Phil, as I said, when I reset the top margin to what MM says is standard, it adds approximately 4 pages.  That would be 54-55 pages of text per page.  I am currently 56 lines of text per page.

Phil, are you saying that I am wrong in my understanding that .5 -1 inch top margin is acceptable and standard?

What are you basing your comments on?

I'm basing it on everything I've read.  Every source says top and bottom margins should be one inch.  Your script might be the first one I've seen that had such a narrow top margin.


Phil

I have the Screenwriter's Bible in front of me, and that's what it says - one inch on the top and bottom.  What's more, for A4 paper, you're actually supposed to make the bottom margin larger.  So the top margin should always be 1".  Sounds like MM made a major screw-up.  Can you manually set your margins?

OK, Phil, what about this...http://www.simplyscripts.com/WR_format.html ...which I found on here.  Am I misinterpreting what this is saying?

I'm not trying to be difficult.  I guess (for the first time in my mind at least) I don't understand.

Yes, Jake, I can manually adjust anything with MM.  They don't use actual measurements though, in terms of margins.  I'm just not happy about this shit at this point, cause it's never come into play before.

I want to apologize for my confusion, and my mentality right now.  Lots of shit going down in BushWorld.  Last thing I need right now is this stuff.

Sorry guys!

Thanks Pia, but the A4 setting is only on printing functions with MM.  I don't have it set that way.  I never intended on "cheating" the margins.  I'm really bummed to find that "proper" settings increase my script by 4 pages.  I guess it's really no big deal...112 vs. 116 pages?  Who cares?  I can spend an hour or so and change my outline...no big deal.

I'm just going through hard times here and it seems like literally everything is crashing around me on a constant basis..  Even the stuff that I always thought were "rock solid".  Nothing's rock solid anymore...nothing!

I'm just not dealing well with frustration and the like.

Again, I apologize to all.  I don't mean to be a pain...guess I just am.  I should know this by now.

Quoted from Dreamscale OK, Phil, what about this...http://www.simplyscripts.com/WR_format.html ...which I found on here.  Am I misinterpreting what this is saying?

Hm, never saw that before.  All of those measurements are a little off from the SWB, but close enough.  It says they can vary a little.  But yeah, it does look like you misinterpreted a bit.  It says .5" before the page number...then a blank line after the page number.  Really confusing way to explain things.

Anyway, I would just change the margins and not worry about it.  You're still under 120 pages, which I'd say is the important thing.  It'll change your outline, sure, but only by a few pages (probably only by one page earlier in the script), and there's leeway with that sort of stuff.  Plus, the corrected margins should be more accurate as far as one minute per page.  So if you really do want to be precise, you can.

Sorry to hear it's rough going.  Go ahead and take a break, you've earned it!  I'm still trying to get to page 30 on a script.  

I'd like to point out that the link makes mention of that being based on the Warner Brothers format.  It's an entirely different animal.

Does that make it incorrect?

Quoted from Dreamscale Does that make it incorrect?

I'd say "pretty much, yeah".

Play it safe and make the adjustments.

OK, Mike.  Thanks for the feedback...again.  Appreciate it.

Shelton pmed me last night about the Warner's format because a few weeks ago we had a conversation about it.  Because esoteric screenplay formatting conversations are fascinating.

There are a couple of set margins schematics like Warners and Cole-Hage but it all kind of evens out to at least 1/2" at the top and bottom and 1.5" around the sides.  If you want scientific confirmation just print out a page from the Oscar nominees this year and hit it them with a ruler.

I'm only really commenting because of the previous five or six messages from you.  I'm going to give you advice that someone gave me years ago.  "Step away."  You're going to drive yourself crazy if in any way you think a screenplay can be perfect even in a technical formatting way.

You should write something new and try a different story, different genre, different type of character.  If this one is your first screenplay once you have a second you'll have a more solid point of reference.  You'll get more of sense of who you are as a writer.  It will give you some insight into how you pace your stories.

You should finish prepping this one for sending out or whatever and let it rest because you're a bit too close right now.

Thanks, Lakewood.  I was having a really crappy night, and it seemd like everything was an issue.

I hear you about stepping away, but I can't just do that right now.  I'm a perfectionist at heart, and I don't like doing things that are "wrong", unless I have reason to.

I'm still bugged a bit by the top margin thing, cause where it sits now, it is within the parameters of what you listed, and everything I have read.

I am driving myself crazy, but that's kind of the story of my life.

I'll leave it alone for now and not worry about it.

Thanks for the advice!

Hey Jeff, just finished the script. I don't like horror, but this was a good read. I haven't read any of the other reviews, so I will probably be repeating lots of stuff. At least you know I wont be influenced by others. Few points below...

- I think it's too long. There is lots you can cut out which isn't important to the story. Like in the bar scene for example.

- Carlie and Danny were too... cute when we first meet them, and it goes on for ages.

- Johnny calls Janelle "beautiful" to often.

