A short film, a feature and a TV series ask different things of a writer. A short is built around one idea, a feature around one arc, and a series around an engine that has to keep producing stories. The craft is the same in all three. What changes is the unit of story, and with it the length, the structure and the way the ending works.
This guide compares the three formats side by side, then looks at what each one demands from the script.
The quick comparison
| Aspect | Short film | Feature film | TV series (pilot) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Running time | 40 minutes or less, including credits (Academy definition) | More than 40 minutes by the Academy, AFI and BFI definitions, usually 90 to 120 in practice | About 22 minutes for a half-hour show, 42 to 60 for an hour-long drama |
| Unit of story | One idea, one change | One complete arc | A premise that can produce many episodes |
| Structure | Compressed: a situation, a turn, an ending | Three acts or a similar model | A teaser and acts per episode, plus a larger arc across seasons |
| Ending | Carries the whole film | Resolves the arc | The episode closes, the story stays open |
| What the script does | Shows what the writer can do | Is sold, financed or made as a film | Is pitched, usually with a series bible |
Short film: one idea, one turn
A short has no room for subplots. It works best around a single situation and a single change, and it usually starts close to the moment that matters. With so little time, the ending has to land, because there is nothing after it to repair a weak one.
Practical limits shape the writing too. Shorts are usually funded by grants, small sponsors or the filmmaker’s own money, so few characters and few locations are a writing decision as much as a budget one.
A short can also be a piece of something larger. Whiplash began as a feature script. Damien Chazelle took a section of it, shot it as an 18-minute short and won the short film jury prize at Sundance in 2013. The short helped bring in the financing for the feature, which premiered at Sundance a year later. The Academy even placed the feature in the adapted screenplay category, because it treated the short as the source, as Sundance recounts.
That is the difference between a short that is a complete story and a short that is a proof of concept. Both are valid. The writer only needs to know which one is being written.
Feature film: an arc with room to turn
A feature needs to hold attention for 90 to 120 pages. That length brings what a short does not have: a middle that has to keep building, subplots, secondary characters and a structure that can carry them. The usual framework is three acts. For a full breakdown, read Screenplay Structure: The Complete Guide.
The most common problem is a middle that sags. Planning on cards helps, because the whole story is visible at once. Beat, Scene, Sequence explains how to choose the size of each card.
A simple test for choosing between a short and a feature: if the idea is a single moment, it is a short. If it is a character changing over time, it is a feature. Stretching a moment to 90 pages usually leaves a script that feels thin. For the director’s side of the same move, see From Short Film to First Feature.
TV series: an engine, not a story
A series idea has to produce stories repeatedly. Writers often describe this as the story engine: a basic premise and setting that can drive episode after episode, with room for subplots and developments.
That changes the job of the pilot. It has to work as a satisfying episode and also establish the world, the characters and the engine. A pilot that only sets things up has no story of its own. A pilot that closes everything has nothing left to run.
Several practical differences follow:
- Structure. A one-hour network drama is commonly built as a teaser followed by four or five acts, and a half-hour comedy as two or three acts. Streaming shows are often looser.
- The series bible. A bible shows how the series can run beyond the pilot. It is used to pitch a show, and once the show is in production the term also covers the internal document that a writers’ room keeps for continuity.
- The writers’ room. Most produced series are written by a team, often led by a showrunner who is frequently the creator. A series writer has to build a world that other writers can continue.
- The writing sample. An original pilot is widely used as a writing sample when writers apply for staff positions.
What carries over between formats
The fundamentals do not change. A character still wants something, something stands in the way, and a scene still needs to turn. Dialogue that says only what it means is flat in all three formats, which is why Text, Context and Subtext in Screenwriting Explained applies to a ten-minute short as much as to a ten-episode season. Format rules are also shared, so How to Format a Screenplay covers all three.
Which one to write first
There is no single right order. A better question is what the script is for.
- To finish something and learn the craft quickly: a short, because the whole story fits in a manageable number of pages.
- To build a calling card for film: a feature, which is the standard sample for film work.
- To work in television: a pilot, with a bible if the goal is to pitch your own series.
Four mistakes when changing format
- A feature crammed into a short. Too many characters and plot points for 15 pages, and none of them get room.
- A short stretched into a feature. One good idea repeated until it reaches 90 pages.
- A pilot written like a feature. Everything resolves, and the series has nowhere to go.
- A pilot that is only setup. It introduces the world and forgets to tell a story.
Frequently asked questions
How long is a short film script?
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short as 40 minutes or less, including credits. A script runs roughly one page per minute, and many shorts are much shorter than the limit.
How long is a feature screenplay?
Usually 90 to 120 pages, which equals about 90 to 120 minutes of screen time. Comedies tend to run shorter than dramas.
How long is a TV pilot script?
It depends on the format. A one-hour drama pilot usually runs 55 to 65 pages, and a half-hour comedy pilot runs from the high 20s to the high 30s. The range depends on the source and the platform.
Can a short film become a feature?
Yes, in two ways. The idea can be expanded into a full arc, or the short can serve as a proof of concept for a feature script that already exists, as Whiplash did.
Do I need a series bible to pitch a TV show?
A pilot is the usual starting point, and a bible is often prepared with it when pitching a series. Practices vary, so check what each buyer asks for.
Go deeper
The Screenwriting Series covers structure in Chapter 3, with diagrams for each model. See the full course breakdown.
Which format are you writing in right now, and what made you choose it? Tell us in the comments.
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