SCRIPT LENGTH: let's take a poll

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  • #16
    Re: SCRIPT LENGTH: let's take a poll

    I hear you guys, but I can't do it.

    A window in narrative = *MAD FACE!!!*

    When reading other's scripts with a crap ton of widows, I'm like "BRUH! Why you making me look down for ONE FUKKING WORD!?!"

    In mine: I'll read the line 50 million times trying to figure out how to compress it. If I just can't compress, fukk it. I'ma cheat it.

    I'll even try to go bare bones before I cheat.

    Dumb example: "The man walks to the car." Becomes "Man walks to car." But if 'car' is a narrative widow, it's coming up.

    I'm talking 1-2 pages longer if I don't cheat, not 20.
    Bruh, fukkin *smooches*! Feel me? Ha!

    Comment


    • #17
      Re: SCRIPT LENGTH: let's take a poll

      Making it look nice on page and editing out words so it doesn't go to the extra page is what I'm saying is the right thing to do. Just being lazy and playing with settings in Final Draft isn't the right way to do. They used to have a setting tight, normal, loose (which was oddly sexual to me) - maybe it's still there. I'm sure I tried it all back in the day. However like people say and that interview said, no matter the page count, you can feel it when 1 page feels like 2 minutes on screen not 1. So cheating doesn't even help you.

      Anyway -- the main topic is script length. And I just got a batch of scripts for a friend (thanks) and the first thing I did on instinct as I looked at 30 scripts that I know other people think are great is look at page count.

      So you can't just think about your script. You got to think of the person with 50 specs on their desk, she might just pick up the one that's the lightest. Now if it's all digital, they'll might do what I do, see that it says 1 out of 199 pages and say "screw this, I'll let the intern read it..." And guess what, the unpaid intern or reader is even madder at you for making it so long because they know how long it will take to read and ruin their weekend... and because the most important point of all is most long screenplays are terrible.

      Few storytellers are capable of keeping our attention for that long. And in script form... oh boy you have to be a Sorkin genius...

      A book can be 500 pages. Now I don't read those books, but some people love that it's so long. It's fun to them!

      But Hollywood, time is money, yada yada, so it all adds up.

      Also you're 199 page movie costs 400 billion to shoot. So after the rewrite it will cost $40 million and be 105 pages anyway. Save us all time, would ya?

      By the way, half of you didn't read this whole post because it's OVER WRITTEN.

      Comment


      • #18
        Re: SCRIPT LENGTH: let's take a poll

        Originally posted by Bono View Post
        Making it look nice on page and editing out words so it doesn't go to the extra page is what I'm saying is the right thing to do. Just being lazy and playing with settings in Final Draft isn't the right way to do. They used to have a setting tight, normal, loose (which was oddly sexual to me) - maybe it's still there. I'm sure I tried it all back in the day. However like people say and that interview said, no matter the page count, you can feel it when 1 page feels like 2 minutes on screen not 1. So cheating doesn't even help you.

        Anyway -- the main topic is script length. And I just got a batch of scripts for a friend (thanks) and the first thing I did on instinct as I looked at 30 scripts that I know other people think are great is look at page count.

        So you can't just think about your script. You got to think of the person with 50 specs on their desk, she might just pick up the one that's the lightest. Now if it's all digital, they'll might do what I do, see that it says 1 out of 199 pages and say "screw this, I'll let the intern read it..." And guess what, the unpaid intern or reader is even madder at you for making it so long because they know how long it will take to read and ruin their weekend... and because the most important point of all is most long screenplays are terrible.

        Few storytellers are capable of keeping our attention for that long. And in script form... oh boy you have to be a Sorkin genius...

        A book can be 500 pages. Now I don't read those books, but some people love that it's so long. It's fun to them!

        But Hollywood, time is money, yada yada, so it all adds up.

        Also you're 199 page movie costs 400 billion to shoot. So after the rewrite it will cost $40 million and be 105 pages anyway. Save us all time, would ya?

        By the way, half of you didn't read this whole post because it's OVER WRITTEN.
        Ha (sexual)!

        No argument from me. Waaaaaaay long = DEATH!!!

        Here's what I bet: I bet those coming in with super long scripts who refuse to cut it, the overwhelming majority (meaning, bruh, you ain't Scott Frank!) have NEVER been read by an agent/manager/producer/studio exec/assistant/intern/or valet dude at the agency. Not once. That's my guess.

