Hey all,

I've always made it a New Year resolution to finish a feature screenplay at some point during the year. Well, as of today, I completed that resolution with draft 1 of my newest script.

The problem is, it's at 71 pages, and I don't like that. I'd like for it to be at least 80 pages if it's going to be a feature, though if I recall correctly most features are considered to be at least 70 pages, right? Is there a minimum page count for a feature?

Anyway, I've included everything, plus more, from my outline into the script and I don't know how to extend the page length without boring my audience with mindless dialogue or exhaust myself with 10 pages of action.

Thoughts? Advice?

Thanks in advance,

Sean

Short scripts run anywhere from two pages to forty pages. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as “an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all credits.” The general rule of thumb is that each script page equals one minute of screen time — give or take — so thirty-five to forty pages is generally the limit of what would be accepted as a short screenplay.

Feature scripts run anywhere from 80 to 130 pages, according to the general guidelines and expectations of the film industry — especially for up-and-coming screenwriters. Anything less is not enough and anything more is far beyond what is needed in the industry's eyes.
Screencraft, updated Oct. 2021.

Act 2 too short?
Ending too abrupt?

Some good tips here:
https://freshmenscreenplay.com/why-is-my-screenplay-too-short/

I'm going to assume this is Horror, Sean?
Which means you can typically get away with it being on the shorter side.

Love your avatar btw.
You and Zack (especially when he features Yoko) should get an award just for that.  ;D
Care to share your Logline or synopsis?

Thanks for the link and information! Really interesting article. I didn't really consider even genre playing a part in page count, but it makes sense. I also didn't consider my Act II being too short, but looking back on it, I think that's probably the weakest act.

I know the movie [REC] (Spanish horror found footage film) runs at around 70ish minutes so I'm not completely sunken with this page count, but I would like to try and expand it to at least 80 pages as much as possible.

Yes this is a horror (surprise, surprise!) and is based on my short script "Don't Go In The Shed". I'm still working on the logline for the feature but essentially what I have right now is "While caring for an elderly patient in a large estate, a young caretaker slowly learns that the man who hired her is not who he seems."

I'm trying not to give away too much in the logline for a "surprise" twist so still tweaking it, but if you wanna know more or even want to read the first draft of the script, I can post it on here or PM it to you. I think I might just need someone else to read it and give a tip or two on what could be added to help build the story even more.

Glad you like the avatar! That's Peaches, my roommate's cat. He's the silliest.

Thanks!

Sean

Hey Sean,

This is just some friendly info that may or may not assist you. A standard-ish ‘Hollyweird’ screenplay comes in around 90 minutes to fully take the protag through the Thesis-Antithesis-Synthesis, 3 acts called the ‘arc’ if you will.

This is typically broken up into 15 beats at 6 minutes each. Watch any 90 minute movie in your preferred genre and note that the scene beat will change, almost religiously, every 6 minutes.

5 beats x 6 minutes for act 1
6 beats x 6 minutes for act 2 (make the last beat in this act 9 minutes)
3 beats x 6 minutes for act 3 (make the first beat in this act 9 minutes)

  Or

5 beats x 6 minutes for act 1
5 beats x 6 minutes for act 2 (make the last beat in this act 9 minutes)
4 beats x 6 minutes for act 3 (make the first beat in this act 9 minutes)

This gives the writer enough time to include necessary information within each scene beat, but not long enough to linger on unnecessary info that can weigh the beat/scene down.

At 70 pages I would wager you are either:

a)     missing key beats within the script, at least 3 beats (18 minutes) by the page count, or
b)     Have all the beats in place but not enough info in each beat to properly resolve the scene

Hope this helps some.  

Quoted from Gum Hey Sean, This is just some friendly info that may or may not assist you. A standard-ish ‘Hollyweird’ screenplay comes in around 90 minutes to fully take the protag through the Thesis-Antithesis-Synthesis, 3 acts called the ‘arc’ if you will. This is typically broken up into 15 beats at 6 minutes each. Watch any 90 minute movie in your preferred genre and note that the scene beat will change, almost religiously, every 6 minutes. 5 beats x 6 minutes for act 1 6 beats x 6 minutes for act 2 (make the last beat in this act 9 minutes) 3 beats x 6 minutes for act 3 (make the first beat in this act 9 minutes)   Or 5 beats x 6 minutes for act 1 5 beats x 6 minutes for act 2 (make the last beat in this act 9 minutes) 4 beats x 6 minutes for act 3 (make the first beat in this act 9 minutes) This gives the writer enough time to include necessary information within each scene beat, but not long enough to linger on unnecessary info that can weigh the beat/scene down. At 70 pages I would wager you are either: a)     missing key beats within the script, at least 3 beats (18 minutes) by the page count, or b)     Have all the beats in place but not enough info in each beat to properly resolve the scene Hope this helps some.

Hey Gum,

I'm not too terribly familiar with beats in a screenplay, because honestly, I just write as I go without really creating a beat sheet. I just make sure everything said and every action made by a character propels the story further.

This has been a blessing and a curse, as some people have complimented my ability to tell a story in a screenplay that doesn't follow the usual 3-act structure. However, it's a curse because it can tend to bite me in the butt.

I do try to follow the 30-60-90 rule in act structures. With this one, however, my outline proved to be longer than the screenplay came out to be. Act I on my outline ends at around page 21 in my script, Act II at around 42 (and appears to be the weakest), and Act III at 71.

Based on the 15-beat screenplay structure, I skimmed through my draft and it shows that Act I and Act II are the appropriate length (30 pages each), however Act III seems to be the shortest and the weakest when looking at it this way.

So, I think it's B) I have all the beats in place, just not enough to fill in those beats to the appropriate page length.

Guess it's back to the drawing board for now!

Thanks,

Sean