Inkwell Screenplay Observatory
Collection
Inspectable dialogue research, original format fixtures, and transparent revision tasks. • 3 items • Updated • 1
id stringlengths 6 25 | pair_id stringlengths 4 23 | pair_number int64 1 24 | variant stringclasses 2
values | title stringlengths 13 42 | category stringclasses 8
values | fountain stringlengths 6 44 | expected_types listlengths 0 4 | supported_by_demo bool 2
classes | rationale stringlengths 69 148 | reference stringclasses 1
value | provenance stringclasses 1
value | license stringclasses 1
value | split_group stringlengths 4 23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
forced-action-a | forced-action | 1 | A | Action or cue | ambiguity | THE LIGHTS FAIL
Nobody moves. | [
"Character",
"Dialogue"
] | true | A capitalized line followed immediately by text can be a cue. The exclamation mark explicitly chooses action. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | forced-action |
forced-action-b | forced-action | 1 | B | Action or cue | ambiguity | !THE LIGHTS FAIL
Nobody moves. | [
"Action",
"Action"
] | true | A capitalized line followed immediately by text can be a cue. The exclamation mark explicitly chooses action. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | forced-action |
forced-character-a | forced-character | 2 | A | Mixed-case name | character | McKENNA
Keep the receipt. | [
"Action",
"Action"
] | true | The at-sign forces a cue without uppercasing or renaming a character. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | forced-character |
forced-character-b | forced-character | 2 | B | Mixed-case name | character | @McKENNA
Keep the receipt. | [
"Character",
"Dialogue"
] | true | The at-sign forces a cue without uppercasing or renaming a character. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | forced-character |
blank-after-cue-a | blank-after-cue | 3 | A | Whitespace changes the element | whitespace | ROWAN
That is the last one. | [
"Character",
"Dialogue"
] | true | An empty line after the uppercase text removes the automatic cue-and-dialogue pattern. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | blank-after-cue |
blank-after-cue-b | blank-after-cue | 3 | B | Whitespace changes the element | whitespace | ROWAN
That is the last one. | [
"Action",
"Action"
] | true | An empty line after the uppercase text removes the automatic cue-and-dialogue pattern. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | blank-after-cue |
blank-before-cue-a | blank-before-cue | 4 | A | A cue needs a boundary | whitespace | A drawer opens.
ROWAN
That is the last one. | [
"Action",
"Action",
"Action"
] | true | A paragraph boundary matters; capitalization alone is not a sufficient detector. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | blank-before-cue |
blank-before-cue-b | blank-before-cue | 4 | B | A cue needs a boundary | whitespace | A drawer opens.
ROWAN
That is the last one. | [
"Action",
"Character",
"Dialogue"
] | true | A paragraph boundary matters; capitalization alone is not a sufficient detector. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | blank-before-cue |
scene-case-a | scene-case | 5 | A | A scene prefix need not shout | scene | INT. RECORDS ROOM - NIGHT | [
"Scene Heading"
] | true | Scene-prefix recognition is case-insensitive; the spelling is not evidence of a second location. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | scene-case |
scene-case-b | scene-case | 5 | B | A scene prefix need not shout | scene | int. Records room - night | [
"Scene Heading"
] | true | Scene-prefix recognition is case-insensitive; the spelling is not evidence of a second location. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | scene-case |
forced-scene-a | forced-scene | 6 | A | A heading without INT or EXT | scene | THE FOLLOWING MORNING | [
"Action"
] | true | A leading period forces a scene heading. It does not prove a new physical location. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | forced-scene |
forced-scene-b | forced-scene | 6 | B | A heading without INT or EXT | scene | .THE FOLLOWING MORNING | [
"Scene Heading"
] | true | A leading period forces a scene heading. It does not prove a new physical location. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | forced-scene |
numeric-cue-a | numeric-cue | 7 | A | At least one letter | character | 23
Try the west door. | [
"Action",
"Action"
] | true | An all-digit line is not automatically a character cue. A letter changes the syntactic candidate. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | numeric-cue |
numeric-cue-b | numeric-cue | 7 | B | At least one letter | character | R23
Try the west door. | [
"Character",
"Dialogue"
] | true | An all-digit line is not automatically a character cue. A letter changes the syntactic candidate. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | numeric-cue |
voice-extension-a | voice-extension | 8 | A | A cue extension is not a second speaker | character | LENA
The lift is stuck. | [
"Character",
"Dialogue"
] | true | The extension affects delivery, not a demonstrated character-identity change. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | voice-extension |
voice-extension-b | voice-extension | 8 | B | A cue extension is not a second speaker | character | LENA (V.O.)
