Is it a screenplay? A stage play? Some other type of script? Although most writers know what genre they're aiming for at the beginning of a script's existence, the writing is sometimes not clear as the script progresses.
A writer may think she's writing a stage play, but the quick and numerous scene changes and frequent and vast jumps in time point toward a screenplay. Or maybe someone thinks he's writing a screenplay, but the depth of dialogue and intimacy of the characters may point more toward a stage production.
A script where one scene is followed by another in a completely different setting, or where the same characters are involved but in a different day, presents huge production challenges to a theater company. Many times, such set and costumes changes simply cannot be made in a short time. And keeping an audience waiting in the dark for 60 to 90 seconds is not acceptable.
Screenplays and stage plays are not interchangeable, although judging from the scripts I've read, many people seem to think so. A frequent fault I see is where a writer wants to create a movie, but for some reason believes that a stage production of the script will enhance the chances of it being made into a movie, as though a stage production is merely a step towards cinema.
That's like saying playing hockey is a step towards becoming a major league baseball pitcher. Yes, they're both games, but with vast differences in rules, goals, target audiences, and approaches. A stage play is not a movie performed live, any more than a movie is a filmed stage production.
Unfortunately, many people start writing plays based on what they see in movies, or write screenplays based on what they see on television. Those are three unique genres and must be approached individually and with a strong understanding of how each medium works and why.
Whichever genre you want to pursue, study it carefully. Look at the successful (and not so successful) examples to learn the craft, what works, what doesn't work, and why or why not. What makes a good feature movie? An engaging play? Or a popular television show or made-for-TV movie?
Each has its own set of rules, standards, and approaches. Each is a craft unto itself. When you increase your knowledge and practice of the craft, you increase your chances of success.
