Hi,

I've never written a short script before. This time I would like to give it a try. I have read some shorts on SS and found that all  were not more than 15 pages. I want to know if 30 pages are too long.

Thanks

Technically no, most film festivals consider films of less than 45 minutes shorts.

For one that you plan on posting on SS, it potentially could be. I say that because people are less inclined to read longer shorts unless you have a few things in place.

Firstly a good story, story is everything. Depending on who you ask some people will pass on it almost immediately if it is not formatted correctly or at the very least looks and reads like a script.

Then comes the finer points of good character arcs, subtext and so forth.

Another thing to think of is that if the script were to be produced as a short would 30 pages blow the budget out to a point where it just isn't realistic to film.

If you are new I would recommend posting something shorter, seeing the response you get and take it from there.

Hope that helps.

I think for the purposes of this site, 30 pages is too long. I think that kind of page count has a good chance of turning readers off. That is unless something's changed around here when I wasn't paying attention. For the purposes of being produced, I think it only makes sense that shorter is better. Ten is the sweet spot IMO but that's just me.

At the same time, I think there's something strangely advantageous in having a 30-page short. If you're crafty enough, you could totally distill the plot elements down to 10 pages or at least 20, which is still an improvement. On the other hand, if you wanted to extend your short into a feature, it wouldn't be as much of a stretch as a 10-page script. I've been approached by a producer to do just that with one of my shorts that just so happens to be 30 pages. I think that particular script would be well-suited for it.

Really, though, it stands to reason that shorter is, if not better, certainly easier on all involved.

IMO - there is no really a precise page count, but more of  how many pages you will get a reader to turn. If the story takes 30 compelling pages - so be it. I just have rarely read a short that I didn't think could have been shorter.

I agree with everything Warren said, plus, you must have proper spelling and grammar.

Now I'm not a spelling or grammar Nazi, but reading a poorly written script is like wading through a swamp...in the dark...alone...on LSD.  It's a lot of work and you're never really sure what's going on or what just happened and you're pretty sure that the dragon isn't real.

Jordan

If it's a good 30 pages, no.

However for here, you'll likely get few reads. That shouldn't stop you, IMO.

A story should be as long as takes to tell it in the best possible way whether that's ten seconds or ten hours.


However it pays to consider what it is you're trying to do with it. A 30 minute short is a lot harder to get into a festival. They can take 6, five minute ones instead.

Basically. Make sure it's good enough to warrant the time taken.

Thanks for the good comments. I wanted to write a 30 page short script because I felt the shorter, the harder to write. I decided to write a short, not more than 15 pages. Hope I will be able to come up with a good idea and post the short here.

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR.

If it kicks ass, no one will care about 30 pages or 15 pages.