Complete a Screenwriting Script

Proof required

Submit: (a) the treatment as a document, and (b) the scene-level outline. The outline must list every scene with at minimum: scene number, location (INT/EXT), time (DAY/NIGHT), characters present, and one sentence of dramatic action. For a feature, expect 40–60 scenes. For a short film, 8–20 scenes. Both documents must be formatted using standard screenplay conventions.

What gets checked

• Treatment articulates the central dramatic question — not just 'what happens' but what the protagonist wants, what's preventing them, and what they must choose
• Scene-level outline shows scenes serving a clear dramatic purpose — not scenes that just show characters doing things without advancing the story
• Format follows industry standard conventions: sluglines (INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY), action lines, character names in caps on first introduction

Common mistakes

• Treatment describes plot but not character motivation — readers need to understand why the protagonist wants what they want, not just what they do
• Scene outline is too vague — 'They argue' is not sufficient; 'Maria confronts her father about the missing money, but he denies it, leaving her with proof she cannot use' is

Resources

What a verifier looks for

• Read the treatment first, then the outline. The outline should feel like a compressed version of the treatment's story — not a different story.
• Check: does every scene advance either the plot or the character's emotional journey? If you find three or more scenes in a row that don't change anything, that's a structural problem the submitter needs to address.
• Ask: 'What is your protagonist's fatal flaw and how does the story force them to confront it?' A strong treatment-level thinker has a clear answer.

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Proof required

Submit the complete first draft screenplay as a PDF (exported from screenwriting software). The script must: (a) be correctly formatted (sluglines, action lines, dialogue, transitions) throughout, (b) be complete with a clear ending, (c) include a title page with title, author name, and contact or WGA registration number, and (d) fall within the target page range for the format chosen.

What gets checked

• Formatting is correct throughout — no action lines that read like prose, no dialogue that tells the audience what they just saw
• Script is complete — it ends, it does not stop
• Page count falls within the appropriate range — 90–110 for features, 10–20 for short films

Common mistakes

• Stopping at 60 pages when the story is not complete — the first draft must be finished, even if imperfect
• Writing dialogue-heavy scenes without physical action — screenplays are a visual medium; if something can be shown rather than said, show it

Resources

What a verifier looks for

• Open the PDF and check the first three pages and the last three pages for correct formatting. Then spot-check the middle. Formatting errors throughout usually indicate the writer did not use dedicated screenwriting software.
• Ask the submitter: 'What is the page count and how many scenes are in the second act?' A writer who has completed a draft knows their script at a structural level.

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Proof required

Submit: (a) notes from the table read documenting what you observed (minimum 300 words), (b) a revision memo identifying the three most significant problems the table read revealed and how you addressed each, and (c) the revised draft as a PDF. At least two people other than yourself must have participated in the table read. Notes or recorded audio/video from the session confirm it occurred.

What gets checked

• Table read notes identify specific scenes or exchanges that revealed problems — not just 'the pacing felt slow'
• Revision memo addresses structural or character issues, not just line edits
• Revised draft is genuinely different from the first draft — the revision memo should align with visible changes in the script

Common mistakes

• Table read is conducted alone by reading silently — it must be aloud with other voices reading different characters
• Revision addresses only small dialogue changes and leaves structural problems untouched

Resources

What a verifier looks for

• Read the table read notes and revision memo together. The memo should explain what the table read taught the writer — not just what they changed, but why they changed it.
• Ask: 'What is the one scene that changed the most in revision and why?' The answer should connect directly to something the table read revealed.

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Proof required

Submit: (a) a submission confirmation from at least one screenwriting competition or coverage service (Coverfly, The Black List, Austin Film Festival, Nicholl Fellowship, or equivalent), showing submission date and script title, and (b) any written coverage or feedback received, if available. A pending result is acceptable — placement or win is not required.

What gets checked

• Submission confirmation is from a real competition or coverage service with identifiable submission criteria and dates
• Script title and author name on the confirmation match the submitted script
• If coverage was received, it is included even if critical — the proof is the external professional engagement, not the quality of the assessment

Common mistakes

• Submitting to unknown competitions with no track record — check that the competition has a verifiable history, named judges, and public results
• Treating a pitch competition (where you pitch an idea) as equivalent to a script competition (where you submit a complete screenplay)

Resources

What a verifier looks for

• Check the submission confirmation email or receipt — it should show a dated submission to a named competition with a real history.
• The milestone is complete when the script has been submitted externally. Result or placement is irrelevant — the professional engagement is the proof.

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