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SimplyScripts Screenwriting Discussion Board  /  Screenwriting Class  /  Pages per day.
Posted by: cybercelt, March 16th, 2008, 2:24pm
  Does anyone know the expected commercial page rate?
  Let's say, for the sake of giving me something to ponder on while I try to figure out something else, You are hired by someone to write one hour of Tee Vee. Given the need for write, rewrite, rerewrite, rererewrite, reunrewrite, unwrite then rewrite the unwrite.
  The point being a one hour script isn't 50ish pages but closer to 300 ish pages in various stages of bloom and decay until something is arrived at that no one is completely happy with but everyone can live with.
  To write 47 pages in a vacuum may be easy (ha!) easier, not difficult... How about not the same as writing on a schedule where the person giving you the money to feed your dog expects something somewhen.
  So zen philosophy aside and cooing to a minimum. Acknowledging the "Learn to write well then learn to write fast" mantra. Skipping over the pith and the poise. (Damn, can this question get any longer or less coherent?)
  How many pages would someone who does this for a living be expected to produce in one work day? (for extra fun try to figure out how many different ways you can slam comma's into that question?)

  Oh hold on, the horse startles some birds... Back to reality.
Posted by: dogglebe (Guest), March 16th, 2008, 2:50pm; Reply: 1
I don't rewrite a script and re-rewrite it.  I generally print out my first draft and eat it to death with a red felt tip pen.  After I make my changes, I do any additional changes on the computer.  I don't know how many pages I actually write when writing a 100 page script.


Phil
Posted by: MacDuff, March 16th, 2008, 4:53pm; Reply: 2
There's no limit when it comes to writing for TV. You are given a deadline and you have to hit that deadline, no matter what.

For example, I was talking with a writer for Stargate and sometimes he'll have a week to hand in a draft and sometimes he'll have a couple of days. It all depends on who pitches the idea, who gets to write the script and who the showrunner is.

A lot of TV shows have their showrunner (lead writer) do all the re-writes. Therefore it's in their best interest to have a team of writers who can hand in quality material with pages that are ready to trim, not add on too.

So - saying that - the limit is whatever it takes to get a quality piece of writing ready for the story department.

Me? I can write anywhere between 2 pages to 30 pages per day. Depending on the project, where we are at a project, my preperation, etc..etc..

Stew
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