Screenwriting : Need some help with one small thing. by Kyle Haines

From everything I've heard, no one will be interested in purchasing a spec script that long. Going off the feedback my co-writer and I have gotten, I would stay under 100 pages. I'm sure it depends on the genre, but overall, I'd definitely try to stick with 100 pages or less (ideally, my co-writer and I are aiming for 90 page comedies).

That's a small thing? Sounds like a big thing lol. Are you trying to sell this script or make it yourself? Either way it needs to be half that length. Or make it into a TV show or better yet a radio series - very cheap to produce. That way you can test your concept and your writing in the real world.

Becca This is a full-blown drama, something "Boyhood"-esque.

I still don't think anyone would purchase something that long from an unknown writer. You could always look into ideas like Dave suggested, or maybe you could create several scripts that could stand alone.

I honestly think this would only work as a film. I thank you two for the help but I don't think any of the suggestions are to my liking. I really appreciate the help!

Right now, between 1hr 50 and 2hrs 10

Kyle if it's 98% dialogue trust me not only would it work as an audio format/podcast, it would be much more optimal to release it on that medium.. have you ever listened to the Serial podcast? but you'll find that out for yourself I guess!

I also don't know about that. I'm not looking for anything commercial anyways. More indie fare.

Wow, I never saw a film that is 98% dialog to my knowledge, however why not break it into two films. The first one ends in a cliffhanger and the second one picks it up from there. Of coarse I'm speculating, I don't know anything about your piece, its genre, its theme and mood.

Dude, that's way too long. You've created a thread asking if a page length of 227 pages is ok and everyone has said that it's not so you reply with "I don't think any of the suggestions are to my liking". Why ask a question if you're going to reject a unanimous answer?

Kyle, you seem to know your script and your market. You don't want to cut anything. Don't cut anything. Send it out and see what happens.

Holy shit, 227 pages of dialogue? Look, unfortunately no one is going to read that. You basically need to cut 140 pages and then add 30 pages of action/description. I can guarantee you it's horribly overwritten and mostly writer masturbation. And that's ok - for a first draft. But contests won't even accept a script over 135 pages. So, either break it into 2 films (which dialogue heavy films usually cannot be) or you need to cut. Or hire someone to cut for you. I am currently cutting my client's 182 page script down as I give him notes. It's expensive with that many pages, but you're going to have to do it.

By the way, if it's Indie fare and low budget then it has to be even FEWER pages.

I'm really digging the two movies thing. I think I might go that route!

Roughly a page equals a minute of film. So you are two times too long.... And the average script is around half dialogue and half actions... it's a moving picture, right? If you are going the indie route and plan on making this yourself? Well, you are paying for the equipment rental and cast for all of those extra shooting days, so go ahead and make it and then see if any distrib wants to pick it up.

Kyle first off man you might not want to cut anything out of the 227 pages, but if you give it to 10 people, I'm betting some of those 10 would find a lot stuff that could be cut. Like Danny said nobody is going to read 227 page script. Even the artsiest screenplay contests won't accept something that long.
You can still keep your vision yet put it into a more palatable form. If you can write a great 227 page script, you can also write a great 90 page script and that one will get read, produced, reviewed, etc.
A great rapper can freestyle for 10 minutes, but he is also able to condense his talents into 16 bars. If you can't adapt your creativity to the form, then what good are you? Nobody buys 7-legged chairs.
Some of my favorite movies are 3 hours long - Heat, Godfather 2, Blood In Blood Out, but I guarantee you if I had to condense any of those into 90-minute films I could do it. Godfather 2 would be easy - just cut out DeNiro's storyline. For Heat, I would start the movie with the big bank heist that's at the midpoint. Think about it - a short synopsis of a movie is basically the movie at its most macro form. That could be told in half a page. So essentially any movie could be reduced down to a half page

Imagine I'm a producer saying 'It's a great story but it's 100 pages too long, I need you to cut it' . If you're any good as a writer you would be able to do it, if you're not the producer has learn't your not a good writer, you're a novelist and will move onto the next script. I know that sounds harsh but it's the reality of your situation. You're movie is nearly 4 hours long and it is way way way too long. That doesn't mean it's bad, it's just too long. I bet you $1m I could cut it. Movie test: turn the sound down and see if can you still understand it. Most successful movies pass this test. You can watch Unforgiven in Korean and still understand it, this is because the writer has taken the time to tell the story with visuals. This is what makes the difference between Radio (voice only), TV (radio with pictures) and movies (mainly visual). Concerning the Indie scene, these movies also need to make money....... a 4 hour movie is very expensive to make. Good luck!

My comment was based on the assumption that, broadly speaking, the story is good its just that its too long,.The reality is that the story, almost certainly, needs more focus. What is the movie actually about?

Yes their is good in this but only if you do a TV sears. This could be 6 thirty minute spots. Look at it that way.

Could it possibly be a stage play? Or a two night TV event? I like the idea about audio/radio being that it's so heavily dialogue. I also think that if you put the script down for a couple months or so, then come back to it, maybe you'll see stuff that you can cut that you didn't before.

Geoff Webb wrote: "Movie test: turn the sound down and see if can you still understand it. Most successful movies pass this test. You can watch Unforgiven in Korean and still understand it, this is because the writer has taken the time to tell the story with visuals." Your insightful comment reminded me of the way I taught my very young nephew and niece to understand OPERA even if they did not know the foreign language. The composer tells the story with music and key changes and "motifs" -- motifs that identify the character before he or she sings. I taught the children to close their eyes, listen to one section of an opera, and then tell me the story. Worked every time. :-D

I think you guys are all right. Right now, I don't really see anything that needs to be cut, not because of writer masturbation, but because, I just don't see anything. I'll go over it in a couple of weeks.

Give it two or three months at least. Get your head good and clear of this project then come back at it in a new frame of mind. In the meantime, start planning out your next script!

All very good advice.

Lights, Camera, Action -- Cut! It is assumed that what "one" writes does so from the perspective creativity ... When " cut " something existing 're letting go of something that is not going to help at this time , but that does not mean it can not be used in another idea or script. Always keep in mind that one image worth a thousand words ... When we create with respect, passion and creativity , there cannot be a minimum of fear to subtract or remove "something" from our Script . Luck !!!

Sitting on the script for a few months will put distance between you and the work. That often helps me revise my work.

Write another script and then come back to it.