        The old adage: You gotta know the rules before you break them.
        Bruh, fukkin *smooches*! Feel me? Ha!

        Comment


        • #19
          Re: SCRIPT LENGTH: let's take a poll

          Originally posted by GucciGhostXXX View Post
          I hear you guys, but I can't do it.

          A window in narrative = *MAD FACE!!!*

          When reading other's scripts with a crap ton of widows, I'm like "BRUH! Why you making me look down for ONE FUKKING WORD!?!"

          In mine: I'll read the line 50 million times trying to figure out how to compress it. If I just can't compress, fukk it. I'ma cheat it.

          I'll even try to go bare bones before I cheat.

          Dumb example: "The man walks to the car." Becomes "Man walks to car." But if 'car' is a narrative widow, it's coming up.

          I'm talking 1-2 pages longer if I don't cheat, not 20.
          maybe what you need is to let someone else cut it down for you for free. if you ever need it, i'm offering. it'd be a fun challenge. hooyah.

          but it also seems like you did cut one pretty significantly. haha
          "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

          Comment


          • #20
            Re: SCRIPT LENGTH: let's take a poll

            Originally posted by finalact4 View Post
            maybe what you need is to let someone else cut it down for you for free. if you ever need it, i'm offering. it'd be a fun challenge. hooyah.

            but it also seems like you did cut one pretty significantly. haha
            Swear! I've said to my manager "I'm cool if you wanna cut it yourself." I'd rather just send the fdx file ("cut whatever you want").

            I seriously don't give a sh!t about my precious words once the story is out of me. The core story ain't gonna change. I'd gladly let you cut it (I've read your pages, you're good, I trust you). Problem is I don't have anything right now that needs to be cut or I'd take you up on the generous offer. The sci-fi already went out. Only generals. It's dead.

            But, I believe this is a good idea: Trade scripts with talented writer friends "Dude... Cut whatever you think I don't need and I'll reread your edited draft." If I don't notice the cuts. Perfect! "Idk what you cut but it's shorter...cool! THANKS!" LOL

            If I don't miss it, it wasn't important. CHOP IT!
            Bruh, fukkin *smooches*! Feel me? Ha!

            Comment


            • #21
              Re: SCRIPT LENGTH: let's take a poll

              Just cut pages 65 to 80 in every script and it will be fine.

              Comment


              • #22
                Re: SCRIPT LENGTH: let's take a poll

                Originally posted by GucciGhostXXX View Post
                Swear! I've said to my manager "I'm cool if you wanna cut it yourself." I'd rather just send the fdx file ("cut whatever you want").

                I seriously don't give a sh!t about my precious words once the story is out of me. The core story ain't gonna change. I'd gladly let you cut it (I've read your pages, you're good, I trust you). Problem is I don't have anything right now that needs to be cut or I'd take you up on the generous offer. The sci-fi already went out. Only generals. It's dead.

                But, I believe this is a good idea: Trade scripts with talented writer friends "Dude... Cut whatever you think I don't need and I'll reread your edited draft." If I don't notice the cuts. Perfect! "Idk what you cut but it's shorter...cool! THANKS!" LOL

                If I don't miss it, it wasn't important. CHOP IT!

                I would just f with the margins and plant a lot of orphans to see if you notice.

                Comment


                • #23
                  Re: SCRIPT LENGTH: let's take a poll

                  I have a very tight 3 pager. It's very lean and mean.

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    Re: SCRIPT LENGTH: let's take a poll

                    Originally posted by Bono View Post
                    Just cut pages 65 to 80 in every script and it will be fine.
                    Ha!

                    I know that's the common thinking, but I don't think that's my problem. My problem is more "We just didn't give a sh!t ENOUGH.-

                    Arrogant to say, I get it, but I don't think I have that sag problem. My sh!t is fukked up all the way through. Which is another way of saying "I don't believe in acts.- The thing starts, **** happens, the thing ends.

                    My buddy (writer/director) said to me: "dude... your 3rd acts are super short. I read your sh!t, I'm on page 100 and know I'm still in the 2nd act and I'm like 'how the fukk is he gonna wrap this up in 10 pages without it feeling rushed, but somehow you do.-

                    I fukkin HATE long 3rd acts. Get me the fukk outta there once I know what the fukk the twist is!
                    Bruh, fukkin *smooches*! Feel me? Ha!

