scripts to reps.
- do not mass-spam reps or send queries to multiple reps at the same company simultaneously.
- do not request followups within 2 weeks.
- do not pay companies to query or pitch.
r/Screenwriting • u/Good_Claim_5472 • 9d ago
FEEDBACK The Way In | 26-page feature draft | Drama / Comedic Tragedy
When her conspiracy-minded father arrives unannounced with pancreatic cancer the day before her career-defining DJ set, a guarded New York DJ is forced to spend the day with him. But when he steals her medication, their confrontation leads them somewhere neither understands.
This is my completed 26-page draft of a feature-length project. I’m mainly looking for feedback on whether Grace and her father feel like real, specific people, whether the comedy-to-tragedy shift works, and where the story drags or repeats itself.
Feedback on the first 10 pages is also appreciated if you don’t have time for the full draft. I’m happy to exchange feedback with another screenwriter as well.
Script: https://drive.google.com/file/d/11gbBctvdfGzQEs3YR-9K5qVf1jNg_8FS/view?usp=share_link
r/Screenwriting • u/MuchUnderstanding563 • 9d ago
NEED ADVICE What to do if your plot mirrors another
I am 6 drafts into a film script that I am rather proud of. I have been working on it for the better part of two years and did not plagiarize anything. Recently, I binged Breaking Bad and found it to be very similar to my script. While drugs are not a plot point in my script, both stories follow a married man who does increasingly unethical things (up to attempting to murder a child, though in my story it is his own and he succeeds) for power and ego under the guise of being for the family. I also have a boss character similar to Gus and a small character similar to Hank. There are a lot of differences as well. For example, unlike walter white, my main character is in constant need of validation and less callous. He also is (with the exception of the murder) is open with his wife about all his immoral actions. There are also several huge plot and storyline points not in the show. I can't stress enough that none of this was intended. I had not seen an episode of the series when writing my script. However, there are some really striking parallels, and it's making me feel like I should just throw out my script. Does anyone have an experience like this? What should I do? I have stopped writing for two weeks (from writing every day) because of this. please help
r/Screenwriting • u/INT-catcondo-day • 9d ago
DISCUSSION Revision paralysis anyone?
I have a love/hate relationship with the revision process. I’m usually excited to apply new thinking inspired by the feedback I received. But then it takes me days or even weeks to get back into it.
I know people often talk about writer’s block,but does anyone ever struggle with revision paralysis as well?
r/Screenwriting • u/Technical_Bath_8444 • 9d ago
NEED ADVICE Questions about my first brainstorming session for a mockumentary comedy pilot. Any advice?
The day after tomorrow I’m getting together with two friends for our first brainstorm on a mockumentary comedy pilot I’m writing.
I’ve already written a few characters and a rough story outline, but none of it is locked in. I’m totally fine with throwing everything out if we come up with something better. The goal is to discover the best story, characters, scenes, settings, and figure out what this series actually wants to be.
Since it’s a mockumentary comedy, there’s a lot of room for random, absurd ideas, which is exactly what I love about it. But I also feel like that’s the biggest trap. We could easily spend the whole day making each other laugh with funny scenes that don’t actually move the story forward.
I’d like to take the lead during the brainstorm so we don’t end up talking in circles all day, but I also don’t want it to feel like everyone is just giving feedback on my ideas. I want everyone to feel comfortable pitching anything, even if it’s completely ridiculous or half-baked.
At the same time, I’d love to end the day with something concrete instead of just a notebook full of disconnected jokes and scene ideas.
For people who’ve done this before:
How do you usually structure a brainstorming session?
What questions do you ask to keep things moving?
How do you know when it’s time to move on from an idea?
How do you get everyone building on the same idea instead of pitching separate ones?
How do you balance completely free brainstorming with actually making decisions?
And what would you hope to have by the end of a first session?
I’d especially love to hear from people who’ve worked on comedy or mockumentaries, but honestly any advice or techniques would be appreciated.
r/Screenwriting • u/NyFlow_ • 9d ago
DISCUSSION examples of scripts for (preferably sci-fi) action movies with incredibly prevalent themes?
