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 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...
Expand commentI'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 mov...
Expand commentMy 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 f...
Expand commentI 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)!
Thank you very much for this great article.
It’s really helpful.