{"snapshot":"anatomy-of-a-produced-screenplay-2026-09-v5","canonicalUrl":"https://www.theprelist.io/research/anatomy-of-a-produced-screenplay","sourceUrl":"https://www.theprelist.io/research/versions/anatomy-of-a-produced-screenplay-2026-09-v5","manifestUrl":"https://www.theprelist.io/research/versions/anatomy-of-a-produced-screenplay-2026-09-v5/manifest","methodologyUrl":"https://www.theprelist.io/research/methodology","sourceHtmlSha256":"b8d9a8e6acdc445265cda797fa76bdec97acf6d6321fb9def36364819f6c014c","articleHtmlSha256":"fb11d93f33ad6a107294fd870c748e24fb22e375c32448a19f3b08026b06d255","manifestSha256":"0ea55ba25cfebdbcd7189d64dac077a3bea74a6aaa1e17ae88484a3198a3e96c","sourceRowsSha256":"e24af935dc9c9d0acbf8a52dce34d822de980c0599e36ad8d6569dfed6706e79","retrievedAt":"2026-09-22","generatedAt":"2026-09-20T20:39:56.502Z","attribution":"The PreList Industry Intelligence (2026), The Anatomy of a Produced Screenplay","citation":"The PreList Industry Intelligence (2026). The Anatomy of a Produced Screenplay. Cohort: 428 produced feature screenplays, 2000–2026; eligible n varies by measure. Snapshot anatomy-of-a-produced-screenplay-2026-09-v5. https://www.theprelist.io/research/anatomy-of-a-produced-screenplay (version: https://www.theprelist.io/research/versions/anatomy-of-a-produced-screenplay-2026-09-v5).","changes":"Inkwell extracted the publisher’s public overview, histogram bins and genre quartiles into JSON and presents them in new charts. No screenplay files or individual screenplay measurements were reanalysed.","license":"CC BY 4.0","licenseUrl":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/","cohort":"Produced feature screenplays, 2000-2026","included":428,"genrePublicationFloor":20,"metrics":[{"id":"pages","n":428,"median":117,"q1":106,"q3":131},{"id":"runtime_minutes","n":395,"median":117,"q1":107,"q3":127},{"id":"scenes","n":401,"median":124,"q1":93,"q3":162},{"id":"mean_scene_eighths","n":401,"median":7.1,"q1":5.6,"q3":9.4},{"id":"median_scene_eighths","n":401,"median":4,"q1":3,"q3":5},{"id":"interior_share_pct","n":401,"median":62.4,"q1":52.5,"q3":72.4},{"id":"day_share_pct","n":354,"median":59.6,"q1":45.25,"q3":72.28},{"id":"unique_locations","n":401,"median":62,"q1":45,"q3":84},{"id":"location_changes","n":401,"median":104,"q1":79,"q3":142},{"id":"speaking_characters","n":233,"median":42,"q1":31,"q3":54},{"id":"top_character_pct","n":233,"median":29.2,"q1":23,"q3":35},{"id":"dialogue_blocks","n":395,"median":899,"q1":743.5,"q3":1066},{"id":"dialogue_words","n":395,"median":8695,"q1":6801.5,"q3":10641},{"id":"dialogue_action_ratio","n":395,"median":1.13,"q1":0.77,"q3":1.59},{"id":"monologues","n":395,"median":18,"q1":10,"q3":30},{"id":"dialogue_line_share_pct","n":395,"median":40,"q1":33,"q3":45},{"id":"action_line_share_pct","n":395,"median":35,"q1":28,"q3":43.5},{"id":"parenthetical_rate","n":395,"median":0.11,"q1":0.07,"q3":0.16}],"histograms":[{"id":"pages","n":428,"bins":[{"label":"60 to <70","lower":60,"upper":70,"count":1},{"label":"70 to <80","lower":70,"upper":80,"count":4},{"label":"80 to <90","lower":80,"upper":90,"count":17},{"label":"90 to <100","lower":90,"upper":100,"count":42},{"label":"100 to <110","lower":100,"upper":110,"count":78},{"label":"110 to <120","lower":110,"upper":120,"count":93},{"label":"120 to <130","lower":120,"upper":130,"count":72},{"label":"130 to <140","lower":130,"upper":140,"count":46},{"label":"140 to <150","lower":140,"upper":150,"count":26},{"label":"150 to <160","lower":150,"upper":160,"count":15},{"label":"160 to <170","lower":160,"upper":170,"count":16},{"label":"170 to <180","lower":170,"upper":180,"count":6},{"label":"180 to <190","lower":180,"upper":190,"count":5},{"label":"190 to <200","lower":190,"upper":200,"count":2},{"label":"200 to <210","lower":200,"upper":210,"count":2},{"label":"210 to <220","lower":210,"upper":220,"count":1},{"label":"220 to <230","lower":220,"upper":230,"count":1},{"label":"230 to <240","lower":230,"upper":240,"count":0},{"label":"240 to <250","lower":240,"upper":250,"count":0},{"label":"250 to <260","lower":250,"upper":260,"count":1}]},{"id":"scenes","n":401,"bins":[{"label":"20 to <40","lower":20,"upper":40,"count":9},{"label":"40 to <60","lower":40,"upper":60,"count":16},{"label":"60 to <80","lower":60,"upper":80,"count":30},{"label":"80 to <100","lower":80,"upper":100,"count":67},{"label":"100 to <120","lower":100,"upper":120,"count":61},{"label":"120 to <140","lower":120,"upper":140,"count":58},{"label":"140 to <160","lower":140,"upper":160,"count":51},{"label":"160 to <180","lower":160,"upper":180,"count":37},{"label":"180 to <200","lower":180,"upper":200,"count":20},{"label":"200 to <220","lower":200,"upper":220,"count":15},{"label":"220 to <240","lower":220,"upper":240,"count":10},{"label":"240 to <260","lower":240,"upper":260,"count":7},{"label":"260 to <280","lower":260,"upper":280,"count":5},{"label":"280 to <300","lower":280,"upper":300,"count":4},{"label":"300 to <320","lower":300,"upper":320,"count":5},{"label":"320 or more","lower":320,"upper":null,"count":6}]},{"id":"median_scene_eighths","n":401,"bins":[{"label":"1 to <2","lower":1,"upper":2,"count":17},{"label":"2 to <3","lower":2,"upper":3,"count":75},{"label":"3 to <4","lower":3,"upper":4,"count":101},{"label":"4 to <5","lower":4,"upper":5,"count":60},{"label":"5 to <6","lower":5,"upper":6,"count":64},{"label":"6 to <7","lower":6,"upper":7,"count":31},{"label":"7 to <8","lower":7,"upper":8,"count":14},{"label":"8 to <9","lower":8,"upper":9,"count":10},{"label":"9 to <10","lower":9,"upper":10,"count":7},{"label":"10 to <11","lower":10,"upper":11,"count":4},{"label":"11 to <12","lower":11,"upper":12,"count":7},{"label":"12 or more","lower":12,"upper":null,"count":11}]},{"id":"unique_locations","n":401,"bins":[{"label":"0 to <15","lower":0,"upper":15,"count":7},{"label":"15 to <30","lower":15,"upper":30,"count":35},{"label":"30 to <45","lower":30,"upper":45,"count":56},{"label":"45 to <60","lower":45,"upper":60,"count":85},{"label":"60 to <75","lower":60,"upper":75,"count":88},{"label":"75 to <90","lower":75,"upper":90,"count":42},{"label":"90 to <105","lower":90,"upper":105,"count":28},{"label":"105 to <120","lower":105,"upper":120,"count":27},{"label":"120 to <135","lower":120,"upper":135,"count":14},{"label":"135 to <150","lower":135,"upper":150,"count":10},{"label":"150 to <165","lower":150,"upper":165,"count":2},{"label":"165 or more","lower":165,"upper":null,"count":7}]},{"id":"speaking_characters","n":233,"bins":[{"label":"0 to <10","lower":0,"upper":10,"count":3},{"label":"10 to <20","lower":10,"upper":20,"count":16},{"label":"20 to <30","lower":20,"upper":30,"count":34},{"label":"30 to <40","lower":30,"upper":40,"count":55},{"label":"40 to <50","lower":40,"upper":50,"count":56},{"label":"50 to <60","lower":50,"upper":60,"count":30},{"label":"60 to <70","lower":60,"upper":70,"count":15},{"label":"70 to <80","lower":70,"upper":80,"count":11},{"label":"80 to <90","lower":80,"upper":90,"count":6},{"label":"90 to <100","lower":90,"upper":100,"count":3},{"label":"100 to <110","lower":100,"upper":110,"count":1},{"label":"110 or more","lower":110,"upper":null,"count":3}]}],"genres":[{"id":"pages","rows":[{"label":"Action","n":53,"publishable":true,"q1":116,"median":128,"q3":152},{"label":"Thriller","n":30,"publishable":true,"q1":114.25,"median":126,"q3":138.25},{"label":"Sci-Fi","n":32,"publishable":true,"q1":109,"median":121,"q3":139.5},{"label":"Romance","n":25,"publishable":true,"q1":103,"median":117,"q3":130},{"label":"Drama","n":105,"publishable":true,"q1":103,"median":115,"q3":138},{"label":"Animation/Family","n":41,"publishable":true,"q1":101,"median":115,"q3":128},{"label":"Comedy","n":66,"publishable":true,"q1":107,"median":114,"q3":120.75},{"label":"Horror","n":46,"publishable":true,"q1":100,"median":110,"q3":117.75},{"label":"Fantasy","n":17,"publishable":false,"q1":null,"median":null,"q3":null},{"label":"Crime","n":13,"publishable":false,"q1":null,"median":null,"q3":null}]},{"id":"scenes","rows":[{"label":"Sci-Fi","n":31,"publishable":true,"q1":119,"median":160,"q3":202},{"label":"Action","n":50,"publishable":true,"q1":118,"median":158,"q3":219},{"label":"Drama","n":101,"publishable":true,"q1":106,"median":137,"q3":164},{"label":"Thriller","n":26,"publishable":true,"q1":86,"median":129,"q3":167},{"label":"Horror","n":43,"publishable":true,"q1":95.5,"median":119,"q3":148.5},{"label":"Romance","n":23,"publishable":true,"q1":88.5,"median":112,"q3":147},{"label":"Comedy","n":61,"publishable":true,"q1":84,"median":106,"q3":133},{"label":"Animation/Family","n":37,"publishable":true,"q1":64,"median":89,"q3":114},{"label":"Fantasy","n":17,"publishable":false,"q1":null,"median":null,"q3":null},{"label":"Crime","n":12,"publishable":false,"q1":null,"median":null,"q3":null}]},{"id":"unique_locations","rows":[{"label":"Action","n":50,"publishable":true,"q1":55,"median":75.5,"q3":110.25},{"label":"Sci-Fi","n":31,"publishable":true,"q1":57.5,"median":71,"q3":102.5},{"label":"Romance","n":23,"publishable":true,"q1":52.5,"median":69,"q3":73},{"label":"Drama","n":101,"publishable":true,"q1":47,"median":63,"q3":91},{"label":"Thriller","n":26,"publishable":true,"q1":35.5,"median":59.5,"q3":97.5},{"label":"Horror","n":43,"publishable":true,"q1":34.5,"median":54,"q3":67.5},{"label":"Comedy","n":61,"publishable":true,"q1":44,"median":53,"q3":73},{"label":"Animation/Family","n":37,"publishable":true,"q1":39,"median":52,"q3":60},{"label":"Fantasy","n":17,"publishable":false,"q1":null,"median":null,"q3":null},{"label":"Crime","n":12,"publishable":false,"q1":null,"median":null,"q3":null}]},{"id":"speaking_characters","rows":[{"label":"Drama","n":57,"publishable":true,"q1":32,"median":49,"q3":63},{"label":"Comedy","n":35,"publishable":true,"q1":38.5,"median":46,"q3":54},{"label":"Action","n":28,"publishable":true,"q1":34.5,"median":46,"q3":58.75},{"label":"Horror","n":29,"publishable":true,"q1":24,"median":31,"q3":39},{"label":"Animation/Family","n":13,"publishable":false,"q1":null,"median":null,"q3":null},{"label":"Sci-Fi","n":18,"publishable":false,"q1":null,"median":null,"q3":null},{"label":"Thriller","n":17,"publishable":false,"q1":null,"median":null,"q3":null},{"label":"Romance","n":15,"publishable":false,"q1":null,"median":null,"q3":null},{"label":"Fantasy","n":10,"publishable":false,"q1":null,"median":null,"q3":null},{"label":"Crime","n":11,"publishable":false,"q1":null,"median":null,"q3":null}]},{"id":"dialogue_action_ratio","rows":[{"label":"Comedy","n":61,"publishable":true,"q1":1.34,"median":1.8,"q3":2.16},{"label":"Romance","n":23,"publishable":true,"q1":1.09,"median":1.66,"q3":1.96},{"label":"Drama","n":99,"publishable":true,"q1":0.96,"median":1.35,"q3":1.75},{"label":"Thriller","n":28,"publishable":true,"q1":0.91,"median":1.24,"q3":1.49},{"label":"Animation/Family","n":35,"publishable":true,"q1":0.73,"median":1.02,"q3":1.23},{"label":"Action","n":48,"publishable":true,"q1":0.61,"median":0.88,"q3":1.14},{"label":"Sci-Fi","n":31,"publishable":true,"q1":0.63,"median":0.84,"q3":1.12},{"label":"Horror","n":42,"publishable":true,"q1":0.64,"median":0.81,"q3":0.97},{"label":"Fantasy","n":15,"publishable":false,"q1":null,"median":null,"q3":null},{"label":"Crime","n":13,"publishable":false,"q1":null,"median":null,"q3":null}]}],"notes":["Published v5 aggregates, not individual screenplay rows. Histogram intervals include their lower bound and exclude the upper bound; null upper bounds denote grouped tails.","PDF pages include title pages, blank pages and front matter, not just numbered story pages.","Scene-length distributions count each script’s median scene length in eighths of a page, not individual scenes pooled across scripts.","Dialogue:action is a rendered-line ratio, not a word share or screen-time measure. Speaking characters are detected cues, not principal roles.","Eligibility varies by measurement family; absent and withheld measurements are not zeros. Genre statistics below 20 eligible scripts are suppressed.","Produced feature scripts are a selected corpus. Quartile bands are descriptive, not targets, confidence intervals or quality scores.","Univariate summaries cannot establish paired relationships, individual-script percentiles or page-to-scene conversions. Runtime is a fitted, unvalidated cohort estimate."]}