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Script Length

Q

Quarry

I have this problem for days now...

Which is the proper length of a horror script? Isn't it supposed to be more than 140 pages since there are long descriptions involved? You know... It's not like you describe a shooting scene. You have to describe the violence and that means too big descriptions. So, the horror scripts aren't they supposed to be longer? Mine is 250 pages no matter how many scenes I deleted. Who's going to read this thing?
 
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MileCreations said:
There is no real proper script length. But 250 really does sound too long. Don't delete scenes. Delete too much unneseccary detail
Click to expand...

Actually I'm now trying to delete the worst quotes in the dialogues, whether they are necessary or not. You know, not only I have those big description, but I also have the dialogues that take too much space since they must be in the middle of the page. Anyway, I'll read again the script from the beginning tonight and I believe the soul of the alcoholic beast accompanied by Rammstein, Eisbrecher and Absurd will find a solution for me.
 
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There’s a reasonable rule-of-thumb to work to: 1 page = 1 minute of screen time. But… If a page is full of dialogue, it stands to reason it would only be 30 secs of screen time. On the other hand, a page full of action may be equal to 2 mins of screen time. In the end, everything levels out to roughly 1 page per minute.

In general, you’ll probably find that action films would require more pages than a horror film. There’s just more that needs to be described.

What I’d recommend is sitting quietly (not listening to Rammstein!!!) and read the screenplay. Try to envision the whole thing, as if you were watching the finished product on your TV. You’ve just watched the film, how long did it take? 90 mins? If so, I’d guess you’re over-describing everything. If it takes 250 mins, you’ve potentially written the perfect screenplay to tell your story. Then you’ve got a battle on your hands to get somebody else to read it, or it’s a case of how much of that story needs to be told and what can you cut.


Of course, there’s the possibility that you’ve just formatted it incorrectly…
 
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When correctly written, 85 to 100 pages.

You're aiming for 85 to 100 mins of screen time. If you're getting a film to that length but going to 200 pages, it can feel that the story is dragging compared to other scripts. If you're making it yourself, then it doesn't matter as much.
 
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250 pages is too long, no one will read it.

You can always extend it once you're in production, but if you're looking for people to read your work and get involved that way, it should be no longer than 120 (max).
 
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Quarry said:
Isn't it supposed to be more than 140 pages since there are long descriptions involved? You know... It's not like you describe a shooting scene. You have to describe the violence and that means too big descriptions. So, the horror scripts aren't they supposed to be longer?
Click to expand...

Where'd you get this information from? :hmm:

.
 
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Zensteve said:
Where'd you get this information from? :hmm:

.
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Myself. It's much easier to describe "Joe retreats while shooting back and then dives in" instead of "Joe opens the door and suddenly a bullet pierces his eye and leaps out from the back of his head along with a piece of his brain". So, horror scripts should be longer...

By the way, I believe Rammstein are great to listen if you're writing a horror script. Not the stupid songs like "pussy" or "rein raus" or "mann gegen mann". These songs are rather disgusting. I'm talking about songs like Sonne, Stein um Stein, Kokain and Klavier.
 
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Every book, seminar, etc I've ever experienced makes a very strong point about keeping scripts to 120pages or less.

If you can't keep it to within 120 pages your story is either far too long, you are being FAR too verbose with your action text, or a combination of both.
 
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Myself. It's much easier to describe "Joe retreats while shooting back and then dives in" instead of "Joe opens the door and suddenly a bullet pierces his eye and leaps out from the back of his head along with a piece of his brain". So, horror scripts should be longer...
Click to expand...

Are you planning on making this yourself or making it for someone else to make? If it is the later, then you really need to think about conventional practices that has worked within the industry for the last hundred or so years.

While I'm not saying your wrong, selling a screenplay is hard, really hard. Selling a screenplay that doesn't conform to the norms is even harder.

There is a general concept in screenwriting. 1 page of script is approximately 1 minute on the screen. This does mean that you should not (not cannot) verbosely describe 10 seconds over 2 pages. If someone is considering buying your script, that part will feel bogged down and seem to drag on. In theory, you should alter your words and let the story flow at the correct pace of what you're trying to write.

This is just a rule of thumb. I've heard stories of people throwing scripts into the bin due to the fact that they had the wrong number of fasteners holding the script together (they believe that if you don't know the correct format, you have no chance to write a proper story, so why waste their time reading your script). How do you think they'll act if you present a 250 page script (about 3 times the industry norm) for your 85 minute horror story?

We're just talking norms here. There is nothing saying you have to do this or that. You can keep it to 250 pages. In the industry, time is money. You will need to find a way to convince producers or script buyers that spending 3 times the normal time to read a script is well spend on reading yours.

I suggest that you go to a script site on the internet and read a few scripts of your favorite movies, preferably ones that were successful, made within the last 5 years are in the same genre as what you're writing.

Good luck in your writing. You can take the advice or leave it.
 