The lift is stuck. | [
"Character",
"Dialogue"
] | true | The extension affects delivery, not a demonstrated character-identity change. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | voice-extension |
parenthetical-context-a | parenthetical-context | 9 | A | Parenthetical in and out of dialogue | parenthetical | (under her breath) | [
"Action"
] | true | Parentheses do not independently determine the screenplay element; preceding dialogue context does. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | parenthetical-context |
parenthetical-context-b | parenthetical-context | 9 | B | Parenthetical in and out of dialogue | parenthetical | LENA
(under her breath)
Not today. | [
"Character",
"Parenthetical",
"Dialogue"
] | true | Parentheses do not independently determine the screenplay element; preceding dialogue context does. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | parenthetical-context |
parenthetical-inline-a | parenthetical-inline | 10 | A | Extension versus direction | parenthetical | LENA (on radio)
Check again. | [
"Character",
"Dialogue"
] | true | The two encodings place direction differently. Do not silently merge them in an interchange test. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | parenthetical-inline |
parenthetical-inline-b | parenthetical-inline | 10 | B | Extension versus direction | parenthetical | LENA
(on radio)
Check again. | [
"Character",
"Parenthetical",
"Dialogue"
] | true | The two encodings place direction differently. Do not silently merge them in an interchange test. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | parenthetical-inline |
two-dialogue-lines-a | two-dialogue-lines | 11 | A | Hard breaks do not add speakers | whitespace | LENA
One key. One chance. | [
"Character",
"Dialogue"
] | true | A line break changes line count without changing the speaker. Line share is not word share. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | two-dialogue-lines |
two-dialogue-lines-b | two-dialogue-lines | 11 | B | Hard breaks do not add speakers | whitespace | LENA
One key.
One chance. | [
"Character",
"Dialogue",
"Dialogue"
] | true | A line break changes line count without changing the speaker. Line share is not word share. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | two-dialogue-lines |
two-action-lines-a | two-action-lines | 12 | A | A line break is not a new scene | whitespace | The clock stops. The room stays bright. | [
"Action"
] | true | Wrapping action changes line-level statistics while leaving words and scenes unchanged. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | two-action-lines |
two-action-lines-b | two-action-lines | 12 | B | A line break is not a new scene | whitespace | The clock stops.
