Screenwriting : Why keep a script page count low? by Steven Fussell

Steven Fussell

Why keep a script page count low?

Movies with shorter running times are easier to sell. Cinemas can have more showings per day, so you'll get more ticket sales. Which also means that cinemas are more likely to run them longer. In the case of indie films, it is also more likely that more cinemas will choose to screen them.

Steven Fussell

Doesn't make sense Alle. A long movie is blocking itself, not its competitor.

Danny Manus

yea, Alle that's not how it works here. original posting is right. but why ask the question if youre just going to answer it in the post?

Jean-Pierre Chapoteau

I think he was just informing people who have that question.

Simon © Simon

I write lean due to things grow on set, especially if you have good talent. Any of you shoot? If you do, you may start the day with a thought of three angles and end up with 5 or something completely different as the set comes to fruition and the scene claims itself. That is why I write lean or as the title states Why a low page count? I can always add, it is the cutting that kills.

Kevin Isaacson

I write the page count that my story needs, trying to stay between the 90 and 120 page marks. I don't think of how the play time will affect the theater showings. I'll let the people with more power and more money be concerned about that.

Holly Rivney

So, using Celtx, which page number do I pay attention to? The Script pages or the PDF format pages? For instance, 50 pages in Script is 35 pages in PDF.

Holly Rivney

I think if I just convert it to the PDF, download that to my hard drive, then I can figure that the PDF count is the actual page count it finally prints as. I am thinking that is the number that 'counts' in the end. It's a little wonky as someone said, but still better than a typewriter (I go back a ways). Thanks -

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