On Jan 8, 1:28 pm, "David E. Powell"  wrote:   
   > Hate to ask a silly question, but in JMS' book on script writing, the   
   > TV film is mentioned as usually being 120 mins. in length, with a   
   > 101-110 page script.   
   120min air time or 120min programme time?   
   120 min sounds like the time with ads.  2 hours exactly so the next   
   show starts on the hour/half hour.   
   > However I have noticed that many TV films these days are 90-94   
   > minutes. I believe that IMDB lists both "In The Beginning" and   
   > "Thirdspace" at 94 minutes.   
   With 26 min of ads.   
   > So I was wondering what the usual length is for those scripts? I am   
   > guessing 48 + 24 = 72 pages, approximately? I was going by the hourly   
   > drama requirements of about 48 pages.   
   The general guide is a page a minute, so 94 pages for 94min of   
   programme to fill a 120min slot.   
   Hense the 48 page script to for a 48min show to fill a one hour slot.   
   > I also wonder if one of the   
   > tricky things in page length relative to minutes is camera shots or   
   > effects shots that may have descriptions longer in relation to the   
   > dialogue than the percentage of time they actually take in the   
   > finished film.   
   Yes, action takes less script room than dialogue.  It's a guide, not a   
   rule.  Experience will help, but even JMS talked about episodes going   
   over or going under time when filmed...   
   > I also wonder if they are usually in four act structure   
   > or if they go to five? 120 minute telefilms were mentioned as being   
   > six to eight acts in length.   
   I think those acts are determined by how many commercial breaks there   
   are.  Act ends, go to commercial, new act starts.   
   ===   
   = DUG.   
   ===   
   --- SBBSecho 2.12-Win32   
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