The room stays bright. | [
"Action",
"Action"
] | true | Wrapping action changes line-level statistics while leaving words and scenes unchanged. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | two-action-lines |
automatic-transition-a | automatic-transition | 13 | A | A transition needs its own paragraph | transition | CUT TO:
EXT. PLATFORM - DAWN | [
"Transition",
"Scene Heading"
] | true | A missing blank line can create a different parse. This laboratory illustrates the reference subset, not a repair policy for arbitrary files. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | automatic-transition |
automatic-transition-b | automatic-transition | 13 | B | A transition needs its own paragraph | transition | CUT TO:
EXT. PLATFORM - DAWN | [
"Character",
"Dialogue"
] | true | A missing blank line can create a different parse. This laboratory illustrates the reference subset, not a repair policy for arbitrary files. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | automatic-transition |
forced-transition-a | forced-transition | 14 | A | Explicit transition without TO | transition | FADE OUT. | [
"Action"
] | true | A greater-than prefix can force a transition that would otherwise be ordinary action. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | forced-transition |
forced-transition-b | forced-transition | 14 | B | Explicit transition without TO | transition | >FADE OUT. | [
"Transition"
] | true | A greater-than prefix can force a transition that would otherwise be ordinary action. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | forced-transition |
forced-scene-transition-a | forced-scene-transition | 15 | A | The writer decides the type | transition | >LATER | [
"Transition"
] | true | The same word becomes a different element under an explicit forcing marker. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | forced-scene-transition |
forced-scene-transition-b | forced-scene-transition | 15 | B | The writer decides the type | transition | .LATER | [
"Scene Heading"
] | true | The same word becomes a different element under an explicit forcing marker. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | forced-scene-transition |
nonlatin-cue-a | nonlatin-cue | 16 | A | A non-Latin cue | character | @李
We missed the first train. | [
"Character",
"Dialogue"
] | true | A forced cue retains the supplied name. Unicode text must survive an FDX export. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | nonlatin-cue |
nonlatin-cue-b | nonlatin-cue | 16 | B | A non-Latin cue | character | @李 (V.O.)
We missed the first train. | [
"Character",
"Dialogue"
] | true | A forced cue retains the supplied name. Unicode text must survive an FDX export. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | nonlatin-cue |
xml-escape-a | xml-escape | 17 | A | Special characters are text | interop | LENA
Use A & B. | [
"Character",
"Dialogue"
] | true | Angle brackets and ampersands in dialogue must be escaped in XML, not treated as markup. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | xml-escape |
xml-escape-b | xml-escape | 17 | B | Special characters are text | interop | LENA
Use <A> & "B". | [
"Character",
"Dialogue"
] | true | Angle brackets and ampersands in dialogue must be escaped in XML, not treated as markup. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | xml-escape |
literal-forcing-a | literal-forcing | 18 | A | Explicit action before a heading-like line | scene | INT. THE LETTER SAYS NOTHING - DAY | [
"Scene Heading"
] | true | A forcing marker overrides an apparent scene prefix. A converter must preserve the intended element. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | literal-forcing |
literal-forcing-b | literal-forcing | 18 | B | Explicit action before a heading-like line | scene | !INT. THE LETTER SAYS NOTHING - DAY | [
"Action"
] | true | A forcing marker overrides an apparent scene prefix. A converter must preserve the intended element. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | literal-forcing |
dual-dialogue-a | dual-dialogue | 19 | A | Simultaneity needs a structure | unsupported | LENA
Wait.
ROWAN
Go. | [
"Character",
"Dialogue",
"Character",
"Dialogue"
] | true | The caret signals simultaneous delivery. The simple FDX exporter refuses this case because sibling paragraphs alone do not preserve dual dialogue. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | dual-dialogue |
dual-dialogue-b | dual-dialogue | 19 | B | Simultaneity needs a structure | unsupported | LENA
Wait.
