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How to Write a Script for a Television Movie

Scripts for television movies run from 90 to 120 pages, enough material for a two hour program. They tend to have a sympathetic main character or protagonist. Television movies often address dramatic issues that evoke a strong emotional response from the viewer. Subjects such as adoption, illness, forbidden love and sports have inspired television movies. Professional screenwriters may be able to pitch a 5-7 page treatment of an idea, but most new writers create scripts "on spec," which means they're writing them without being guaranteed a paycheck.

Instructions

    • 1

      Study television movie scripts. Many are for sale on-line. Pay particular attention to how specific screenplay terms are used. For example, V.O. means voice over. O.S. means off screen.

    • 2

      Read up on screenwriting format. The very appearance of a script can signal whether its author is an amateur or professional. Know the rules. For example, the preferred font for a television movie script is Courier 12 point. Many screenwriters use computer programs that format the script for them.

    • 3

      Decide on a genre. Some possible television movie genres are: family dramas, coming-of-age stories, bio-pics and true-crime. Think of a hook that will make your screenplay stand out.

    • 4

      Choose a story with strong emotional resonance. Make sure there's something at stake. For example, if the screenplay is about a woman confronting illness, it's much more powerful if she might die at the end. If the worst that could happen is that she'll have to take a day off from work, the audience won't care as much.

    • 5

      Make the protagonist strong and interesting, but give her flaws too. Think about characters you like watching. Brave as Indiana Jones was, he was afraid of snakes.

    • 6

      Use the active voice when writing. For example, "She walks into the room."

    • 7

      When you're done, type up the title page. Make sure to include your name and contact information.

Screen Writing

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