Vertical Drama Script Format Template: One Page, Three Labels

Who this is for

Writers pitching their first vertical drama, novelists adapting web fiction into short drama, and small teams that need one shared script format. If you come from features or TV, the usual trap is writing by scene and structuring by act. This is the switch.

In brief

• The unit is the episode, not the scene: each one is a small complete loop that opens, turns and leaves a question.
• Every episode carries three fixed labels, HOOK, TURN and CLIFF, so an editor, director or producer can find them on any page.
• Short lines, close shots: a 9:16 frame holds one face or two people, so keep most lines to about 12 words.

What "one page, three labels" means

It is our name for what several public script-tool guides have in common, not an industry term:

• One page per episode: keep an episode to roughly a page, so one page read is one episode reviewed.
• HOOK: the first 0–3 seconds (Character App calls it the 3-second hook rule). Start at the moment the conflict is already happening.
• TURN: at or after about the 40% mark (Dawnwood's approach), one fact or action that changes direction.
• CLIFF: the last 5 seconds or so. Leave a question that the next episode's first shot answers.

Filmustage frames the same logic as a four-part "Beat Engine" (hook, friction, spike, button). We collapse it into three labels that must appear on the page so they can be checked. For beat-level detail, use our [short drama beat sheet template](https://news.shorstory.com/en/articles/short-drama-beat-sheet-template/).

Episode skeleton (timeline)

Treat the times as targets. The guides don't agree on length: Character App says 60–90 seconds, Dawnwood one to two minutes (its example targets 75–90 seconds), Filmustage 60–120 seconds. Follow the platform you are pitching to.

Copyable episode template

Paste it into any editor and fill the brackets:

EP [#] — "[Episode title]" Runtime target: 60–90 s One line: [Who] does [what], and [unexpected result] Carries from previous EP: [question left open last time] Hands to next EP: [new question this episode opens] HOOK (0–3 s): [something happening on screen, not explained] INT./EXT. [LOCATION] — DAY/NIGHT [Action, present tense, one shot per paragraph] [CHARACTER] [Line, 12 words or fewer] TURN (at or after ~40%): [one fact or action that changes direction] [Scenes 2–3 in the same format; 3–5 scenes per episode max] CLIFF (last 5 s): [a question or an action the next EP's first shot answers]

Two notes. The "carries from / hands to" lines are for you and your reviewers; drop them from the shooting script if you like. The 12-word line limit is Dawnwood's rule of thumb, not a law.

Five formatting rules

• Sluglines stay standard (INT./EXT., location, DAY/NIGHT) so production can break the script down.
• Action in present tense, one shot per paragraph. A tall frame reads faces, hands and single props, not wide group shots.
• Break speeches into exchanges. Let eyes and props carry subtext.
• Three to five scenes per episode. A scene that spans two episodes loses half its audience.
• Put each label on its own line in one consistent style. Don't bury it in action.

10-episode hook map

Once single episodes read well, check the run with this table. Fill in types only, not plot:

Check three things: no three episodes in a row with the same cliff type; the core conflict is on the table by episode 3; the last free episode gives one payoff and still holds the biggest question. Terms like cliffhanger and paywall episode are defined in our [short drama glossary](https://news.shorstory.com/en/articles/short-drama-glossary/).

Pre-submission checklist

Tick every line. Any "no" sends you back to revise:

• Every episode opens on conflict within 3 seconds, not a walk-in or an establishing shot
• Every episode has HOOK, TURN and CLIFF on their own lines
• The TURN lands after about 40%, not in the opening lines
• 3–5 scenes per episode, none spanning two episodes
• Most lines are 12 words or fewer; no speech runs past three sentences
• One shot per action paragraph, framed for vertical (close-ups and mediums)
• Each CLIFF is a question or unfinished action the next episode's first shot answers
• The "carries from / hands to" lines chain from episode to episode with no gaps
• Episode length and total count match the platform brief (guides commonly cite 60–100 episodes)
• The 10-episode hook map has no three identical cliff types in a row

Keeping up with platform rules

Submission rules change. Our daily briefing tracks them; see, for example, the [October 20 daily](https://news.shorstory.com/en/articles/daily-2026-10-20/). Use this page for format; check the platform's latest notice for rules.

Method and limitations

• This is a format guide. It describes no real show's plot; every bracket in the template is yours to fill.
• Runtime, scene count and line length come from public guides by script-tool companies (which also sell their tools). They are rules of thumb, not platform policy.
• We did not check script submission requirements for Chinese platforms such as Hongguo or Douyin this time. Read their current guidance before you submit.
• "One page, three labels" is our name, not a standard industry term.

Sources

Accessed October 30, 2026 (Asia/Shanghai): - Filmustage, "How to Write a Vertical Drama Script" (Beat Engine, 60–120 s episodes, planning 60–100 episodes): https://filmustage.com/blog/how-to-write-a-vertical-drama-script/ - Dawnwood, "How do I format a vertical drama script?" (HOOK/TURN/CLIFF labels, 12-word lines, turn after 40%): https://dawnwood.ai/guides/vertical-drama-script-format/ - Character App, "Vertical Drama Script Template" (3-second hook, 60–90 s episodes): https://www.character.app/blog/vertical-drama-script-template

Related research & methods

How to Break Down a Short Drama: A 12-Column Beat Sheet for Hooks and Paywall Episodes

Short Drama Glossary: 50+ Terms from Paywall Episode to Rejected Mate, in English and Chinese

China Media Group's short-drama conference: which script calls are open, and who owns shortlisted work

Vertical Drama Script Self-Check Checklist: 30 Yes/No Checks Before You Submit

How to Write the Episode 1 Cold Open for a Vertical Drama: The First 3 Seconds