Script Coverage Template + Example (Free Download)

Whether you're a reader, a film student, a producer screening submissions, or a writer stress-testing your own draft, a consistent coverage template saves time and makes reports easier to compare. This post gives you a free script coverage template you can copy right now, a filled-in example so you can see what good coverage looks like, and section-by-section guidance on writing each part.

If you're new to coverage, start with what script coverage is. It explains where coverage comes from and what Pass / Consider / Recommend mean.

What a script coverage template should include

There's no official industry standard for coverage. Most studios, agencies, and coverage services use the same basic skeleton, and this template follows it:

1. Top sheet: title, writer, format, genre, pages, draft, setting, budget range, comparable titles

2. Logline: one or two sentences

3. Ratings grid: category scores at a glance

4. Verdict: Pass / Consider / Recommend, for both the script and the writer

5. Synopsis: the full story, ending included

6. Comments: strengths, weaknesses, and specific notes

7. Reader's summary: a short paragraph explaining the verdict

Traditional coverage runs a few pages. Keep the synopsis to about a page and the comments to one or two. Executives read coverage because it's shorter than the script.

The free script coverage template

Copy everything in the block below into a doc, a notes app, or a plain-text file. Download script-coverage-template.txt

SCRIPT COVERAGE
==============================================================

TITLE:            
WRITER(S):        
FORMAT:           [ ] Feature  [ ] Pilot  [ ] Short  [ ] Other: ____
GENRE:            
PAGES:            
DRAFT / DATE:     
SETTING / PERIOD: 
BUDGET RANGE:     [ ] Micro  [ ] Low  [ ] Mid  [ ] High
COMPARABLES:      
SUBMITTED BY:     
READER:           
DATE OF COVERAGE: 

--------------------------------------------------------------
LOGLINE
--------------------------------------------------------------
(1-2 sentences: protagonist, goal, central conflict, stakes.)


--------------------------------------------------------------
RATINGS            Excellent   Good   Fair   Poor
--------------------------------------------------------------
Premise / Concept     [ ]       [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
Structure             [ ]       [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
Characterization      [ ]       [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
Dialogue              [ ]       [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
Pacing                [ ]       [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
Tone / Genre          [ ]       [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
Originality / Voice   [ ]       [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
Marketability         [ ]       [ ]    [ ]    [ ]

--------------------------------------------------------------
VERDICT
--------------------------------------------------------------
SCRIPT:  [ ] PASS   [ ] CONSIDER   [ ] RECOMMEND
WRITER:  [ ] PASS   [ ] CONSIDER   [ ] RECOMMEND

--------------------------------------------------------------
SYNOPSIS
--------------------------------------------------------------
(About one page. Present tense. Introduce characters in CAPS on
first mention. Cover setup, major turning points, climax, and
resolution. INCLUDE THE ENDING.)


--------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENTS
--------------------------------------------------------------
Overview:
(2-3 sentences: what the script is trying to be and whether it
gets there.)

Strengths:
- 
- 
- 

Weaknesses:
- 
- 
- 

Premise / Concept:

Structure / Pacing:
(Reference page numbers where possible.)

Characters:

Dialogue:

Market / Audience:

--------------------------------------------------------------
READER'S SUMMARY
--------------------------------------------------------------
(One short paragraph justifying the verdict.)

==============================================================

A note on the ratings grid: the eight categories above are a common, practical set. Many companies use their own. Adjust the categories to fit your company or class, and keep them the same across reports so you can compare scripts.

How to fill out each section

Top sheet

Fill it in accurately and quickly. Budget range and comparables are judgment calls. Pick comps that are recent and genuinely similar in tone and scale, not just famous titles in the same genre.

Logline

Write it yourself, from the script, not from the writer's pitch. A strong logline names a specific protagonist, what they want, what stands in their way, and what happens if they fail. If you struggle to write one, note it. A muddy logline often points to a muddy story.

Ratings grid

Rate after you write the comments, not before. Writing the notes first keeps the scores honest and consistent with your reasoning.

Verdict

• Pass: not ready, or not right for this buyer. It's the most common outcome.

• Consider: real strengths that justify another look, even if the draft needs work.

• Recommend: you would defend this script in a meeting. Use it rarely, because your credibility depends on it.

Split verdicts ("Pass on script, Consider on writer") are normal and useful.

Synopsis

• Use the present tense, the same tense as the screenplay.

• CAPITALIZE each character's name the first time it appears.

• Include the ending. Coverage always spoils it. That's the point.

• Summarize, don't editorialize. Save your opinions for the comments.

• Proportion matters. Don't spend half the synopsis on Act One.

Comments

This is the part people actually use. Good comments are:

• Specific. Cite page numbers and scenes.

• Balanced. Start with what works. It tells the writer what to protect in the rewrite.

• Diagnostic. Explain why something isn't working. "The midpoint doesn't change the protagonist's goal" is more useful than "Act Two drags."

• Professional. Critique the script, never the writer.