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Quarry said:
Which is the proper length of a horror script? Isn't it supposed to be more than 140 pages since there are long descriptions involved? You know... It's not like you describe a shooting scene. You have to describe the violence and that means too big descriptions. So, the horror scripts aren't they supposed to be longer? Mine is 250 pages no matter how many scenes I deleted. Who's going to read this thing?
Click to expand...
Nah, you're good.
Somewhere between 140 and 250 pages for a horror script is just about right.

Peter Jackson would love it!













If it ever got past his readers.


Which... it wouldn't.


They're expecting something in the neighborhood of 90 to 110 pages, irregardless of the genré.

But, since you're shooting this on your nickel you can do whateverthehellyouwant, and don't let none of these other puss!es around here tell you otherwise. K?

Man up, Tolstoy.

GRRRR!!!!
 
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I believe that as a movie it would be about two hours and a half (maybe less). However, maybe I'm formatting the script incorrectly.

I tried to format it just like robocop script (without the scene numbers). That means, I put a header for each one of the scenes. Example:

DAVID
looks down at the hole, surprised.

A TWISTING BULLET
suddenly gets stuck in his forehead and he goes down flat as a line of blood flows on his face.
Click to expand...
 
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That doesn't look like proper screenplay format to me.

It should just be:

DAVID looks down at the hole, surprised. A TWISTING BULLET suddenly gets stuck in his forhead and he goes down flat as a line of blood flows on his face.


The way it's formatted in your quote there it appears like dialog where david would say "looks down at the hole, surprised." and another character named a twisting bullet says, "suddenly gets stuck in his forehead...."

Obviously that makes no sense whatsoever.

Are you using screenwriting software? Have you read any books on screenwriting?
 
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Will Vincent said:
That doesn't look like proper screenplay format to me.

It should just be:

DAVID looks down at the hole, surprised. A TWISTING BULLET suddenly gets stuck in his forhead and he goes down flat as a line of blood flows on his face.


The way it's formatted in your quote there it appears like dialog where david would say "looks down at the hole, surprised." and another character named a twisting bullet says, "suddenly gets stuck in his forehead...."

Obviously that makes no sense whatsoever.

Are you using screenwriting software? Have you read any books on screenwriting?
Click to expand...

I thought character names are written in capitals only when they are mentioned for the first time. How am I supposed to emphasize the action on something if I don't seperate it from the rest of the description?

In the quote, we first emphasize on David looking at the hole, then we emphasize on the bullet stuck on his brain.

Robocop script:

CLARENCE
howls as he smashes through a window back into the lab. Blood from the hanging guard spatters his face.

ROBO
hovers over Clarence, ominously, and cuffs him.
Click to expand...
 
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You guys are killing me.


First, learn to use the code tags here at IT.

20130321ITCodeTag_zps9351b994.png


Next, with the code tags selected you can include tab over items per line, a feature not otherwise available in the regular IT message composition box.

Into the code box copy and paste text from your screenwriting program or even compose it in notepad, as I've done here, (three tabs for characters, two tabs for dialog.)

BONUS! Automagically it's in courier!

Code: 
INT. VERONICA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

DAVID, 18, textbook WASP virgin, looks down at the hole, surprised.

			VERONICA
		It won't bite you.

A twisting bullet suddenly gets stuck in his forehead and he goes down 
flat as a line of blood flows on his face.

See?

Okay, now that we've got this far lettuce FIX this schleppy mess.

  1. When introducing characters, not only is it capitalized but it's followed by an age, can be between either commas or parenthesis. Personal preference. Doesn't really matter in the biz.
  2. Following the intro character's name and age is a BRIEF description, usually containing more than height and weight. It's almost a three to five word poem.
  3. If the bullet to strike poor David in the forehead is to be seen in slow-motion (and I advise against directing from the script) then it needs to be specified as such. Otherwise, a bullet travels so fast you WON'T see it twisting. :rolleyes::lol:
  4. Pretty much DON'T use any words that end in -ly, such as suddenly. It's a bullet, for God's sake. Unless someone physically threw it by hand it's traveling a thousand feet per second if discharged from a firearm. Of course it's suddenly. (EFFFFFFF MEEEEEEEE!!!!)
    Smiley-with-gatling-gun.gif
  5. Bullets typically don't get "stuck in foreheads". Most often they enter the cranial cavity rather easily.

Initial cleaning up:

Code: 
INT. VERONICA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

DAVID, 18, textbook WASP virgin, looks down at the hole, surprised.

			VERONICA
		It won't bite you.

A bullet pierces David's forehead and he goes down flat as a line of blood 
flows on his face.

There.
Now, that I've cleaned up the most egregious messes it's time to gild this dandelion.

Code: 
INT. VERONICA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

DAVID, 18, textbook WASP virgin, looks down at the hole, surprised.

			VERONICA
		It won't bite you.

BANG! David's forehead is pierced by a bullet. He drops flat atop Veronica, a line 
of blood runs from his face onto her perfect abs.


BOOKMARK THIS ---> http://www.scribd.com/doc/12721428/Professional-Screenplay-Formatting-Guide
 
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