So, this is probably end up being ranty-- and I apologise ahead of time. But I keep running into this issue with some of my scripts-- the one page equals one minute. I swear I'm developing a phobia about this aspect that's becoming ridiculous the more I dwell on it.
For new screenwriters and even for established ones- it can be difficult to know how to parse and write a script with enough white space and yet-- to help achieve the aspect of being able to discern how much time is taken by certain actions, dialogues, montages, and more. It can be a bit frustrating- especially when you've layered some deep action sequences to showcase a character along with some dialogue to make the point come across.
White space is good. (This one is not the same as novel writing and I want people to realise when prose writers talk about white space it's almost the opposite of what screenwriting is-- yet it's not.) The idea is to not have tons of action without some speaking and vice versa. Breaking up the space creates interest, develops the story and helps it move forward.
So how DO you figure it out?
I went a bit crazy doing some research on this because honestly, for some scripts- it's imperative to know how you're converting over these elements. It also helps if you can showcase the per minute versus the length of the finished script. (I never realised I'd care so much about this-- but then again, I'm neurodivergent and this has been my gravesite while writing.)
I read recently on Writing Stack Exchange the following and it made sense-
Character Count + Location Count + Plot Complexity = Page Count
Less characters = less characters to develop = less pages
Less locations = less situations to set up = less pages
Simple plots = less explaining = less pages
Now, does that mean less time on the actual screen? No, not necessarily. It just means when you have action- it takes up less space. The goal is Actions have no longer than three lines- in theory.
StudioBinder had an article dealing with script length and basically said, "It's an average between a dialogue heavy scene and one that's action packed. The average rule of thumb is- 1 page equals 1 minute."
Many of the articles I read and researched said to take a stopwatch to the dialogue you've run and make sure you're getting into it deep. Is there action between the dialogue or anything so it's not just two talking heads? (The talking head phenonemon is huge in novels- you don't want to have talk without some kind of action being described or it can get boring trying to see who is who.)
"Get in late, get out early." That's the guide for most action, and honestly, for some dialogued scenes. Why? Because too long and you get bored. Too short, you don't tell enough of the story through that sequence of events. So the idea is -- drop into where the action and revelations begin and get out before you run long. (Kind of like this post.)
The Celtx Blog has a great way of helping people to shorten their action sequences to sentence fragments and shorter, punchier lines that showcase exactly what's happening with the minimal words- which allow the director and actors to do their thing. But-- what if we're talking spec here? Where IS that line? (https://blog.celtx.com/writing-action-four-tips-to-make-your-script-move/)
"Kill your darlings"- Something I've lived by with my writing. Slash and burn baby. Not everything needs to be in a script. BUT-- sometimes you do need that atmosphere. You need the description if there is a set way things have to look on the screen because of what happens next. But I'm all for-- "Does this move the script forward? Does this allow the director to do their job without me pushing in? Is it an adequate description to give the heft of the scene without dragging it down? Do the characters live and breathe in each scene as they move forward toward their destinies?"
That brings me to scenes and sequences. The rule of thumb seems to be no more than 7 pages for a scene, but sequences are a series of scenes that usually belong to one character and help develop the ebb and flow for the tension and release that happens within these scenes put together to achieve a specific outcome.
There's a good reason to think on the page per minute deal-- the remake of Gone in 60 Seconds the car chase scene. How was it written on the page for that absolute brilliant scene?
INT. COUNTACH - MIRROR MAN
is freaking out ... The snake wrapped all around him...
MIRROR MAN
What do I do? What do I do? Aw, man.
He's gonna swallow my shit whole
Let's go to a hospital or something!
But The Sphinx shakes his head. No.
MIRROR MAN (cont'd)
C'mon, you creepy no-nosed motherfucker.
Take me to a hospital!
Nope. The Sphinx drives on... Into yet another
DIRECTOR'S CHASE SCENE
This one even cooler than the last ... And once they've eluded all
of the police, The Sphinx pulls over to the side of a DARKENED
STREET...
MIRROR MAN
What are you doing? I'm gonna die!
(There's more, but I cut for brevity here)
That's the scene and in the movie? about 2-3 minutes. It's less than a page-- but the direction from the writer is clear-- it's not one page equals one minute- but gives rein to the director to make it better than before.
And if all of that didn't clear up the confusion-- yeah, exactly that. You can have a page mixed with action and dialogue and it take 4 minutes of screentime versus a page of rapid back and forth dialogue with visual handles and that last all of 30 seconds. They says it all averages out.
All is Lost- 31 pages. 1 hr 46 minutes runtime.
The Artist- 42 pages, 1 hr 42 minute runtime
Yet these movies were average feature length. So, definitely not a moment where a page per minute is truly the case. There's a script which I cannot remember of late- where there was literally "And they were still running" as the direction on ONE page and you flipped to the next and it was another action line, done diagnonally on the page. It was amusing, but it made me realise- they were giving direction but also trying to adhere to that page per minute standard.
