How do I tell if a script is long enough on paper compared to film?

[harmonica44]

My last scripts I single spaced because not doing so, resulted in it being too long. So I single lined it so it would fit to under 110 pages, since most beginner scripts for people, the filmmakers don't like scripts that go over 100-110, usually. But then I was told on here, that I had to double space if I expected to sell so I am in the process of rewriting them to fit under 110 or lower if can be.

I am writing a new script, double lined. So far it's 33 pages, but I feel like not much has happened yet for such an amount of spacing, and it should only be 15-20 so far maybe. I don't wanna get up to 100 pages, and only have it be 50 minutes on film. Any advice on how to tell exactly if I have enough? A lot of the script takes place in the same locations, for budget purposes, so it's kinda hard to tell exactly since the story doesn't shift scenes as much.

Another thing is for an action movie script, such as this, how long should an action scene be double spaced? Say if my climatic battle is 10 minutes on film roughly, how long should that be on paper?

Thanks

 

[CHamburger]

Use google you must. You post way too much man, are there no answers in your own search before coming here? I say this one to put things into perspective for you and to warn you that if you keep posting twenty questions a day people will stop answering

Answer: There's a general rule that one page of script equals one minute of screen time. There are also average script lengths for their relative genres. A 100 pages would be well over 50 minutes probably closer to....100 minutes. Sure some action sequences are short in a script but due to their significance in a script they might be longer on screen. You 'll sometimes see it like that but never the other way around where its longer in teh script and shorter on screen. If thats what the outcome is then the writing could've been condensed.

ex. in an drama, say a guy just found out he has cancer and is thinking about how he's going to break the news. In the script action it might read.."John walks along a lonely path." Boom one line not too long and definitely not a page long. But on screen the editor or director, because its so important to convey the emotion John might feel(isolated, alone, depressed, unsure) they might show him walking for a half a minute or even a minute.

If you follow the guide 1page=1minute, you'll be fine. When you write your screenplay focus on the pacing of your story.

 

[harmonica44]

Oh yeah I have used google on this before. I feel like even though I use google I have to come here for second opinions, cause everything I have done according to google, I have been told by readers and other writers, that I've done it wrong.

Maybe I am doing it right so far in this one, and I do have enough plot for 33 minutes so far, but I'm surprised since I feel I didn't write as much plot yet. Perhaps I will have enough story a lot quicker than I think and it will have to cut some out or change it to fit. Some of my action scenes have just come out to longer anyway but I will write these ones shorter for the new one. I tried writing them a lot shorter for an older one, so they will fit, but then I was told they were too short, and needed more description. I shortened them to one or two sentences, aside from important things that happen during the scenes.

 

[Kholi]

One page a minute is not really a good way to judge. Depending on tone/pace, you'll end up WAY short. I had a 92-95 page script that turned out 75 minutes of footage when it was all said and done.

Don't worry about how many pages you're writing, worry about making it an enjoyable read and then cut down later by extracting only what you need.

 

[harmonica44]

One page a minute is not really a good way to judge. Depending on tone/pace, you'll end up WAY short. I had a 92-95 page script that turned out 75 minutes of footage when it was all said and done.

Don't worry about how many pages you're writing, worry about making it an enjoyable read and then cut down later by extracting only what you need.

Yeah I am just afraid it might come out to too short on film. Isn't 75 pages usually too short or were you not doing a feature?

 

[Kholi]

Yeah I am just afraid it might come out to too short on film. Isn't 75 pages usually too short or were you not doing a feature?

I said 75 minutes, not 75 pages.

THat's why scripts are generally 100+ pages for theatrical length productions.

However, 72 Minutes or more is still considered theatrical.

 

[harmonica44]

Sorry, I meant to type 75 minutes. Haven't seen many theatrical movies that short. The shortest threatical one I remember in theaters was El Mariachi at 81 minutes. I think disney movies were only 75, but have not seen a more adult movie that short. I remember a couple of websites saying going under 80 minutes could poison the success of a feature.

 

[ussinners]

The most basic rule of thumb is one page equals one minute of screen time.

Of course this is based on a properly written screenplay. So if you have a ten minute action sequence ending, it should be roughly ten pages.

While many will say don't worry about length, I completely disagree (unless you're funding it yourself).

If you are looking to sell a screenplay to someone in the business, it has to get read.

If you send a 140 - 200 page script to anyone, there's a 99% chance it'll be tossed without the cover being opened.

If it doesn't look and read like a professionally written screenplay, it better be God's gift to storytelling for it to get picked up.