                    Comment


                    • #25
                      Re: SCRIPT LENGTH: let's take a poll

                      Originally posted by Friday View Post
                      I would just f with the margins and plant a lot of orphans to see if you notice.
                      Ha! Fukker...
                      Bruh, fukkin *smooches*! Feel me? Ha!

                      Comment


                      • #26
                        Re: SCRIPT LENGTH: let's take a poll

                        Gucci, others--

                        Do you treat orphans like widows? Always start clean on the top of the next page?

                        Comment


                        • #27
                          Re: SCRIPT LENGTH: let's take a poll

                          Originally posted by realphipps View Post
                          Gucci, others--

                          Do you treat orphans like widows? Always start clean on the top of the next page?
                          i don't worry about these, well widows i do, until i'm rewriting. i cannot stand it when dialogue or an action line gets split by a page break. i will rewrite that **** until it's gone


                          tip of the day: don't touch your nose after slicing jalapeños.
                          "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

                          Comment


                          • #28
                            Re: SCRIPT LENGTH: let's take a poll

                            Originally posted by finalact4 View Post
                            i don't worry about these, well widows i do, until i'm rewriting. i cannot stand it when dialogue or an action line gets split by a page break. i will rewrite that **** until it's gone


                            tip of the day: don't touch your nose after slicing jalapeños.
                            Ha! Good tip ('bout jalapeños).

                            I try to get rid of them if I can. But, doing hella edits sometimes you just can't. I've had drafts where I loved the way it looked. Tight. Almost zero orphans, then manager asks for a rewrite and it throws everything off. At a certain point I just say "fukk it, it is what it is."

                            But, the last page has to be to the bottom of the page or close to. Super bugs me if it ain't. I'll shrink my margins if it gets me there.

                            Best case scenario IMO: Last page begins with a slug line and FADE OUT is the very last margin usable.

                            Gripe: Final Draft (or whatever) should have an option to calculate ways to do this. Can't believe there aren't these functions. Or "Here's some words you could cut to shed page count." Idk how the software calculates this sh!t, I just know that I can cut 20 lines and my page count doesn't change. Then I cut one word and BOOM! I get half a page back. WTF??
                            Bruh, fukkin *smooches*! Feel me? Ha!

                            Comment


                            • #29
                              Re: SCRIPT LENGTH: let's take a poll

                              Originally posted by GucciGhostXXX View Post
                              Ha! Good tip ('bout jalapeños).

                              I try to get rid of them if I can. But, doing hella edits sometimes you just can't. I've had drafts where I loved the way it looked. Tight. Almost zero orphans, then manager asks for a rewrite and it throws everything off. At a certain point I just say "fukk it, it is what it is."

                              But, the last page has to be to the bottom of the page or close to. Super bugs me if it ain't. I'll shrink my margins if it gets me there.

                              Best case scenario IMO: Last page begins with a slug line and FADE OUT is the very last margin usable.

                              Gripe: Final Draft (or whatever) should have an option to calculate ways to do this. Can't believe there aren't these functions. Or "Here's some words you could cut to shed page count." Idk how the software calculates this sh!t, I just know that I can cut 20 lines and my page count doesn't change. Then I cut one word and BOOM! I get half a page back. WTF??
                              i am exactly the same way about the last page. it has to be at least 3/4 but bottom of the page is best.

                              i will even rewrite pages so specific dialogue or action hits the bottom of the page to create that "page turner," feel.

                              sometimes, i've found, that it is the accumulation of several pages of edits and suddenly the page drops one on the end.
                              "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

                              Comment


                              • #30
                                Re: SCRIPT LENGTH: let's take a poll

                                Originally posted by finalact4 View Post
                                i am exactly the same way about the last page. it has to be at least 3/4 but bottom of the page is best.

                                i will even rewrite pages so specific dialogue or action hits the bottom of the page to create that "page turner," feel.

                                sometimes, i've found, that it is the accumulation of several pages of edits and suddenly the page drops one on the end.
                                Right!?

                                Whoever figures out an algorithm to do this for me IMMEDIATELY get's my money! Super waste of my time. Often takes me HOURS (like 5, that's too long) to edit for looks.
                                Bruh, fukkin *smooches*! Feel me? Ha!

                                Comment

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