And how do they justify this? Formatting, formatting, formatting. Makes my neurodivergent mind go mad.
So does it work? Maybe. Does it help to realise if you're doing a script reading how long it takes and you time it? Yeah- but again- some characters speak slower than others. Some action sequences may be longer due to the description of what's happening. The idea here is the average really isn't average depending on the type of script you're doing.
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I don't think about 1 page equals 1 minute, Cynna Ael. I just write. I put a lot of detail in action lines, unless they don't need a lot, like "They brawl, tearing up the place."
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Cynna Ael, it will be interesting seeing what the writers have to say/comment!
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I think it's an interesting notion because the more I look at it- the less.... average it seems, especially on newer scripts. Which then makes me ask- what then can you really say about the page per minute and does it need to be updated for the 2020s going forward?
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I've learned to write scenes/action succinctly, making every word count in describing what is seen. I don't ramble on and on, which is what I see in a lot of unproduced scripts. This is why most of my scripts have won recognition. Same goes for dialog. You can't have two inches of dialog by one character on a page. It has to be broken down with some form of action. No one wants a character yapping their brains out unless your plan is to help people with insomnia :-)
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My script I am working on is 62 scenes and 46 pages, which prevents me to send it to BlackList, because they accept only 60 pages screenplays. I don't use much dialogs and the tempo of my arthouse movie won't be fast so I count It should be 90 minutes. Counting by scenes (one scene in average is about 2 minutes), that's 120 minutes.
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I will like to see a more polished version of what I’m about to comment and imply therefore excuse where necessary.!
For instance “Fight Scenes” require certain expertise. Writers are not necessarily fighters, officers, martial arts experts etc and therefore psychological matters have to be taken into consideration from the various perspectives, which includes practicals to filmmaking and scenes like body language, blocking, pauses etc. that must make sense, considering layers etc. to appeal to the awareness and sensitivities of an audience.
Therefore and hence the technicalities in the subject(s)!
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Thank you very much for this great article.
It’s really helpful.
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Hey there, Cynna - You got it! Screenwriting is complicated isn't it. But it's also very simple at the same time. Just go write the thing without burrowing into all the little side channels of technique or you will be forever wandering around in the dark and you will never finish a script. Just write the thing -- there will be lots of time to edit and rewrite it.
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Antony Voronov See- that's the problem. Though the script may be only X amount of pages, it doesn't always equal the screentime when filmed. One of my producer friends has always said- though succinct is wonderful, extra footage you can use for B-roll or to cut in or cut out as needed comes in handy. My rule of thumb is every plot needs at least one subplot per major character. Why? It gives us depth into what is and what is not on moving their GMC(Goals, Motivation, Conflict) further within the storyline itself. So if you have two main characters- 2 subplots. I had to remind myself of this recently in my latest script since it seems to be shorter than I imagined.
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@eoncrambally I agree. I swordfight, I know how to use guns and have access to people who have used them in war. Am I an expert? Absolutely not, but it does allow me to figure that a one page swordfight with dialogue-- will be about 1-4 minutes depending on how heavy actioned it's written or the director decides to make it. Those little things- blocking, body language, the ability to speak while manuevering in an action momentum-- whether it's fighting for your life or welding old pipes shut-- requires a certain length of time- not including the dialogue. Though screenwriters are told we don't need to necessarily know the intriicacies- it helps to be aware of the realism if that's your goal or the fantastical. Thus- 1 page can't equal one minute when you're describing a man who is not only welding a pipe closed, but also making sure the valves are shut off, responding to his boss, etc. I appreciate the reminder though of how various forms do require a base knowledge not everyone has and sometimes it takes listening to an expert to get a feel for how long something actually is when you describe it.
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Hey @dougnelson I've got 2 scripts under my belt- an UF romdramedy and a thriller/horror. The differences between their action scenes and dialogue scenes are truly remarkable. That said, after 17 novels, I'm the type to wanting to get it as close to what I need as possible the first time. Of course there's editing involved. I think it's one reason I am learning to love Final Draft and it's ease of moving scenes and more. The same with Scrivener- the ease of shifting scenes around and making sure to give the depth necessary is important. Spec scripts sell based on how much you bring alive for the reader. My goal is simply that- bringing it alive- preferably accurately.
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Ok! Wow! That's some formidable portfolio statistics Cynna Ael ! Gives you the edge on the average screenwriter. Therefore to note for instance remembering filmmaking in general is a collaboration of various talents/minds, therefore involves the incorporation of said collaborations which involves addressing Gaps in filmmaking/scenes and more. Therefore it is good to interact with the various talents etc.
There’s no new rule as far as I know or mandate for Screenwriting". The competition of AI software however have shifted perspectives and caused misunderstandings
Overall along with previous comments same traditional certified dedicated techniques applies. You have the edge over many screenwriters as said!
