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We Are Writers

Hey everyone, if you have not realized I am a screenwriter. I honestly believe that a screenwriter is the backbone of every film. I was wondering if there are any other screenwriters on Indietalk that can Identify themselves. We all can have a meeting, not necessarily a collaboration but to talk about writing, experiences etc.
 
You know the screenwriter's rule, approximately a minute of screen time per page and you have 45. A feature film is considered any runtime over 40 minutes.
 
You know the screenwriter's rule, approximately a minute of screen time per page and you have 45. A feature film is considered any runtime over 40 minutes.

Weird because I've never in my entire life seen a movie theatre sell tickets to a 40 minute movie.

Maybe things are done different where you live and people pay to see films that short?
 
Rule 2 of the Acadamy Awards.

Rule 2 states that a film must be feature-length, defined as a minimum of 40 minutes, except for short-subject awards, and it must exist either on a 35 mm or 70 mm film print or in 24 frame/s or 48 frame/s progressive scan digital cinema format with a minimum projector resolution of 2048 by 1080 pixels.

And that includes the end credits.
 
Rule 2 of the Acadamy Awards.

Rule 2 states that a film must be feature-length, defined as a minimum of 40 minutes, except for short-subject awards, and it must exist either on a 35 mm or 70 mm film print or in 24 frame/s or 48 frame/s progressive scan digital cinema format with a minimum projector resolution of 2048 by 1080 pixels.

And that includes the end credits.

There's a difference between theory and reality :lol:

I don't care what rule 2 states because I have a brain and eyes.

Ask yourself - Do you know anyone in your entire life that has ever gone to a movie theatre and paid to see a film that was 40 minutes long?
 
It doesn't matter how old, it had a theatrical release. I'm sure many movies can be 40 minutes and still screen because the Oscars accept it. But every writer is focused on 90 pages and there's just so much to put in a movie.
 
It does matter how old.
In the 90s some experts claimed it was impossible for audiences to watch movies longer than 90 minutes.

Insights and business do change with time.

40 minutes may run on festivals. In the short categories. The festivals I know accept up to 60 seconds as a short.

40 minutes is more like an episode or short TV film.
 
It doesn't matter how old, it had a theatrical release.
It does matter how old. Things have changed here in the States
since 1918. Things have changed since 1948. That was a time
when shorts had a theatrical release.
I'm sure many movies can be 40 minutes and still screen because the Oscars accept it.
Give us a few examples from the last 20 years. How about the movies
that have been nominated for an Oscar that is 40 to 50 minutes.
 
You can look at a 1 in 100 billion chance and say to yourself hey it's possible!! it doesn't matter how unlikely.

But i'm over here like ... uhh i'd rather take the one in a million chance. have fun with your astronomical odds.
 
Give us a few examples from the last 20 years. How about the movies
that have been nominated for an Oscar that is 40 to 50 minutes.

The films might not be nominated for an Oscar but that doesn't mean that the Acadamy Awards would deny it, that's what I mean. Feature or short that doesn't mean you will be in the last bracket.
 
Things have changed since 1948. That was a time
when shorts had a theatrical release.

Over the years, the average running time of movies has gotten longer. I kind of yearn for the return of double-features. A 70 minute movie and a 40 minute movie would fit in very well there; kind of like a concert opener for the main event. The A' movie and the B' movie.

From a creative standpoint, you could have presentations that could be as long or short as the story needed to be. There are a lot of good ideas that should not be stretched to an hour or two in length. A good example would the 30 minute TWILIGHT ZONEs compared to the 60 minute versions. The longer episodes didn't hold up as well.

Originally, my goal was to have double-bills as my trademark. When I ran my feature, TERRARIUM in the theater for a month, it played with a short, called ROADKILL.

I think the mistake that the Rodriguez/Tarantino GRINDHOUSE release made, was that PLANET TERROR and DEATHPROOF were waaaaaaaaaay too long. They eventually released them seperately. 20 (or more) minutes cut from each would have worked. DEATHPROOF especially, was a short idea that was too drawn out.
 
I think the mistake that the Rodriguez/Tarantino GRINDHOUSE release made, was that PLANET TERROR and DEATHPROOF were waaaaaaaaaay too long. They eventually released them seperately. 20 (or more) minutes cut from each would have worked. DEATHPROOF especially, was a short idea that was too drawn out.
I think you're right. They had good intentions to bring back the double feature experience but audiences aren't used to that anymore. A single 3 hour movie can be more appealing if we're interested in the story & want to see it through.

Showing Death Proof second was also a disadvantage because it starts off with a slower pace than Planet Terror. And the first group of girls weren't able to carry off Tarantino's dialog as well as other actors he has used. I was surprised when I read the script how much better that first part reads than in the movie.
 
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