ROWAN ^
Go. | [
"Character",
"Dialogue",
"Character",
"Dialogue"
] | false | The caret signals simultaneous delivery. The simple FDX exporter refuses this case because sibling paragraphs alone do not preserve dual dialogue. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | dual-dialogue |
note-a | note | 20 | A | Annotation is not screenplay action | unsupported | The ticket is blank. | [
"Action"
] | true | Bracket notes require a dedicated nonprinting representation. The subset parser rejects notes rather than counting them as spoken or visible action. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | note |
note-b | note | 20 | B | Annotation is not screenplay action | unsupported | The ticket is blank. [[Check continuity]] | [
"Action"
] | false | Bracket notes require a dedicated nonprinting representation. The subset parser rejects notes rather than counting them as spoken or visible action. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | note |
boneyard-a | boneyard | 21 | A | Omitted text is not visible content | unsupported | The ticket is blank. | [
"Action"
] | true | Boneyarded material should not enter visible-text metrics. This educational exporter refuses it instead of stripping potentially meaningful text. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | boneyard |
boneyard-b | boneyard | 21 | B | Omitted text is not visible content | unsupported | /*The ticket is blank.*/ | [] | false | Boneyarded material should not enter visible-text metrics. This educational exporter refuses it instead of stripping potentially meaningful text. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | boneyard |
section-a | section | 22 | A | Outline structure is not a scene | unsupported | ARRIVAL | [
"Action"
] | true | A section heading belongs to outline metadata. It is not a screenplay scene heading or a filmed action. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | section |
section-b | section | 22 | B | Outline structure is not a scene | unsupported | # ARRIVAL | [
"Section"
] | false | A section heading belongs to outline metadata. It is not a screenplay scene heading or a filmed action. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | section |
lyrics-a | lyrics | 23 | A | Lyrics are an explicit element | unsupported | The last train waits. | [
"Action"
] | true | Lyrics need their own interpretation; the minimal interchange contract refuses to approximate them as dialogue. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | lyrics |
lyrics-b | lyrics | 23 | B | Lyrics are an explicit element | unsupported | ~The last train waits. | [
"Lyrics"
] | false | Lyrics need their own interpretation; the minimal interchange contract refuses to approximate them as dialogue. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | lyrics |
centered-a | centered | 24 | A | Centered text needs layout semantics | unsupported | THE END | [
"Action"
] | true | Centered action is not a transition. The exporter refuses the unsupported layout rather than pretending layout was preserved. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | centered |
centered-b | centered | 24 | B | Centered text needs layout semantics | unsupported | >THE END< | [
"Action"
] | false | Centered action is not a transition. The exporter refuses the unsupported layout rather than pretending layout was preserved. | https://fountain.io/syntax/ | Original Inkwell teaching fixture | CC0-1.0 | centered |
Screenplay Format Edge Cases
48 original Fountain specimens in 24 contrast pairs — two near-identical inputs per pair, at the points where the Fountain syntax leaves a choice. In 17 pairs the one difference changes how the lines are classified. In the other 7 it changes the surface and the labels hold: a lowercase scene prefix, a cue extension, a non-Latin cue, escaped characters, a dual-dialogue caret, an inline note and centered-text markers.
Version: 1.0.0 · Maintainer: Inkwell.
Built by Inkwell, the IDE for screenwriters. Paste Fountain into the Fountain validator to see the scenes, character cues, dialogue and action it recognizes.
What's included
data/cases.jsonl holds all 48 records; schema.json is a JSON Schema for one
record. Each record carries the Fountain input, its expected line-level element
types, the contrast pair it belongs to, and a short rationale for the expected
labels.
Provenance
Every specimen is original Fountain written for Inkwell and released under CC0-1.0.
How the labels work
The expected labels are line-level screenplay element types. A pair shares a
pair_id, and split_group repeats it: keep both variants of a pair in the same
split, because the point of a pair is the single difference between its two
inputs.
Forty-two of the 48 specimens fall inside the subset a demonstration Fountain
parser implements, and supported_by_demo marks which. The other six use dual
dialogue, a note, boneyard, a section, lyrics and centered text — valid Fountain
that the demonstration exporter stops on rather than guessing. The flag records
one implementation's coverage.
Two more things the labels assume: an FDX paragraph can group adjacent action or
dialogue lines, so a paragraph count can differ from the line-level label count;
and a forced-element marker (!, @, ., >) is syntax, not rendered text.
What it's for
Teaching the syntax contrasts, building regression tests, and watching which single edit changes how a line is classified. Extend it with your own cases as your parser grows.
Load the records
from datasets import load_dataset
cases = load_dataset("Inkwell-Software/screenplay-format-edge-cases", split="test")
print(cases[0])
Citation
Cite "Inkwell, Screenplay Format Edge Cases, version 1.0.0"; the machine-readable
form is in CITATION.cff.
Maintenance
Open a discussion with the case ID, the expected behavior, the observed behavior, and the relevant part of the Fountain spec. A change to expected labels is a version increment and a changelog entry.
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