Hi:

I am new to the group and tried to search for an answer to my question. I didn't find one, but apologies if there is already a thread for this.

For a TV movie script that I intend as a Hallmark Movie (just my personal vision for it!), I am blocking out the movie and working on by beat sheets. My current target is 110 pages. But now I am wondering if it makes more sense to keep it at 88?

My brain is full of conflicting input on this.

I know TV movies are their own animal. Any advice?

I appreciate it!

Standard length of a script is around 80-120. The rest is up to you. Even that rule can be broken. It depends on the story.

Thanks. I just wondered if the TV movie piece of it warranted being more strict. But sounds like it doesn't. I'll stick with 110.

I'm no expert of TV screenwriting, but I think it's pretty obvious that TV movies are shown in a 2 hour window, but depending on the channel, there will be "x" minutes of commercials, which you have to plan for.

I think the agred on "average" is 18 minutes of commercials per hour, so in a 2 hour window, you'd have roughly 84 minutes of runtime.

But, I think the smaller cable channels actually have even more commercials per hour.

IMDB is your friend

The Suite Life Movie (2011) - runtime 79 minutes - (Disney channel)

Girl in the Café (2005) - runtime 94 minutes - (BBC One)

Indictment: The McMartin Trial (1995) - runtime 135 minutes - (HBO)

Ghost Shark (2013) - runtime 84 minutes -  (Syfy channel)

This gives a wide range to shoot for, but I don't think you should set a page limit on this, no sense in making the story suffer because you feel this scene or that scene is taking too short or too long. Let it flow, write it and whatever length it is...is the length it is, you can always trim it down afterwards if you feel it's too long.

Quoted from Lightfoot This gives a wide range to shoot for, but I don't think you should set a page limit on this, no sense in making the story suffer because you feel this scene or that scene is taking too short or too long. Let it flow, write it and whatever length it is...is the length it is, you can always trim it down afterwards if you feel it's too long.

Good call...

Thanks everyone for the replies. I am off to do more research and I appreciate the helpful input.