Rules are rigid unless you're a known commodity. Chances are if you're here, you're not.

1 page = 1 minute add in a lot of luck and talent and you have Oscar Gold.

 

[harmonica44]

Yeah. I am funding my current one myself but still wanna write it as if I were pitching it. That way I can get more people interested in it anyway. Plus I also wanna learn from my previous ones, which I will probably end up pitching.

 

[JoshL]

Off the top of my head, a couple of my favorite movies were pretty short:
Tetsuo, the Iron Man is 67 minutes
Hard Revenge, Milly is 44 minutes (short feature? long short? What's the film equivalent to a novella?) and the sequel is 72. The sequel isn't as good, partially because it drags at times, where the first (likely due to the very short runtime) is tight and driving.
Cowards Bend the Knee is 64 minutes (directed by Guy Maddin, in case you thought I was just going to stick with Japanese cyberpunk stuff!)

From wikipedia: "the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as 'an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all credits'."

Too short is better than too long (though too long can be edited down). We can argue good and bad all day, but walking away from a movie wanting more is never a bad thing!

(note: this stance is particularly hypocritical as I've been focused on extremely long art lately)

 

[CHamburger]

One page a minute is not really a good way to judge. Depending on tone/pace, you'll end up WAY short. I had a 92-95 page script that turned out 75 minutes of footage when it was all said and done.

Don't worry about how many pages you're writing, worry about making it an enjoyable read and then cut down later by extracting only what you need.

what did you write that was so many pages off from actual run time? Genre? Too be honest at almost 20 pages over you probably could've condensed your writing. You don't count dialogue because dialogue is usually accurate as far as screen time. Think about actual durations of your own, in-person, conversations. Its the action, scene descriptions. You might've had too much flowery prose describing scenes, characters etc.

Harmie, I'd follow that 1pg-1min rule.

porn is the only genre where this doesn't add up, but then again, those scripts are jokes.

 

[harmonica44]

I just wrote a series of scenes so far, mostly the third act. I have my third act, down and still need to think more about where to take the other two. I have roughly what happens in my outline, just need to think about what scenes I should have to develop the characters more and all that. I felt that my third act at 20 pages was a little long so far, especially since I am not even finished it yet. The other few pages are some of my first act. Maybe though it was meant to be that long on screen, and my story will just come out longer than expected. Just so long as it doesn't go over say 105 pages, since it's always best to keep your debut feature, kinda short for the festivals and all.

Off the top of my head, a couple of my favorite movies were pretty short:
Tetsuo, the Iron Man is 67 minutes
Hard Revenge, Milly is 44 minutes (short feature? long short? What's the film equivalent to a novella?) and the sequel is 72. The sequel isn't as good, partially because it drags at times, where the first (likely due to the very short runtime) is tight and driving.
Cowards Bend the Knee is 64 minutes (directed by Guy Maddin, in case you thought I was just going to stick with Japanese cyberpunk stuff!)

From wikipedia: "the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as 'an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all credits'."

Too short is better than too long (though too long can be edited down). We can argue good and bad all day, but walking away from a movie wanting more is never a bad thing!

(note: this stance is particularly hypocritical as I've been focused on extremely long art lately)

I think I respectfully disagree on that one in that one in most cases. A lot of times movies that have me wanting more are disappointing, since I thought there was room for more. For example I just saw Thor last night, and felt it was kinda short and rushed, and could have developed it's characters a little more. Where as a movie like Miracle at St. Anna is overlong like a lot of people say with unnecessary scenes. But I felt it did it's job better in other ways, and even though it was overlong, I still felt the job got finished as oppose to a short rushed movie that did not. Sometimes too much is better than too little.

 

[Kholi]

what did you write that was so many pages off from actual run time? Genre? Too be honest at almost 20 pages over you probably could've condensed your writing. You don't count dialogue because dialogue is usually accurate as far as screen time. Think about actual durations of your own, in-person, conversations. Its the action, scene descriptions. You might've had too much flowery prose describing scenes, characters etc.

Comedy and Action BOTH run faster in an edit than the page flows. That's pretty much a given and exactly why major comedy directors roll several mags on scenes for coverage.

A page a minute is old standard and isn't a rule to write by for today's pace.

I cite this a lot, but Sofia Copolla's material's dreafully short, but she knows what she's shooting and ends up stretching 40 pages to 90+ minutes.

If you're writing action, comedy, or anything else that relies on a steady pace you'll more than likely ride around 110 - 130 pages for a solid draft that will be ready to shoot. That'll end up at 80ish-90ish minutes of actual content.

