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   BABYLON5      Babylon 5 Discussions.      2,554 messages   

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   Message 1,404 of 2,554   
   Duggy to rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated   
   Re: A silly TV movie writing question...   
   08 Jan 11 03:01:20   
   
   On Jan 8, 3:06 pm, "David E. Powell"  wrote:   
   > On Jan 7, 11:28 pm, Duggy  wrote:   
   >   
   > > 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?   
   > I was thinking air time. It is tricky as some Network TV movies run 3   
   > hours with ads.   
   Only one I can think of is the Battlestar Galactica pilot film.  I'm   
   sure there are others.  It's not too common though.   
   Longer theatrical releases will run 3 hrs on TV, though, obviously.   
   > > 120 min sounds like the time with ads.  2 hours exactly so the next   
   > > show starts on the hour/half hour.   
   > Yes, that's what I was thinking. I was trying to figure in the ads,   
   > etc. and wondering if 101-110 pages could do it. Thank you very much   
   > for your response, it's something I was trying to get around as far as   
   > time vs. script length.   
   As I say they say a page=a minute.   
   > > > 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.   
   > Thank you! That works, and I get it now :)   
   Although 48 minutes is getting a little long these days.   
   > > I think those acts are determined by how many commercial breaks there   
   > > are.  Act ends, go to commercial, new act starts.   
   > OK. I was sort of used to thinking in terms of four act or five act   
   > play formats. I see that one could split the act breaks for commercial   
   > within the "acts" thematically.   
   > Thank you again!   
   That's OK.  If you get the chance ask JMS about act structure and   
   Australia having extra ad breaks.  It'll make him cry.   
   ===   
   = DUG.   
   ===   
   --- SBBSecho 2.12-Win32   
    * Origin: Time Warp of the Future BBS - Home of League 10 (1:14/400)   

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