Hi just wondering how many pages a 1 hour drama should be? I submitted 64 pages for my pilot but the reader for the 4th annual tv writing comp said it was too short. Here I was thinking it was too long! Lol. Your help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Screenwriting : 1 hour drama length? by Claire Pain
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Go on twitter and follow Jeffrey Lieber, a WGA television writer/producer. He tweets daily advice on do’s and don’t s from real experiences, not theories.
Thank you both for your help :)
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That reader was an idiot. 64, if anything, is a tiny bit long. but it's fine
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Check out https://johnaugust.com/ and his excellent views on writing. Here is his advice - https://blcklst.com/help/tv\_script\_standards.pdf "Page counts are essential to networks and executives because of that all-important television, even for streaming. The industry standard for the page count of a one hour-drama is between 45 and 75 pages. For half-hour comedies, this count needs to be between 22 and 45 pages." Would you consider messaging the comp about the readers qualifications to critique and asking them for a second reader feedback?
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The reader sounds inexperienced in TV. I break down TV scripts for a living. The average is around 54 pages. It's not unusual to see pilots run into the low sixties. They usually write them ten to twelve pages longer than standard because they're still finding the show and it gives them options when they get into editorial. But once a show goes to series, anything beyond 54 is a cost factor that is generally unsustainable. Not that that stops showrunners from doing it. But the smart ones know at a certain point they start cutting meat not fat when they have to trim down to a delivery length.
Very good idea Rachel Rath ! Thank you again to everyone for your helpful comments :)