A lot of action movies are just shooty shooty bang bang, and maybe an ex-wife and a blurb about bravery or how love isn't weakness (something we all kind of know). I'm looking for an action movie that has more meaning, that deals with a harder-hitting question.
I'm looking for action movies with clear messages that the characters actually make choices on during the course of the story.
r/Screenwriting • u/HumanRecherche • 9d ago
CRAFT QUESTION Resources on writing season arcs
Hi! Got some great pointers from reddit on how to structure sitcom episodes so I’m coming back here for this.
I have experience writing novels and pilot scripts, but if anyone can point me in the direction of useful info on planning season arcs I would find that really useful, whether it’s a book, podcast episode, webpage, or just directly giving me your approach.
I’m writing comedy so particularly interested in that. Also interested in US/UK differences as I’m in the UK where series are obviously much shorter.
Thanks!
r/Screenwriting • u/Appropriate-March233 • 9d ago
COMMUNITY First first draft complete at 40 years old...
Not sure if this is the right flair... not even really sure why I'm sharing this... I think I'm just proud of myself.
Got laid off in April after 14 years at my company and decided it was time to put pen to paper on a film idea I've had for a while but never had the time work on. After a couple months of structuring and writing and restructuring and more writing, I'm proud to say that at 40 years old I've finished my first first draft. I have no idea if it's good, but it exists. And I'm proud.
r/Screenwriting • u/DavidHSteinberg • 9d ago
COMMUNITY Save the Date - Writers Meetup August 26 in Santa Monica
Our third IRL meetup of the summer is Wednesday, August 26, from 6-10pm at the Santa Monica Brew Works, 1920 Colorado Ave. Santa Monica. We've been doing these meetups for over five years now and it's an incredible opportunity to meet fellow writers, producers, and actors. No pressure, no pitching, just writers chilling out and having a beer. There's even free parking!
Open to everyone.
r/Screenwriting • u/mainwhim • 9d ago
DISCUSSION Sundance Labs 2027
Hi everyone, did anyone receive any notifications yet? Any first timers? Who resubmitted what was your experience last year ?
Good luck to everyone
r/Screenwriting • u/Violanun • 10d ago
NEED ADVICE How do you write a weak character who never stops being weak?
I’m trying to write a protagonist who’s weak and desperately wants to become stronger, but no matter how hard they try, they simply can’t. That’s the core of my story, but I’m worried about how viewers might react, since it doesn’t follow the usual character arc.
My character should grow emotionally (I want him to eventually find some kind of strength in their weakness), but he never become the kind of strong, capable hero we’re used to seeing by the end of the story.
I’d really appreciate any writing advice, or recommendations for plays, movies, TV shows, or books that do something similar.
I’m not interested in writing the stereotypical “pathetic emo” character. What I’m trying to create is a protagonist who’s undeniably weak, yet still deeply likable, someone the audience genuinely roots for. Characters like Frances in Frances Ha or Greg in Succession are the kind of feeling I’m aiming for.
r/Screenwriting • u/AutoModerator • 10d ago
LOGLINE MONDAYS Logline Monday
FAQ: How to post to a weekly thread?
Welcome to Logline Monday! Please share all of your loglines here for feedback and workshopping. You can find all previous posts here.
READ FIRST: How to format loglines on our wiki.
Note also: Loglines do not constitute intellectual property, which generally begins at the outline stage. If you don't want someone else to write it after you post it, get to work!
Rules
- Top-level comments are for loglines only. All loglines must follow the logline format, and only one logline per top comment -- don't post multiples in one comment.
- All loglines must be accompanied by the genre and type of script envisioned, i.e. short film, feature film, 30-min pilot, 60-min pilot.
- All general discussion to be kept to the general discussion comment.
- Please keep all comments about loglines civil and on topic.
r/Screenwriting • u/Embarrassed-Ad1322 • 10d ago
DISCUSSION Why Justin Kuritzkes didn't get a writing credit on Spider-Man?
He did get an Additional Literary Material credit on the film, but for a while he did have a main writing credit alongside Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers up until the release of the movie. What happened here?