Sending you a network request!
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Eon C. Rambally Thanks. I have to admit-- there's so much I don't know in screenwriting. I'm coming from published in novels and novellas, working in indie comics. So it's... such a change. I'm used to 250 words per page and white on a page means you're not doing good enough in description and great dialogue. So... it's been a trip trying to figure this out. I've been in Sundance's Collab cohorts for short film screenwriting and currently in their first draft features program. It's been amazing to date.
Network request accepted!
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Cynna Ael Thanks for the comments. I am thinking about improving the support characters stories, but not shure, that I want to do it. This story told by the vision of on character and the main conflict is inner conflict. Logline: A single transphobic mother, a major in the Russian police, travels to the Netherlands to investigate the death of her transgender refugee daughter only to make sure she committed suicide. Eventually to cope with the pain and void, the mother embarks on the path of repentance, and acceptance.
I am gonna receive skript notes soon, and will lat you know. The topic you raised really excites me.
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Looking at the original post, there's some really dogmatic sweeping generalisations being made over how long certain things should be. None of this should be set in stone. I'd be very concerned about where you're getting this advice from.
I'm in the rather rare position where I get to see directly how my pages translate into screen time, and I've found the resulting runtime runs at least 10% longer than my corresponding page count. This is almost always because US actors are trained to talk oddly slow when they perform, while I imagine the lines read at a more natural speed.
In my early days, I struggled with the page count of action scenes. What helped was imagining them while listening to music. That gave me timestamps and a page count to aim for.
This all said, the 1pp per minute rule is just a guide for production. It helps you schedule your day. It's also something subject to a writer's voice and a factor any regular collaboration will be able to consider. For example, I do not write drafts for my regular collaborators above 90pp. They have a hard 90min limit with their sales agents. I know my stuff runs over, as mentioned. Ideally, I'm coming in at more like 85pp. Letting a film breath in the edit is a lot easier than having to choose between cutting two scenes, both of which have important story beats within them.
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Thanks CJ Walley. That's what I mean though- if you google or read many scriptwriting books- people quote the one page= one minute. They don't explain the reasoning, they don't tell you how the exceptions work-- they just leave it like that.
Being neurodivergent- the tendency is to take things literally because everyone seems to say it, so it's what is. When reality doesn't hit that-- there's this disconnect. It makes you wonder what you did wrong. It makes you wonder if your writing isn't good enough if you're too far over or too far under. It honestly makes it harder for me to tell the story I need to tell if I'm keeping that thought in mind. Yes, my stories are roughly between 80-120 minutes in scene minutes, but script pages are much less. For people coming in from other mediums- that concept is like the "250 words per page" guideline you hear. They don't tell you it depends on formatting, on font, etc. You just hear the quote, not full truth behind it.
Starting out-- things like this can really be misleading because you don't know dialogue tends to run quicker, action can be long or short depending on the type of action it is. It's a learning process- one I believe would be easier learned if the standard answer everyone seems to quote was a bit more open- "Production avg is one page is one minute. But action can be longer, dialogue can be shorter- spec scripts are different than a production scripts." It's not pithy, but for someone like me- it's a lifeline to help me learn the process, to get better at it- to find my voice and writing style in scriptwriting, just like I have my voice and style in writing books.
I apologise if I seem all over the place with generalisations- but by sharing this-- I think many of us who are new or who have stumbled over this issue-- can relate. We move forward when others, like yourself, step forward and give answers to help us understand the actual reasoning behind the phrase and to show us how action and dialogue differ on the printed page.
https://johnaugust.com/2020/how-accurate-is-the-page-per-minute-rule-2
https://stephenfollows.com/p/is-the-page-per-minute-rule-correct
https://nofilmschool.com/one-page-equals-one-minute
https://screencraft.org/blog/this-is-why-your-screenplays-page-count-mat...
https://nofilmschool.com/how-many-minutes-per-page-of-script
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You know, I ignore it. I don't pay it a damn bit of mind. I just write. Being a bit more minimalist certainly helps, but I don't bother paying attention to the one page = one minute thing. I worry about the story, the emotional journey, the character arcs.
Funnily enough, it usually seems to work out about right anyway.
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By the way, I've just discovered, that Slamdance Screenplay Competition recognise feature from 41 to 140 pages https://slamdance.com/screenplay-submit/
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You're overthinking it. One page = One minute, it is an average, not a unbreakable physical law. As a sci-fi writer I can say with absolute certainty that the multiverse will not collapse, the world will not come to an end, and you will not self-destruct, if your write a page, film it and that scene NOT be equal to exactly one minute of action. Trust me.
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I honestly don’t pay it too much mind, I know it’s a guideline more than a hard and fast rule. That being said though I’m definitely still trying to nail “come late, leave early” ^^;