how many pages...

dvpixl

dvpixl

Veteran
Just wondering, for a 5-6 minute short, what your scripts look like.

Do you guys have 5 page scripts lying around? or does it depend?

I mean, there's no way you're going to write 10 good pages and expect it to be 6 minutes even...
 
Charli said:
1 page=1 minute of film time

That's how to gage it.
Click to expand...
For a feature length script, yeah. I've found this is not as helpful for a short. With so few pages it really just depends on what (dialogue or description or action) is filling each one. A six page short has a much broader range of possible equivalent screentime than a feature script would. The longer the script, the better the odds of the pages all averaging down to the one minute screen time rule. The heavier pages will balance out the lighter ones and vice versa...
 
Last edited:
Yeah, for a feature it averages out, but I'd say one page of action is going to be twice as long as one page of dialogue.
 
Yes, I think it's a lot harder to gauge a short film, especially one that's under 6 minutes. Six pages of dialogue might only be a couple of minutes. Six pages of visuals might be twenty.

My drafts for No. 9 have been running between two and three pages. It's mostly visuals. And I'm worried that the final cut might be over the six minutes. We'll see.


John G.
 
thanks for the insights. I whittled mine down to 5 and half. but yeah, i guess it all depends... esp when you edit too..
 
My script was about 8 pages. We shot it this weekend and I think we're going to be just fine.
 
I'm guessing about 50/50. But Slimothy, khmuse and David Chien (our AD) did some great blocking and distilled 2 pages into about a tight 30 second action sequence. You can't beat working with great people. :thumbsup:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top