- On page 50 it was sick how Danny kept on smashing Jake after he was dead. I love it. It made me shiver.

- I thought it would be cool and funny if Danny put the frying pan on the stove and made it hot before he killed people with it. That is the kind of sick thing he would do.

- Some of the lines before the scenes cut are a bit boring. It would be better to have a punchy line. A funny line too.

- The line "any-fucking-thing else" I don't think flows and works.

- I don't know about this whole credit business. It's an interesting idea. And of course you need to explain what is happening, I just don't think cutting into the credits constantly is a good thing. It might work really well on screen though, I don't know.

- The movie starts off with a bang, I love it. And I love it how it ties into the ending as well.

- I would have liked to see more of Xavier.

- My favourite character was Nicole. She was cool. Do you have her number? I might ask her out some time...

Overall this was a cool story. Some great lines, and some really good, rank killing scenes. I think you set everything up well, and it was all revealed in the end. I think I would have liked more chase scenes though. The killing comes too quickly. For most killings, there isn't enough of a challenge. Maybe a chase around the house? Or out in the snow?

Now the motivation for the killing. Money, yes. But Xavier tells Danny that he will thank him later. Why? How can Danny and Carlie go from being a normal couple to killing eight people without thinking twice. I think I would have liked to see more hesitation from them.

Anyways there we go. Well done.

Tommy, my man, thanks for the read and comments.  They are much appreciated. Glad you enjoyed it, even though you’re not a horror fan.  The intent here is not mainstream horror at all, so I hope that others like yourself, who aren’t actually fans of horror, will enjoy it, as well.

Here’re my responses to your comments…

At 112 pages, we’re talking about a movie just under 2 hours, from the tips, including credits, which isn’t really much longer than most flicks you’ll see.  But more importantly, this will not actually play out to the old 1 page of text equals 1 minute of screen time.  That’s because this is heavily dialogue based, with many characters speaking back and forth.  It takes longer in a written form than it will in a filmed form.  Short, back and forth exchanges will play out much quicker than it reads.  Yeah, there are definitely many, many things in here that “don’t have to” be here, but I think for the most part, they all work in one way or another.  The bar scene especially will play out quicker and be more entertaining than it appears on paper.  You’ll have to trust me on this one for now…

It seems that so many readers dislike D & C’s cuteness.  I just don’t get it…I really don’t.  I think a lot of this has to do with how you “read” the lines.  With talented actors in the lead roles, I truly believe that they’ll come off as cool, funny, goofy, quirky, and very likeable characters.

If you really paid attention, you’d know that Johnny calls just about every female “Beautiful”.  He’s a scammer, so to speak. He works his looks and likeable demeanor to the fullest.  He’s used to getting his way with girls, and is just a character trait of his.

Glad you liked Danny’s first onscreen kill.  This is obviously a major turning point in the script, and it seems that most not only like it, but are surprised by it.  That’s the idea for sure.

Yeah, I like that idea, but he doesn’t have time for that.  He actually just finds the Le Creuset pan seconds before Johnny and Janelle get back to the house.

I understand what you’re saying and I know you’re referencing Screenwriting 101 techniques, in ending every scene on a high note, so to speak.  I don’t necessarily agree with this, and didn’t make any effort to do that whatsoever.  I do hear ya though, bro.

A few others have commented that they don’t like that line.  Others, however, have said that they do like it.  I personally LOVE IT!  Again, it all depends on how the line is spoken, and the way I’m envisioning it, it sounds quite funny and should work.

The missing scenes during the credits are another aspect that people seem to either like, dislike, or question.  Have you ever seen “Wild Things”?  It’s a great example of how this works, and how powerful and entertaining it can be. If nothing else, it’s a great way to keep the audience in their seats as the credits roll. It doesn’t hurt a movie either, when critics write in their reviews “not to leave the theater until after the credits are completed”.

You will see a lot more of X in the sequel.  He’s a main character in it, and his origins and reasonings will all be laid out in a way that there won’t be any questions as to the who’s, what’s, and why’s.  As it is now, most aren’t really getting it…who he is and what he’s up to.  With visuals, it will be more clear, menacing, and downright EVIL.

Nicole is available for sure.  She’ll likely want a female partner as well…if you can handle that!  She’s ready to take on all comers, so to speak.  She’s a hottie, and she’s ready to play.

I purposely wrote this “chase scene free”.  I personally am so damn tired of all the cookie cutter horror movies involving stupid people being chased by stupid killers and monsters.  The kills are quick indeed and will hopefully provide extreme tension in a very different way than you’re used to experiencing.

The motivation for D & C is indeed money, but what is X’s motivation?  X tells Danny that he (Danny) will thank him (X) later.  It’s for the “empowerment” that X is providing.  The reason that D &C are able to pull this off “so easily” is also due to the empowerment they received from the deal they agreed to.

What deal did they agree to, though?  Aye, that’s the rub.

Thanks again, Tommy.  Best of luck with your script you’re working on.  Stick to it, bud!