Stories, tips, and insights
Screenwriting craft, production knowledge, and platform updates from the Kathe Kaara team.
Latest articles
- How to Make a Call Sheet: What to Include, Example and Free Generator — The call sheet is the one document everyone on set reads. Learn what to include, who sends it and when, see an example, and generate one from your shooting schedule.
- How to Protect Your Script in India: Copyright, SWA Registration and Title Registration — Before you pitch a script to a producer, protect it. Here is how copyright works for screenplays in India, how Copyright Office and SWA registration differ, and practical steps to prove authorship.
- How to Write a Short Film Script: A Step-by-Step Guide With Example — Short films are where most filmmakers start. Here is how to find a short-sized idea, structure it, keep it shootable on a small budget, and format the script — with an example.
- Film Budget Basics: Above-the-Line vs Below-the-Line Costs (Indian Indie Guide) — Every film budget splits into above-the-line and below-the-line costs. Learn what goes in each, the categories to include, how to set contingency, and see an illustrative INR budget structure.
- How to Make a Storyboard (Even If You Can’t Draw) — Storyboards save hours on set, and you don’t need to draw well to make one. Learn the step-by-step process, what to put in each frame, and fast alternatives to drawing.
- Screenplay Revision Colors: The Standard Order and How Revision Pages Work — Once a script is in production, every change goes out on colored pages. Learn the standard revision color order, revision marks, A-pages, omitted scenes and when to lock pages.
- Page Eighths Explained: How to Measure Scene Length in a Screenplay — Assistant directors measure every scene in eighths of a page. Learn how to count eighths, read numbers like 1 3/8, apply rounding rules and use eighths to plan a shoot day.
- How to Build a Character Bible for Your Screenplay (With Template) — A character bible keeps every character consistent across drafts, writers and departments. Here is what to include, a fill-in template, and how to use it while you write.
- How to Create a Stripboard and Shooting Schedule for Your Film — The stripboard turns your breakdown into a day-by-day shooting schedule. Learn strip colors, how to group scenes, how many pages to shoot per day, and how to avoid costly mistakes.
- Writing a Bilingual Screenplay: Kannada–English Dialogue Done Right — Real Bengaluru characters switch between Kannada and English mid-sentence. Here is how to format bilingual dialogue, mark subtitles, and keep the script readable for every member of the crew.
- Screenplay Transitions: CUT TO, MATCH CUT, SMASH CUT and When to Use Them — Transitions tell the reader how one scene moves to the next. Learn every common transition, how to format it, and why modern spec scripts use them sparingly.
- How to Open an .FDX File Without Final Draft (Free Methods) — Someone sent you a Final Draft .fdx file and you don’t own Final Draft? Here are the free ways to open, edit, convert and send it back — without losing formatting.
- Day Out of Days (DOOD) Report Explained: Codes, Examples and How to Make One — The Day Out of Days report shows which shoot days each actor works — and drives cast budgets and contracts. Learn the codes, read an example and generate one automatically.
- How to Write Dialogue in a Screenplay: Format, V.O., O.S. and Craft Tips — Great dialogue sounds natural but works hard. Learn how to format dialogue, use V.O., O.S. and CONT’D correctly, write phone calls and texts, and add subtext.
- Beat Sheet Guide: Three-Act Structure, Save the Cat Beats and the Interval Block — A beat sheet maps your story’s turning points before you write a single scene. Learn three-act structure, the classic 15 beats with page targets, and how Indian films adapt them around the interval.
- How Many Pages Is a Screenplay? Page Count and Runtime Explained — Feature, short, TV pilot or Indian feature with songs and an interval — here are the page counts producers expect, why one page equals about one minute, and how to cut a long draft.
- How to Co-Write a Screenplay Online: Collaboration Workflow for Writing Partners — Writing with a partner or a writers’ room? Here is a practical workflow for co-writing a screenplay online — roles, comments, versions, credit and the right tools.
- How to Make a Shot List: Shot Sizes, Angles, Movements and a Free Template — A shot list is the director’s plan for filming every scene. Learn what to include, the standard shot sizes, angles, movements and lenses, and how to build one quickly.
- Fountain Screenplay Format Explained: Write Scripts in Plain Text — Fountain lets you write a properly formatted screenplay in any text editor. Here is the complete syntax, examples, and how to convert .fountain files to PDF and Final Draft.
- Best Screenwriting Software for Indian Filmmakers in 2026 — Writing for Kannada, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu or Malayalam cinema? Here is how the leading screenwriting tools compare for Indian languages, pricing in rupees, OTT delivery and production.
- How to Write a Scene Heading (Slugline): Rules and Examples — Scene headings tell the crew where and when every scene happens. Learn the INT./EXT. rules, time-of-day terms, secondary sluglines, flashbacks and intercuts, with examples.
- What Is a Script Breakdown? How to Break Down a Screenplay for Production — A script breakdown turns a screenplay into a production plan. Learn the standard categories, color codes, breakdown sheets and the step-by-step process line producers use.
- Best Free Final Draft Alternatives in 2026 (Honest Comparison) — Final Draft is the industry standard, but it is not your only option. We compare the best free and low-cost alternatives on formatting, .fdx support, collaboration and production tools.
- Screenplay Format: The Complete Guide to Industry-Standard Formatting — Everything you need to format a screenplay to industry standard: fonts, margins, the nine screenplay elements, page count rules and common mistakes to avoid.
- How to Write a Screenplay in Kannada: A Step-by-Step Guide — A practical, step-by-step guide to writing a Kannada screenplay — from idea and structure to formatting Kannada dialogue and exporting a production-ready PDF.