The PreList
Original research on screenwriting and the screen industry. Every figure is measured, carries its sample size and methodology, and is free to cite with attribution.
118pages
The median produced feature screenplay
118.5scenes
Cut into those pages: roughly half a page per scene
45speaking parts
In the median feature, with one voice carrying a quarter of the dialogue
60locations
Distinct places the median script moves through
From 268 produced feature screenplays, 2000-2026 · updated 12 August 2026 · Read the study
Script Intelligence · Flagship study
What 268 produced features actually look like on the page: how long they run, how fast they cut, how many places they visit and who gets to speak. Benchmarks by genre, with the sample stated on every chart.
Read the study
How produced screenplays are actually built, measured from the scripts themselves.
The professional market around the work: competitions, fees, windows and routes in.
What emerges when the datasets are joined: script structure against outcomes in the world.
Every statistic is counted deterministically from screenplay text, published from a frozen, checksummed snapshot, and traces to a stated sample. User scripts are never part of public research. Datasets are CC BY 4.0: reuse them with attribution.
Cite as: The PreList Industry Intelligence (2026). "The Anatomy of a Produced Screenplay." n=268 produced feature screenplays, 2000-2026. https://www.theprelist.io/research/anatomy-of-a-produced-screenplay
