Genre ยท Feature Film
Thriller: Ticking Clock
A thriller screenplay template with a ticking clock, surveillance, and a twist. Short paragraphs and rising stakes. Open and start writing.
What this template is for
A thriller scene built around a deadline. Surveillance, a ticking clock, and a twist that reframe everything the audience just saw.
How to use it
Open the template and replace the placeholder text with your own story. Keep the action paragraphs short. The tension comes from speed and what the characters do not know.
What's included
- A surveillance setup with a deadline
- Short, punchy action lines
- A reveal that flips the scene
- A title page set to "UNTITLED THRILLER"
Tips
- Thrillers run on information gap. The audience should know something the protagonist does not, or vice versa.
- Keep action paragraphs to one or two lines. White space creates speed.
- A ticking clock forces decisions. Give your protagonist a deadline and watch the stakes climb.
Preview
INT. SURVEILLANCE VAN - NIGHT
Screens flicker. Four feeds. One target.
MAYA (30s) watches the clock. 11:47 PM.
MAYA
Thirteen minutes.
DEX (V.O.)
through earpiece
He's not going to show.
MAYA
He'll show. He always shows.
Feed three: a figure in a long coat crosses the lobby.
Maya leans in. Something is wrong.
MAYA
Zoom feed three. Enhancement.
The face resolves. It is not the target.
It is her partner.
DEX (V.O.)
Maya? What do you see?
She does not answer.
SMASH CUT TO BLACK.