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Short screenplay examples, each teaching one technique

These short screenplay examples are six original one-page scripts written by Scenaloom, each built to teach a single technique: a cold open, show don't tell, intercutting, subtext, voice-over and a single location. Because we wrote them, you can read every line, quote it and rework it.

Read each script first, then the breakdown under it. The breakdown names the technique, points to the exact lines that make it work, shows how to format it and ends with a short exercise.

To practice, open any example as your own project in the screenplay editor and rewrite it: change one object, one line or one cut, and see what the scene becomes. The screenplay format guide explains the layout all six follow.

Last Call

Drama · 1 pageThe cold open

A cold open: a soaked stranger brings a bag of cash into an all-night diner, and the hook lands in under a page.

Read the screenplay

The Keeper

Mystery · 1 pageShowing, not telling

Show, don't tell: a lighthouse keeper's grief built from two cups, a cut radio cord and a logbook. Nobody says lonely.

Read the screenplay

Two Calls

Thriller · 1 pageIntercutting

Intercutting: one phone call between a hospital corridor and a motorway payphone, formatted with INTERCUT.

Read the screenplay

The Interview

Comedy · 1 pageSubtext in dialogue

Subtext in dialogue: a job interview on bean bags where both sides are really negotiating about payroll.

Read the screenplay

After the Flood

Drama · 1 pageVoice-over against image

Voice-over against image: narration about a lucky house plays over a flooded town, and the picture wins.

Read the screenplay

The Locked Room

Single location · 1 pagePressure in one room

A single location: three strangers stuck in a lift with a ticking parcel, a lemon cake and no signal.

Read the screenplay

What each screenplay example teaches

ScreenplayGenreTechniqueStudy it for
Last CallDramaThe cold openHooking a reader on page one with a question, not an explanation
The KeeperMysteryShowing, not tellingBuilding emotion from objects and actions instead of dialogue
Two CallsThrillerIntercuttingFormatting one conversation across two places with INTERCUT
The InterviewComedySubtext in dialogueCharacters talking about one thing while meaning another
After the FloodDramaVoice-over against imageLetting narration and picture disagree
The Locked RoomSingle locationPressure in one roomRaising tension without changing the set

How to read a screenplay example

  1. Read it once straight through, at the speed of the film, without stopping. A one-page script should take about a minute.
  2. Read it again with a pencil. Mark every moment the situation changes; those are the beats.
  3. Look at what is left out. Count how often a character says what they feel; in good scripts it is rare.
  4. Read the breakdown under the script, which points to the lines that make the technique work.
  5. Rewrite it. Open the example as your own project, change one choice — the object, the location, a line — and see what the scene becomes.

What to look for on the page

  • Scene headings: how often the place or time changes, and how quickly each scene gets going.
  • Action lines: short paragraphs in the present tense that describe only what can be seen and heard.
  • Character introductions: a name in capitals the first time, with an age and one telling detail.
  • Dialogue: how short the speeches are, and how much is carried by what is not said.
  • White space: how much of the page is empty. Readers move fast through a page that breathes.

Short screenplay examples vs feature scripts

These examples run one to two pages, which makes them quick to study and easy to rewrite. A feature screenplay runs roughly 90 to 120 pages and a TV episode 30 to 65, but they are built from the same parts: scenes that turn, speeches that hide more than they say and action that the camera can film. A technique you can execute on one page is one you can use across a hundred. For the length and shape of a full script, see the screenplay format guide and how to write a short film.

Where to read full-length screenplays

Many produced screenplays are published legally: studios post scripts for awards consideration each season, publishers print screenplay books, and film libraries such as the Writers Guild Foundation's library in Los Angeles hold collections you can read on site. Read from those sources rather than from unofficial copies, which are often transcripts of the finished film rather than the script the writer turned in.

Questions

What is a good screenplay example to learn from?

A good example is short enough to read twice and clear about one technique. Start with a one-page script that does one thing well — a cold open, an intercut or a scene of subtext — then read a produced feature to see the same technique at length.

Can I use these screenplay examples?

Yes. Scenaloom wrote all six, so you can read, quote and rework them for practice. Open any one as your own project in the screenplay editor and rewrite it.

How long is a short film script?

A short film script usually runs 1 to 15 pages, at about one minute of screen time per page. Festivals often favour shorts under 15 minutes, so many writers aim for 5 to 12 pages.

Where can I read movie scripts legally?

Studios publish many screenplays for awards consideration, publishers sell screenplay books, and film libraries such as the Writers Guild Foundation library hold collections. Prefer these to unofficial copies, which are often transcripts rather than the writer's script.

How do I format my script like these examples?

All six follow standard screenplay format: Courier 12, a 1.5-inch left margin and fixed indents for each element. The screenplay format guide explains the layout, and Scenaloom's editor applies it as you type.