The Ultimate Guide to Colored Script Pages: Blue, Pink, Yellow Drafts Explained

The Chaos of Pre-Production Revisions#

When a screenplay moves from the writer's desk into physical pre-production, the rules change entirely. You can no longer just hit "Backspace" to fix a typo or delete a scene. Once the script is locked and budgeted, every single alteration ripples through the art department, scheduling, casting, and locations.

To track these changes, the film industry uses a highly standardized system of Colored Script Pages. But for new writers and indie producers stepping onto a professional set for the first time, managing these colored revisions is often a logistical nightmare.

The Manual Solution: The Rainbow Stack#

Historically, when a change was made to a locked script, the script coordinator would physically print the new pages on colored paper and distribute them to the crew to insert into their binders.

The industry-standard order of revision colors is:

1. White (The original locked shooting script)
2. Blue
3. Pink
4. Yellow
5. Green
6. Goldenrod
7. Buff
8. Salmon
9. Cherry

Free Giveaway: Asterisk Revision Marks Cheat Sheet#

When issuing a colored page, you must also mark the specific lines that changed so the crew doesn't have to read the whole page. This is done using an asterisk (*) in the right margin.

• New Dialogue: Asterisk next to the line.
• Deleted Scene: Scene heading remains, followed by "OMITTED" with an asterisk.
• Moved Scene: Asterisk next to the new location.

The Friction Point: Tracking the Paper Trail#

If you are using basic software (like Word, Google Docs, or free web apps), tracking colored revisions is virtually impossible. You have to manually type asterisks, figure out how to lock your page numbers so inserting a paragraph on page 10 doesn't push page 11 onto a new sheet, and manually track which scenes are "A" or "B" scenes.

Even some paid software requires complex, multi-step menus just to issue a Blue draft, leaving writers terrified of making a mistake that throws off the entire production schedule.

The Scriptory Solution: Automated Production Tracking#

Scriptory was built to handle the rigorous demands of a live production set. It completely automates the colored revision process, ensuring your script supervisor and line producer never miss a beat.

Here is how Scriptory handles revisions:

1. One-Click Script Locking#

With a single click, Scriptory locks your pages and scene numbers. From that moment on, your page counts will never shift.

2. Automatic Asterisks and Draft Colors#

When you enter Revision Mode (e.g., the Blue Draft), Scriptory automatically tracks every keystroke. It instantly applies the correct revision color to the page metadata and places industry-standard asterisks in the right margin next to your edits.

3. Digital Distribution#

Instead of printing physical blue paper, Scriptory allows you to export watermarked PDFs explicitly marked as "Blue Draft," or share the live document with your crew where the revisions are highlighted natively.

Enter Production with Confidence#

Don't let pre-production logistics slow down your creative process. Manage your revisions like a Hollywood professional.

Start Writing in Scriptory — It's Free Forever for Your First Script