Page count isn't why you aren't going to sell a script, your writing is. If you've got 120 pages of a script you're trying to sell and it's a smooth read your last wall is contacts and connections.

 

[a.p]

in terms of writing and spacing, I highly recommend a writing program called Celtx. I heard of it from rayw and decided to give it a try and I love it. the only downside is you can't directly see how many pages you are at, but then if you're focused on a writing limit, it'll take away from your story concentration.
try Celtx.

 

[harmonica44]

in terms of writing and spacing, I highly recommend a writing program called Celtx. I heard of it from rayw and decided to give it a try and I love it. the only downside is you can't directly see how many pages you are at, but then if you're focused on a writing limit, it'll take away from your story concentration.
try Celtx.

Well thanks, but I have already been using movie magic screenwriter for years and prefer to stick with it since I like it and spent a good amount on it.

Comedy and Action BOTH run faster in an edit than the page flows. That's pretty much a given and exactly why major comedy directors roll several mags on scenes for coverage.

A page a minute is old standard and isn't a rule to write by for today's pace.

I cite this a lot, but Sofia Copolla's material's dreafully short, but she knows what she's shooting and ends up stretching 40 pages to 90+ minutes.

If you're writing action, comedy, or anything else that relies on a steady pace you'll more than likely ride around 110 - 130 pages for a solid draft that will be ready to shoot. That'll end up at 80ish-90ish minutes of actual content.

Page count isn't why you aren't going to sell a script, your writing is. If you've got 120 pages of a script you're trying to sell and it's a smooth read your last wall is contacts and connections.

That worries me cause I was told for my last script that 117 pages was too long for a beginner and that most are looking for 100-110 pages, no more. How am I suppose to write an 80-90 minute action movie in 100-110 pages if that's the case? That's why I feel that my current script will not have enough time when it's over, and I won't know unless it's actually filmed. This is why I prefer writing single lined, but for some reason someone invented a rule that action and description must be written double lined in order to sell a script, and as a result, the page count is almost twice as long as it should be, compared to the length of the movie.

 

[Kholi]

That worries me cause I was told for my last script that 117 pages was too long for a beginner and that most are looking for 100-110 pages, no more. How am I suppose to write an 80-90 minute action movie in 100-110 pages if that's the case? That's why I feel that my current script will not have enough time when it's over, and I won't know unless it's actually filmed.

Who told you 117 pages was too long for a beginner?

Furthermore, who are these "most people" that are looking for scripts in 100-110 pages, no more?

... this makes my brain hurt...

 

[Ponty301]

Just write the damn thing and then ask questions!

 

[harmonica44]

According to some screenwriting sites, and what some people wrote on in on some sites I looked up. One was the Imdb, writer's forum, but I can't remember the other sites, as it was quite a while ago. I am writing still writing though, but I am much more finished now, compared to usual, for a first draft. That is because of the double lining. For my other scripts I wrote single lined, then changed it after I was told to afterwords, then edited down to make it fit into 120 pages.

This one I started double lining from the start, and I am now almost halfway done in no time, which is why I got the feeling that I didn't have enough material perhaps. But I'll keep writing and try to estimate how much minutes it will be once I'm done.

What about an action scene I have in mind. It's a shoot out that takes place over a few downtown blocks. Different characters are shooting at different enemies in different parts of the area of town, all at the same time. For a spec script, do I have to write a scene change every time it intercuts between one down town block to another? Cause if I can write it all without scene headings each time, that will save a lot of space.

 

[arrodiii]

Just write the damn thing and then ask questions!

I concur

 

[CHamburger]

If its all in one area I'd write it as one scene and break up the individual action like

EXT-Dowtown-Day

Johnnie and whatever shoot at Tommy. Tommy runs for cover.

Ned ducks behind a dumpster as bullets fly past.

Katie, gets clipped in her shoulder and slides into an open door. Johnny pursues.

Something like that. Theres action happening in the downtown area. You could also set up your scene headings to be more specific.

Ext. Dowtown-8th ST-Day

ETC. ETC. ETC.

Ext. 9th St-Continuous

djlhjksdhfjkhasd;fhad;fh

Ext. 10th St-Continuous

I would write it the second way to be honest. I think either way will be fine because its up to the editor and director how much of that downtown action scene is shown in its respective locations. Say your main character is on 10th st and a couple minors are on 9th, you'll probably see more of your main on screen than your minors. So either way is fine.