Table of Contents
Quick Answer
Write a feature-length screenplay (90-110 pages) in 30 days using AI for beat sheets, scene outlines, and dialogue drafts, formatted in Final Draft or WriterDuet.
- 15 Save the Cat beats = your blueprint
- 1 page = 1 minute of screen time
- Dialogue: AI drafts, you punch it up
What You'll Need
- A premise (logline + genre)
- WriterDuet (free) or Final Draft ($250)
- Assisters or Sudowrite
- A Save the Cat beat sheet template
- 30 days of daily writing
Step 1: Write a Tight Logline
"[Protagonist] must [active goal] or [stakes]." Example: "A disgraced surgeon must perform an underground transplant to save her sister — or lose her last chance at redemption."
If you can't compress to one sentence, the concept isn't tight enough.
Step 2: Fill the 15-Beat Sheet
Prompt AI: "Using Save the Cat's 15 beats, map my screenplay. Logline: [yours]. Page ranges: Opening Image p1, Catalyst p12, Break into 2 p25, Midpoint p55, All Is Lost p75, Finale p85-110. Give one paragraph per beat."
Step 3: Expand Beats Into 40-Scene Outline
Prompt: "Break my beat sheet into 40 scenes. Each: scene slugline, 2-3 sentence action summary, POV, tension score 1-10."
Step 4: Build Character Voice Samples
For each main character, prompt: "Give me 5 sample lines of dialogue for [character]. She's [trait]. Her speech pattern: [description]. Make each line sound only like her — not generic."
Step 5: Draft Scenes at 3-5 Pages/Day
Open WriterDuet → create scene → prompt: "Draft Scene 22: INT. HOSPITAL BASEMENT - NIGHT. Sarah confronts Dr. Chen. Goal: get the organ. Subtext: betrayal. End on a page-turn moment. 3 pages."
Rewrite dialogue in character voices.
Step 6: Format Correctly
WriterDuet auto-formats. Key rules:
- INT./EXT. LOCATION - TIME
- Action = present tense, visual
- Dialogue centered, character name above
- No camera directions ("PAN TO") unless you're also the director
Step 7: Read Aloud Test
After each act, read dialogue aloud (or use WriterDuet's Table Read feature). If it sounds like narration — rewrite. Screenplays are for the ear.
Step 8: Polish With AI Critique
Prompt: "Analyze Act 2 for: pacing drops, subtext density, on-the-nose dialogue, character agency. List top 5 fixes."
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Writing novelistic action lines (screenplays are visual, not internal)
- Letting AI write dialogue verbatim (sounds generic)
- Too much setup before inciting incident (must hit by p12)
- Ignoring industry format (gets tossed in first 5 pages)
- No clear protagonist goal per scene
Top Tools
| Tool | Use Case | Free Tier | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| WriterDuet | Screenplay editor | Yes | Free formatting |
| Final Draft | Industry standard | No ($250) | Studio submissions |
| Assisters | Beats + dialogue | Yes | Full workflow |
| Sudowrite | Scene drafting | Trial | Creative expansion |
| Coverfly | Contest submissions | Yes | Feedback + access |
Conclusion
A screenplay is architecture. AI gives you scaffolding; you provide the voice, subtext, and cinematic moments. 30 days of focused work and you have a draft.
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