Uploading your script

Learn how to upload scripts and troubleshoot common issues.

 

Supported File Format

Martin accepts PDF files only.  Your script must be in PDF format to upload.

Why PDF only?
PDFs preserve formatting and ensure consistent script parsing across all devices.

 

How to Upload a Script

1. Navigate to the Episodes/Units page and find your episode or unit in the Episodes/Units list
2. Click Add Script 
3. Upload your file:
- Drag and drop your PDF into the upload area, or
- Click to browse and select your file
4. Enter Script Information:
- Script Release Date (required): The date this version was released
- Color (required): Select the script revision color
- Label (required): Select the script type/stage
5. Click Save

Martin will parse your script automatically, extracting scenes, characters, and sets.

Script Colors Explained

Script revision colors follow industry standard practice:

First Revisions:
- White
- Blue
- Pink
- Yellow
- Green
- Goldenrod
- Buff
- Salmon
- Cherry
- Tan

Second Revisions (if you cycle through colors again):
- 2nd White
- 2nd Blue
- 2nd Pink
- etc.

Script Labels Explained

Labels indicate the script's stage in production:

- Unnumbered: Scenes without numbers
- Concept: Early conceptual draft
- Writer's Draft: First complete draft
- Revised Writer's Draft: Updated writer's draft
- Pre-Production: Preparing for production
- Studio Draft: Approved by studio
- Network Draft: Approved by network
- Table Read: Version for table read
- Production: Final shooting script

Troubleshooting Script Uploads

Password-Protected PDFs

If your PDF is password-protected, Martin will prompt you to enter the password:

1. A password modal will appear
2. Enter the PDF password
3. Click Unlock PDF
4. The script will continue uploading

Note: Martin does not store or save PDF passwords.

Scanned or Image-Based PDFs

If your PDF is a scanned document (images of pages without extractable text), you'll see an error:

> "This appears to be a scanned PDF without extractable text."

Solution: Request a text-based PDF from your script coordinator or production office. Scanned PDFs cannot be parsed for scene and character data.

Locked or Secured PDFs

Some PDFs have security settings that prevent text extraction:

> "This PDF has security restrictions that prevent text extraction."

Solution: Request an unlocked version from your script coordinator. The PDF needs to allow text copying/extraction.

Corrupted PDF Files

If the PDF file is damaged:

> "This PDF file appears to be corrupted or invalid."

Solution: Try downloading a fresh copy of the PDF and uploading again.

What Happens After Upload?

Once uploaded successfully, Martin automatically:

1. Extracts scenes with scene numbers and headings
2. Identifies characters from the cast list and dialogue
3. Extracts sets from scene headings (INT/EXT locations)
4. Parses scene descriptions for context

You'll see a success message showing:
- Number of scenes imported
- Number of characters found
- Number of sets imported

Managing Multiple Script Versions

Martin tracks all script versions for each episode:
- The most recent script is displayed by default
- Previous versions remain accessible
- Each version maintains its own color and label
- Script history helps track production changes

What If My Script Didn't Parse Correctly?

If scenes, characters, or sets didn't import as expected:

1. Check the Scenes tab to verify scene data
2. Visit the Sets tab and click the Reprocess Sets option if all the sets are missing
3. Manually edit any incorrect scene or character information
4. Contact support if major parsing issues occur

Script parsing works best with industry-standard screenplay formatting (Courier font, proper scene heading structure).