screenplay
SKREEN-play
/ˈskriːn.pleɪ/
The written script for a film or television program, including actions, character dialogue, and stage directions.
Unlike a novel, a screenplay is a blueprint intended to be interpreted visually by cast and crew.
The story behind the word. A straightforward 20th-century compound combining 'screen' (the canvas on which projected images appear) and 'play' (a dramatic piece). It emerged alongside silent film scenario writing.
Word relationships
- script: Script is a broader term that includes theatre, radio, and speech texts; screenplay is specifically for screen media.
- teleplay: Teleplay is used specifically for television scripts.
Commonly confused with
- scripture: Scripture refers to sacred religious texts, whereas screenplay refers to a movie script.
Word family
- screenwriter (noun): A person who writes screenplays.
- screenwriting (noun): The craft of writing film scripts.
Collocations
- adapted screenplay
- original screenplay
- write a screenplay
- screenplay draft
Example sentences
- "The original screenplay won the Academy Award for its sharp dialogue and intricate plotting." Film Industry
- "Before cameras rolled, the writer spent two years refining every scene in the screenplay." Publishing
Memory hook
SCREEN (for the cinema) + PLAY (a dramatic script) = a script written for the movie screen. Play for the screen.
When not to use
Do not confuse with a play script intended solely for live stage performances.
Fun facts
- Standard industry screenplays are always printed in 12-point Courier font, where one page equals roughly one minute of screen time.
Related words
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