What’s the Difference Between a Rough Draft and a Shooting Script in Filming?

Writing a script is certainly a task that aspiring filmmakers have to tackle, many will attempt the process several times over with the consistent hopes of having their specs noticed and possibly even selling a script so that it can be produced professionally. Throughout it all, screenwriters will write many different scripts over the lifetime of their career, which means a lot of rough drafts and probably a lot of shooting scripts too. But what’s the difference between a rough draft and a shooting script in filming?

The Phases of Screenwriting

Before we can look at the difference between a rough draft and a shoot script in film. It’s important to understand the various phases that a screenwriter is likely to progress through as they develop screenplays into filmed productions.

The first draft that you create is your rough draft or what some call the “Me” draft. It’s certainly not as clearly formatted or necessarily as “put together” as your final draft would be nor is it anything close to a shooting script.

Me Draft

Your “me” draft includes your ideas and basic character information. It likely includes your basic elevator pitch to yourself. As this is what makes the difference between whether someone will become interested in your script — or not.

Once you’re done with the “me” draft, you begin working on the audience draft. This is what your intended script reading audience will see. This is your spec script. It should be written with the desired producer. Or representative in mind because that’s who’s going to see it.

Following your spec script, a full screenplay will be written and then you’ll ultimately create the shooting script. The shooting script is ONLY created if your spec script sells. And after the screenplay has been fully prepared. 

Rough Draft or Shooting Script?

There are several phases of approval, editing, and revision that go into a script or screenplay before it reaches the point of writing the shooting script. 

If you’re just working on your rough draft, you’re still a very long way from your shooting script. Focus on formatting your draft, sharing your story and getting eyes on your screenplay! 

Shooting Script

The shooting script will be much different than your rough draft. While your first draft will likely be a hodgepodge of ideas, and notes and different examples all thrown onto the page.

Eventually that rough draft will be honed into a spec script that includes only what’s most important to selling your story. 

By the time you make it to the shooting script, the characters are planned, the setting is in line, the location ideas are in your head, your script has stood out to a producer and you’re moving forward with production.

The shooting script is where your screenplay becomes a live action film. And the shooting script dictates all of the camera angles, shots, and scenes that will unfold along the way. That’s the difference between a rough draft and a shooting script in filming!