Since we’re all spending more time indoors lately, its prime time to write that screenplay you’ve been putting off. So we’re resharing some past advice on how to structure a screenplay. “First Draft” is a series on everything to do with screenwriting, which Moviemaker originally published in 2018 in partnership with Creative Screenwriting and ScreenCraft.This timeless advice still stands.
Screenplay structure has nothing to do with mythology or saving a cat—it’s all about basic choices a screenwriter can make to determine how they want to tell their story.
It’s actually pretty easy: you just have to know what structures you can play with. Here we’ll break down the basics, offer some examples, and let you take it from there as you continue on your screenwriting journey. Scroll through for 10 screenplay structures that can be applied to any genre and story.