Understanding Script Revisions: How Scriptwriters Manage Drafts
- Jul 29, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 30, 2025
When you’re working on a film script, especially on a real production, you’re not just writing a script. You’re writing versions of it. A single script can go through dozens of drafts; each with minor or major changes.
These versions are tracked, logged, and color-coded so everyone on the crew knows what they’re working with.
In this post, I’m going to break down how this script revision system works, what the colors mean, and how you can manage script drafts properly (especially with tools like Lowerated Scriptwriter, which handles most of the chaos for you).
Why Script Drafts Matter
Scripts change constantly. Feedback from directors, producers, actors — or even budget constraints — can lead to a new draft. These drafts need to be distributed across departments: production, wardrobe, stunts, sound, set design; so that everyone is aligned.
If you don’t have proper script draft management, you’re risking miscommunication across the board.
Without a solid revision tracking system, a shoot can fall apart fast. One department might prep for Scene 22 based on an old version, while another is working from a version where that scene doesn’t even exist anymore.
The Order of Script Revisions
When a script is officially "locked" for production, the draft is marked as the white draft. Any changes after that are called revisions and are issued using a color-coding system.
Here's the industry-standard color sequence:
White (original draft)
Blue (first revision)
Pink
Yellow
Green
Goldenrod
Buff
Salmon
Cherry
Tan
Gray
Ivory
Once all the colors are used (which rarely happens), the system restarts with Second White, then Second Blue, and so on.
How Revisions Are Marked
Each revised script page includes:
The new color of the page
The revision date
A vertical line (called a “revision bar”) on the side of any line that was changed
Only the pages that were modified are reprinted and distributed. This way, the crew doesn’t need to flip through the entire script, they just swap out the updated pages.
Example:
Let’s say the white draft is locked on Jan 1. Then a change is made to Scenes 12 and 15 on Jan 5.
Pages 9 and 11 are reprinted in blue
Each new page has the date "Jan 5" on it
A vertical bar shows what lines changed
The rest of the script remains white
This continues every time changes are made.
What Kind of Changes Require a New Revision?
Revisions are issued when:
New scenes are added
Scenes are removed or rearranged
Dialogue is significantly altered
Scene headings are modified
Locations are changed
Action details shift (affecting stunts, props, or VFX)
Minor spelling or punctuation tweaks usually don’t trigger a formal revision.
How Lowerated Handles Script Drafts
The Lowerated Scriptwriter automatically tracks your drafts. When you write or edit your script:
It saves version history
You can compare any two drafts side by side
It flags content that was added, removed, or moved
You can export only the revised pages for distribution
And yes, you can generate color-coded PDFs to match industry standards
We’re not just giving you a text editor. We’re giving you a full script management tool, designed for how real productions work.
Tips for Managing Revisions
Lock your script before starting formal revisions
Keep a change log; don’t rely on memory
Communicate updates clearly to all departments
Don’t over-revise. If a change isn’t necessary, wait until the next big round
Track your revisions against shooting schedules (especially important if you're already rolling)
Final Word
Writing the script is hard. Keeping it organized is harder; especially once you go into production. But following this color-coded draft system keeps your team on the same page, literally. It’s not about being fancy. It’s about not wasting time, budget, or takes.
With Lowerated, we’re trying to take care of that structure for you. So you can focus on the actual storytelling and let the software worry about who’s on the pink draft and who’s still stuck on white.