Script breakdown question!

[mentos]

Gotta question concerning script breakdown.
If i have a script that is 10 pages long, how can i figure out how long (in minutes) it will be? I know that you break it down with the 8/8's format but that dosent really help me with time.

Thanks alot,
also my email is [email protected]

[Chance1234]

Hookay


1 Page = 1 Minute

simple as that

Chance



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[Matt J Heaton]

Something that puzzles me about the one page = one minute thing is:

What if a scene has little dialogue and a page of script lasts much more than a minute?
Or would you write on a different page for the next minute? Maybe thats too stupid..

[Chance1234]

Averages out,

some pages will be more than a minute some will be lest but overall if you write 20 pages of script youll have roughly a 20 minute film.

[MatJimMood]

For pages without any dialogue you're just supposed to space out the writing so that you retain 1 page = 1 minute

[N. Foster Tyler]

Not always. Anyways, I wouldn't worry too much if you are making a short. Exact length doesn't matter. Many things happen on set that give you ideas for scenes that will either extend or shorten length, if you are open to change on the spot.

I just take the part of the script that we'll be shooting that day, make my shot list from that scene(s), shoot it (with lots of coverage) & cross it out on the script. It's not the most organized method of working, but it's my way of working.

-N. Foster Tyler

[Littlerich]

I have written a 7 page script which I will (hopefully) be filming in Jan...

I have told everyone I meet about it that it will be between about 7 and 10 minutes, depending on the editing.

It will probably be nowhere near 10 minutes long if I stick to the exact script, but when filming, we will probably take some other shots to pad it out a bit!

You will never really know how long your film will be just by a script...

If you look on the back of a video box, it always says "Approx. 210 mins" (or whatever), so it doesn't _really_ matter that much.

The only time that it would matter if it was a TV show, that HAD to be exactly 56 miunutes, etc... (To allow for Ad breaks).




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KEEP FOCUSED!
Little Rich.
http://go.to/littlerich
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[Keviano]

I think script writing is far too over rated. As long as you understand it and any cast or crew can understand it, does it really matter? An 18minute short we made had a three page script! Unless you're gonna submit your script to anyone for funding purposes or whatever, write it so you can read it. And this EXT and INT business, what does that mean? In all my years of script writng (Admittadly less than one!) I've never used it. Internal/External?

Regards
Keviano
ReelRaine Productions
The Gunflash Effect: http://homepage.mac.com/keviano/iMovieTheater.html

[eddie]

INT and EXT are useful for when you are working out how to organise the shooting schedule. INT scenes are likely to need extra lighting. EXT may not (thats why you could also have DAYTIME/NIGHTTIME on the same line)
Its just a way of setting the scene and can be useful.

[N. Foster Tyler]

INT=Interior (indoors)/EXT=Exterior (outdoors). It just helps anybody who is reading the story know where things are taking place AND before production, it helps you know what filmstocks to buy. And many other things...

-N. Foster Tyler