So, is there a limit here, you think?
And the more concrete question is - is it okay for a 90 page comedy feature to have 90 scenes in it?
Does it matter at all?

Usually there will be around 40 scenes in a 90 minute film. Give or take.

Can't answer the last question without reading it.

I don't think it matters, it definitely shouldn't anyway. All depends on the type of story.

I'm at 129 in my 80-page script so far.

I don't see how it matters.

Quoted from Demento I don't see how it matters.

It is about the pace of a film.  A drama is likely to have fewer scenes, lingering with dialogue as the characters are developed.

An action script may jump from place to place, with a high number of scenes.  A comedy may have several short, punchy scenes.

A traditional "step outline" -- if you bother with such things -- typically runs 30-40 scenes.

In the end it probably doesn't matter a whole lot, to be honest, but:

Quoted from DustinBowcott I'm at 129 in my 80-page script so far.

That seems high.  You "might" be placing more emphasis on plot here, without giving your characters a chance to really breathe.  Just something to think about.

A scene is not a setting/slug line.


A scene is a period of action whereby some dramatic action and change in value to the story takes place.


One scene can take place over several slug lines, and several scenes can happen in one place.

If you are really getting more than around 40 in a 90 page script, the value of the story is changing incredibly fast. It's going from a point where the main character is winning in the story, to losing in less than a page all the way through the story. It would be dizzying.

EG in a Rom Com, the main character is going to get the girl on one page, then not the next, then get her the next, then not the next.

Unless it's a brilliantly written piece about schizophrenia, I'm not sure how it would play out.

Quoted from bert That seems high.  You "might" be placing more emphasis on plot here, without giving your characters a chance to really breathe.  Just something to think about.

My A Slave's Tale script has 148 scenes and it's 110 pages.

The 80 page horror I've just finished the vomit draft of has 128 scenes and minimal locations. There are a lot of scenes in just one house... each room is a scene change. Lots of scenes in a hotel room and a B n B... maybe some car locations and minimal externals. I've written it to be easy to make myself.

Personally I think there is some confusion between plot points and scenes. Several scenes can lead to a plot point.

Tough to agree that each slug is a scene when the same scene could jump around on the slugs (like in a telephone conversation that doesn't utilize voice overs).

I know Celtx separates each slug into a scene, but I just finished a 105 page script on Celtx, which calculated 212 slugs. I would estimate it actually has 50-60 scenes.

I'm not advocating that there's a rule as to how many scenes are standard, just that counting slugs probably aren't an accurate count.

A sequence is something else again...and can be longer, or shorter than a scene.

It is a series of scenes that tie together to form a distinct narrative unit...like a car chase through different streets.


Whilst script writing programs call them Scene Headings, each Scene Heading is in fact a "setting" in terms of filmmaking.

A scene is what I've described. It is a passage of play, with a beginning, middle and end in which some dramatic action occurs and the value of the overall story is changed.

It usually takes place in a single location, but doesn't need to.

As Bert says, there are usually between 30 and 40 in a 90 minute film. 40 is quite a fast moving story.

Quoted from Scar Tissue Films A sequence is something else again...and can be longer, or shorter than a scene. It is a series of scenes that tie together to form a distinct narrative unit...like a car chase through different streets. Whilst script writing programs call them Scene Headings, each Scene Heading is in fact a "setting" in terms of filmmaking.

It’s these kinds of particulars that make it hard for me to process conversations about “scenes”. I usually think more in terms of sequences; a chain of events that can actually be uncoupled at many different places depending on what aspect of the story you’re looking to examine.

Personally, I find I tend to have ~8 page sequences occasionally separated by a bridge/transitional scene. One of my shortest scenes is as follows:

Code EXT. HEDREN HOME - DAY The school bus pulls away. Cathy reads a note by her mailbox. NOTE: "Don't Ignore Me" written under a WHITE CALLA LILY.

The previous scene is a few pages ending with someone warning Cathy against a particular action. The short sequence that follows shows her deciding to do it anyway. But THIS? It’s really just two shots. One to establish her change of location and the second furthers an independent plot thread. Does that make it a scene? I’ll be damned if I know.

On one hand it could be the first scene in my “Cathy Arrives Home” sequence. On the other hand, it could be the last scene in my “Cathy Ignores the Letter” sequence. It depends what you’re looking at.

Scenes are very confusing.

A quick google will reveal, that like this conversation, people use the word in different ways.


It's because there were traditional scenes (as in theatre plays) and later we've had each scene heading labelled as scenes when the crew break the scenes down for filming purposes. ;)


Basically...when talking about narrative structure you're looking at between 30-40 or so "scenes".

When you're talking changes of scenery/scene headings type "scenes"...it could be any number.

That's why I said plot points. There are around 40 plot points in most features. I find them difficult to understand as scenes. I suppose so long as we know what we're doing the actual names for what we're doing have little value.

THanks guys! It was never a problem for me, I never cared to count - I mean use an FD feature that gives you the exact number. But a writer friend of mine brought it up and he's worried about his feature.

My gut feeling tells me - 90 is a bit much. I'm thinking he'll probably have 10 extremely short scenes like EWall's transitional scenes, which he doesn't have to count. So, 80 would be the correct number.

He hasn't written the script just a scene to scene outline. But it's a comedy, and like a few of you here, I think it's okay to have it packed.

I see there's no accepted limit though which is good.

I think 90 in a 90 pager is too high. Sure some will be two pages and some will be short. It depends on genre too for pacing a lot of times. In a thriller, horror, I like shorter faster scenes working up to the end.

Reading scripts and studying films similar to what you are trying to achieve, helps me out. In any trade terminology should be understood, especially, amongst a trade with so many collaborators as film. But, I think as long as all parties establish what is meant by each, it'll be find.

BLB