Reader's summary

Two to four sentences that tie the comments to the verdict. Someone who reads only this paragraph should understand your call.

Script coverage example (filled in)

Below is a short example using a fictional script created for this guide. It's condensed for length. A real synopsis would run closer to a full page.

SCRIPT COVERAGE
==============================================================
TITLE:            THE LAST SHIFT
WRITER(S):        [Sample Writer]
FORMAT:           Feature
GENRE:            Thriller / Drama
PAGES:            104
DRAFT / DATE:     Draft 3
SETTING / PERIOD: Small rust-belt town, present day
BUDGET RANGE:     Low
COMPARABLES:      Contained, character-driven thrillers
READER:           [Reader Name]

LOGLINE
An overworked night-shift nurse discovers her estranged brother
has been stealing medication from her hospital, and must decide
whether to turn him in before an internal investigation costs
her the job keeping her family afloat.

RATINGS            Excellent   Good   Fair   Poor
Premise / Concept               [x]
Structure                              [x]
Characterization      [x]
Dialogue                        [x]
Pacing                                 [x]
Tone / Genre                    [x]
Originality / Voice             [x]
Marketability                          [x]

VERDICT
SCRIPT:  CONSIDER
WRITER:  CONSIDER

SYNOPSIS
MARA (30s), a night-shift nurse and single mother, finds a
discrepancy in the hospital's medication logs. Her brother DANNY
(40s), recently back in town, has been visiting her at work. When
hospital administrator ELLEN (50s) opens an internal audit, Mara
quietly investigates and finds proof that Danny is responsible.
Mara confronts Danny, who claims he's paying off a dangerous debt.
She covers for him once, and the audit narrows toward her. At the
climax, Mara gives Ellen the evidence, then warns Danny before
security arrives. Danny leaves town. Mara keeps her job but loses
her brother, and the film ends with her alone at the nurses'
station as the sun comes up.

COMMENTS
Overview: A grounded, actor-friendly thriller with a strong
central performance role. The moral dilemma is clear and
personal, but the middle act loses momentum.

Strengths:
- Mara is specific and active; her choices drive the plot.
- The hospital setting is used well; procedure feels authentic.
- Contained locations suit a low budget.

Weaknesses:
- pp. 40-62: Mara learns essentially the same information three
  times. Combining these beats would tighten the second act.
- Danny's debt is stated, not dramatized; the threat stays
  abstract until the final act.
- Ellen functions as an obstacle rather than a character.

Structure / Pacing: The setup is efficient and the climax lands.
The midpoint (p. 52) should raise the stakes more clearly. One
option is to make the audit name Mara directly.

Dialogue: Natural and economical. Danny's scenes occasionally
over-explain the backstory.

Market / Audience: Fits the contained-thriller space with a
strong lead role, which helps with attaching talent.

READER'S SUMMARY
A well-crafted, castable drama-thriller held back by a repetitive
second act and an underdeveloped antagonist. Worth considering
for a rewrite; the writer shows clear command of character.
==============================================================

Using the template for self-coverage

Writing coverage on your own script is one of the most revealing exercises you can do before sending it out:

1. Wait a few days after finishing a draft, so you read it more like an outsider.

2. Write the logline and synopsis first, from the pages, not from memory. Gaps between what you meant and what's actually on the page will show up quickly.

3. Fill in the ratings honestly. If everything is "Excellent," you're not reading critically.

4. Do the comments last, with page references.

5. Repeat on the next draft and compare.

Make sure the draft is properly formatted before you start. Formatting issues distract any reader. See our screenplay format guide.

Generating coverage in Scripy

If you want a structured report without filling in the template by hand, Scripy offers AI script coverage with 8-dimension scoring in professional studio format, generated from the screenplay you write in Scripy's Fountain editor. Because Scripy keeps draft history, you can cover each draft and track how the scores change between revisions. That's the same self-coverage loop described above, just faster.

AI coverage works best as a fast first read on drafts you're still developing. Use it the way you'd use any reader's notes. Paid human readers still bring market judgment and industry credibility that a score can't replace. (We compare the two in What Is Script Coverage?.)

When a script gets a Consider and moves toward production, Scripy can also generate an AI production breakdown (props, SFX, VFX, wardrobe, and insurance flags per scene), an AI shot list with DP lighting notes, and a first-pass schedule clustered by location and cast. For the manual process, see how to do a script breakdown.

Scripy has a Free forever plan (no card required), plus Indie at $19/mo and Studio at $49/mo.

FAQ

How long should script coverage be? Usually a few pages: a top sheet, about a page of synopsis, and one to two pages of comments.

Should coverage include the ending? Yes. Always. The synopsis exists so the reader's boss doesn't have to read the script.

Can I change the rating categories? Yes. There's no universal standard. Keep your categories consistent across reports so they can be compared.

Is this template suitable for film school assignments? Yes. It follows the common industry structure. Check your instructor's requirements for length and categories.